Homes for the Homeless

Due to circumstances, I will be homeless at sometime in the future, and that day may not be too far away. I've been watching the homeless people downtown. Most have an old shopping cart and cart around their few possessions, which is normally some spare clothing, shoes, some blankets, fork and knife, matches, metal cup, and maybe a transistor radio. Normally they have some sort of snacks and many have liquor.

When they dont go to places like the Rescue Mission to stay, they usually sleep under bridges, under loading docks, oir abandoned buildings of they exist. But I've noticed that some of them are pretty ingenious. Some have large cardboard boxes to sleep in, usually refrigerator boxes, and they will build a small fire nearby to warm the box without setting it on fire.

When I get to the point of homelessness, I want to be prepared. But I want to have a little better setup. The idea is to have a tent of sorts that dont need to be staked, since they need to be moved quickly and you cant stake into concrete. Therefore, I've decided to use the shopping cart as part of the tent. The idea is to make the tent over the cart, and use the cart to keep it upright even in windy weather. Yet make the tent collapse into the cart in a couple minutes so it can be wheeled away quickly. And yes, the cart will need wheel locks for windy weather which can be small wooden blocks carved to fit the wheels.

I'm looking for ideas how to design this setup. I have a few canvas painters tarps to make the tent, but it's how to make it around the shopping cart that has me puzzled.

One last thing, I'd like to find a way to heat the tent in cold weather, using scrap wood and paper garbage, but it cant be a heavy item to cart around.

Ron

Reply to
rond2011
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I think there is a government program for your problem. I believe it is called "Cash for Shopping Carts" or something like that. If there isn't, just claim to be a victim of discrimination and some lawyer will take your case, put you up in a hotel, and only take about half of what the defendant pays to settle. Is this a great country or what???

Reply to
Ken

Transistor radio? I haven't heard that term for 30 or 40 years.

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314

I would seriously work at not being homeless if I had a clue I would be.

Worse case, if you are in a cold environment, go to jail.

Reply to
Thomas

On Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:20:19 -0600, snipped-for-privacy@nothing.com wrote Re Homes for the Homeless:

How about sleeping in the cart with the tarp over you and the cart?

Reply to
Caesar Romano

This looks like a troll to to me, but I'll bite nonetheless for the benefit of someone, possibly.

Most homeless people don't accumulate possessions. It's a hindrance, and pushing either a cart or carrying a bag is a sure sign. I'd forgo both.

Setting up camp is largely frowned upon. The railroads will run off and destroy any they come upon, and cities tend to do the same. Largely homeless find some existing shelter (under bridge or doorway or in an abandoned building) for the night and then move along during the day. Other homeless people can be a large problem. Get to know them and how to deal with them.

A small tarp (and probably some poly) and a pad is what you need. You can tie the tarp off as needed or just cover it over yourself (AT through hikers only carry a tarp). A good blanket or two is essential. You'll need to be able to stash that.

For heat, you can use those cheapy emergency candles. In a small space several candles is a lot of warmth. If you should have some shelter, the mad houser stove is made from paint buckets:

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Food is seldom a problem, lot of places feed the homeless, it is shelter that is the problem.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Thies

Be creative. Do something to get national attention and you can get put up in a ritzy hotel.

Reply to
Metspitzer

You don't seem worried about it. You act like it is more of an adventure than anything else. Are you 38 years old and your parents finally kicked you out of the cellar? This should be the time when you start to panic and beg for jobs at any pay you can get instead of planning how wonderful it will be to be homeless.

When it's two a.m. and some thug beats the crap out of you and takes your little setup for himself, what are you going to do? The police are probably not very interested in homeless power struggles. Think about, where are you going to get food? Water? Use the toilet? Take a bath? You will be the source for endless hours of talk and ridicule when someone you know recognizes you and tells everyone what overpass you live under. They will take their kids to see you and recount how you have always been a loser. Or do you think you will end up like that Golden Voice vagrant where you will become famous and everyone will love you? Until they get tired of you. How will you get money to buy crack to make the pain and hunger stop?

Volunteer somewhere, make connections before it's to late.

Join the army, get tough, learn survival from the experts, learn how to be a leader, not a sheep.

Get a job you absolutely hate, work your ass off, and twenty years later you will look back on it as a great learning experience and one of the best jobs you ever had.

Reply to
Mysterious Traveler

On Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:53:03 -0800, Smitty Two wrote Re Re: Homes for the Homeless:

That one is really nice.

Reply to
Caesar Romano

Possibly the worst advice given on AHR to anyone about anything at anytime, and that's including the guy who suggested a homeowner use his tongue to find out if a circuit was dead. Oh, damn, I just realized you were the guy that asked the question, sorry - I guess you did follow that advice. Still hearing the buzzing?

I'd suggest a new nom de plume - how about Missing In Translation? It's more apropos.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

have you tried social service agencies? hell, try welfare. most folks on the street have severe mental or drug problems. you seem coherent. state and county agencies may be able to help. have you enrolled in medicaid? if you're truly that poor you may be able for healthcare.

dont give up. fight it. make a pain in the ass out of yourself.

Reply to
bpuharic

Rarely do I pick a fight, flaming is not my normal style.

I love a good parody. I enjoy a good one, even if they are off topic.

However; I don't much care for people who make fun of those less fortune.

May I suggest you TROLL with a kinder topic.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

Ken wrote in news:igpj2p$v2o$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

That only applies if your shopping cart has more than a certain number of grocery items. If you went through Express legally, then you're out of luck, sorry.

Reply to
Tegger

Better yet, get one of those dry cleaning bags, the ones that say "This bag is not a toy" on them, and put it directly over your face before going to sleep.

Reply to
Larry W

Yes, you are correct. A few years ago I heard about a private organization that tried to solve a grievous problem in L.A. which was a foreshadowing of a current problem.

It seems owner of the shopping carts, say "Lucky Giant," had operatives prowling the streets looking for their purloined portmanteaus. When one was found, they strong-armed the granny-lady out of the way, dumped the contents of the cart on the sidewalk, and repossessed the cart! This, of course, essentially evicted the cart's resident.

In a fit of compassion, a group was formed to solicit donations with a view toward buying carts to give away to those unfortunate evictees. I think the group's name was "Habitat for Hobos" or something similar.

This group also produced a video tape on how to successfully "dumbster-dive"; how to spot the best dumpsters, what sort of food to ignore, that sort of thing. The video was entitles "Gourmet Dining for Those Who Don't Have Shoestrings."

Reply to
HeyBub

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