Forum Post: Dear GirlFriday

"You're still listed for Douglas County Precinct 43"

Bingo! I am still listed and moved from there over 2 years ago. A huge number of those seats are empty! There is no one there to take my seat.

I don't want to tell anyone what to do. I want to put a light on what is working, so that people who do want to help, can put their energy into things that do work, and not waste their time and energy on things that don't.

"None the less, I do so love it when people walk right in and push advocacy and mentor-ship when they show a very unrealistic view of what is actually happening."

I have a life time of repeatedly BEING homeless and of being an advocate to draw from. What is your resume?

"Grow garden people crack me up. Anybody remember off the top of their head the stats for the number of employed homeless? How about those that are skilled?"

That number is about 20%, but if you count the fact that so many working family's have several generations living together now to survive that number should be way higher.

What if I tell you its possible to live in an abandoned home without the Government doing anything to bring it about. I had some crazy friends just ask. Really ... that was all it took.

They went to the bank that owned the home and asked. They had good reason to say yes. The people agreed to keep the house in good condition to help it sell, and it kept vandals and vagrants from moving in.

Ahhh... if you move onto a property and break out the windows and draw on the walls ... you are a vandal and if you live on it without permission you are a trespasser and vagrant; But IF you work with the bank that owns it, to protect it, you are now a solid citizen and welcome there.

The problem of the deterioration of a property after no one lives in it is real. We have a higher then ever vacancy rate and it is a problem.

What if a Group got together and agreed to run background checks and guarantee that those who move into an abandoned property will keep it up and will move within 30 days when it's sold.

Do you think they could convince some bankers that it was a good idea to let them manage the properties and fill them with homeless families just down on their luck? I think they could.

There are encampments that are being left alone. What is different about those? Let me tell you about what I see. When I lived next to the free way no one knew that I was there. I wasn't bothered.

The crap they have lined the streets with, is an eyesore and honestly the way they live in many encampments is a health hazard. Should the non homeless have to live with that?

I traveled with the rainbows and learned to tread lightly on the earth. We made ovens of dirt and built encampments that you couldn't tell existed the day we left. There was no trash and broken garbage around, we respected our environment and loved our 'mother' the earth.

If instead of that home built of crap, if they had taken those same supplies and mixed them with the dirt in the lot they lived in, they could have created something beautiful.

http://www.thiscobhouse.com/cob-building-systems-foundations-and-walls/

Maybe, if that hovel had been beautiful they would have been successful at saving it. It takes a 4 hour class to teach someone to build their own house and you can even learn on line. The homes are beautiful and cost pennies to build.

http://fresnoalliance.com/wordpress/?p=1313 Ya, after seeing the above it sure looks like its a DIY project."

I'm sorry ... I know the problem is huge, but that Fresno alliance is what I am talking about. They are screaming from the rooftops and unable to keep the homeless from being evicted.

They have raised awareness of the problem and people are starting to listen and care about what is going on. We can build on what they have done with other things that are working better and faster to get people off the streets.

We are discouraged and feel helpless but we do out number them! We can effectively use that. We are just not doing it. For the most part people are just working and taking care of their families or worrying about how to pay their bills.

They are not doing what it takes to get the political system back, but the problem is 2 fold. In OUR schools we don't teach children how our government is set up... so the majority of people think voting is everything. Believe me in their schools they were taught!

I have known a lot of homeless people. There is no one "story" of why they are homeless or what that mean's to them. They don't necessarily see it as the problem you do.

Some see it as the only real freedom there is to be had in this life. There are some who wouldn't live any other way.

My few belongings are spread among 5 members of my family and I go from place to place helping those I know who can use an extra hand; so technically, I am still homeless. Instead I prefer to consider myself free!