G
Gimme Shelter
Guest
Unfortunately homelessness is a problem that plagues a lot of people with substance abuse problems and/or mental health issues, so I think that it's appropriate to have a thread like this on Bluelight. This thread is here to share experiences with homelessness, as well as to give advice to those that may be homeless (present or future), and also to give hope to these people through our shared experiences.
There are different degrees of homelessness (job/no job, car/no car, places to crash or not, etc) and so I am going to touch on the more severe cases but anybody that finds themselves in this predicament should be able to benefit from this thread. Forms and policies of Public Assistance vary from state to state, so I will discuss my experiences in NY and others can add to this thread with their experiences elsewhere (others in NY can comment as well since it may vary from county to county).
One of the first stops that anyone should make when newly homeless is the Department of Social Services [DSS]. They should issue you emergency foodstamps and provide you with emergency housing, as well as enroll you in medicaid. They will also discuss options for more permanent housing if you wish to want to go through the process of getting it through them. This is a big decision since getting 'permanent' housing through them can be more trouble than it's worth.
In NY for example, some counties will have you going back-and-forth from the shelter to DSS each day for months (making it impossible to work during this time) before finally placing you in a more permanent housing situation, which is often a shitty 3-4 person room with 16 other people in a bad neighborhood, and once you start working you have 3 months to get your own place. Also, in order to get placed there to begin with you will have to go on various appointments to determine your ability to work, and if you are deemed fit to work you will have to work for free through the DOL to "pay your housing grant" otherwise they won't house you. If you are deemed unfit to work during your evaluation then you may be eligible for SSI/SSD, but if you go this route it's a long touch road which will probably have you living in a pretty shitty place in the end since you are not granted that much money each month.
If you want to avoid that whole mess, find a place to "crash" and work as much as possible (off the books is best so you can keep your foodstamps and medicaid) until you can afford a place to rent. The food service industry is a good place to look since they are usually always hiring, they will often give you a lot of hours if you show you are a hard worker looking to work a lot, it usually doesn't matter much how you are dressed (unless you are a waiter/waitress in which case you have a uniform anyway) and you can usually eat for free there. Doing this can easily have you back on your feet in under 2 months. The construction business is good too, but it's not always steady and it's sometimes hard to get a job doing that since they want you to have your own transportation and tools. Both of those areas are pretty good for finding a place to rent, so that's another plus with going that route.
The object is just to have a place to sleep at night. If your state has shelters that just let you sleep there at night and leave in the morning no questions asked, then that may be your best bet. However, in my area of NY that's not the case most of the time. If you have various friends that will let you bounce around from house to house to crash then that's ideal, but don't get too comfortable there since the object of the game is to become independent asap. Whichever route you go, here are some helpful hints.
Best of luck to all the homeless people out there, and I hope you find shelter soon!
There are different degrees of homelessness (job/no job, car/no car, places to crash or not, etc) and so I am going to touch on the more severe cases but anybody that finds themselves in this predicament should be able to benefit from this thread. Forms and policies of Public Assistance vary from state to state, so I will discuss my experiences in NY and others can add to this thread with their experiences elsewhere (others in NY can comment as well since it may vary from county to county).
One of the first stops that anyone should make when newly homeless is the Department of Social Services [DSS]. They should issue you emergency foodstamps and provide you with emergency housing, as well as enroll you in medicaid. They will also discuss options for more permanent housing if you wish to want to go through the process of getting it through them. This is a big decision since getting 'permanent' housing through them can be more trouble than it's worth.
In NY for example, some counties will have you going back-and-forth from the shelter to DSS each day for months (making it impossible to work during this time) before finally placing you in a more permanent housing situation, which is often a shitty 3-4 person room with 16 other people in a bad neighborhood, and once you start working you have 3 months to get your own place. Also, in order to get placed there to begin with you will have to go on various appointments to determine your ability to work, and if you are deemed fit to work you will have to work for free through the DOL to "pay your housing grant" otherwise they won't house you. If you are deemed unfit to work during your evaluation then you may be eligible for SSI/SSD, but if you go this route it's a long touch road which will probably have you living in a pretty shitty place in the end since you are not granted that much money each month.
If you want to avoid that whole mess, find a place to "crash" and work as much as possible (off the books is best so you can keep your foodstamps and medicaid) until you can afford a place to rent. The food service industry is a good place to look since they are usually always hiring, they will often give you a lot of hours if you show you are a hard worker looking to work a lot, it usually doesn't matter much how you are dressed (unless you are a waiter/waitress in which case you have a uniform anyway) and you can usually eat for free there. Doing this can easily have you back on your feet in under 2 months. The construction business is good too, but it's not always steady and it's sometimes hard to get a job doing that since they want you to have your own transportation and tools. Both of those areas are pretty good for finding a place to rent, so that's another plus with going that route.
The object is just to have a place to sleep at night. If your state has shelters that just let you sleep there at night and leave in the morning no questions asked, then that may be your best bet. However, in my area of NY that's not the case most of the time. If you have various friends that will let you bounce around from house to house to crash then that's ideal, but don't get too comfortable there since the object of the game is to become independent asap. Whichever route you go, here are some helpful hints.
- Travel lightly;
My first time being homeless I took way too much stuff with me. I barely touched half the stuff in my bag so all it did was weigh me down. If you have a safe place to stash more stuff then go for it, but if you are 'on the streets' then don't bother. I suggest a pair of socks and underwear for each day of the week, 3-4 undershirts, a few t-shirts, and 4 regular shirts, and 3 pairs of pants. A jacket/coat that's appropriate for the weather at the time is also crucial. That's all that most people will be seeing anyway, which is why it's not important to have that many shirts. Then it's toothpaste/toothbrush, deodorant, body spray, nail clippers, hand sanitizer, and razors. My second time around I only brought one medium size backpack with me and was fine.
- Find good bathrooms;
You will need a place to shave and "freshen up" which means some bathrooms which hopefully have a lock on them. If you have friends that let you shower there then that's your best bet, but if you don't, start looking for decent bathrooms otherwise it will begin to show that you are homeless if you get dirty/smelly/scruffy.
- Libraries;
Libraries are your best friends. They can take care of the bathroom situation (just try not to let them figure out that you are homeless) as well as give you a place to rest, go on the computer, charge your phone, and look into all the resources available to you.
- Dollar Stores;
Forget brand names for now. It's a time to stretch your dollar and this is the place to do it. Food, deodorant, body spray, undershirts, underwear, etc, should be bought here.
- Give the drinking/drugging a rest;
Most of the homeless people I ran into were alcoholics, especially the "chronically homeless" people. If you are doing drugs put them down. You are homeless, you don't want to be a homeless junkie otherwise it will take you way longer to get back on your feet, especially if you are engaging in illegal activities to fund your habit. AA/NA can be a good thing at this time. You may get a real job through a connection you meet there, but I wouldn't use the program for that sole purpose.
- Maintain your appearance;
Like I said before, the object of the game is not to look homeless while being homeless. Stay clean-shaven, and take care of your teeth and fingernails. Find somebody with hair clippers and get a neat crew-cut for now, or scrape together a few bucks for a cheap haircut at one of those chain hair-cutting places.
- Medicaid;
If you are homeless you should be eligible for medicaid. It will take 2-3 months to kick in, but when it does take advantage of having it. Get a check-up, get those teeth checked out, and get into a alcohol/drug treatment program if you have a substance abuse problem.
- Stay Connected;
It's important to stay connected to 'normal people' while you are homeless so that you can stay sane and 'check yourself' from time to time. Try to keep your phone on, and if you can't see about getting a free phone through some of the companies that may offer one to those who qualify for foodstamps or medicaid.
- The Company you Keep;
Be aware of the company you keep. Try to stick with people that are doing positive things towards gaining employment and shelter. If someone seems to know about every homeless shelter around and has stories about them then it's probably for a reason. It might be entertaining to hear the stories and can be beneficial towards making a decision as to your next move, but they are not someone that you want to be around too much.
- Transportation;
Let's face it, a lot of homeless people do not have vehicles, so it's important to familiarize yourself with the public transportation system. Also, a bicycle can be a lifesaver at this point in your life so if you have one try to take it with you and make sure to lock it up. It will greatly expand your job opportunities and just help you get a lot more stuff done in general. This is another reason why traveling light it important, unless you have a place to keep your stuff.
- Stay Positive;
Remind yourself that this is a temporary situation, and allow yourself to be humbled by it. Also, use this as an opportunity for growth in a positive way. Don't just sit there feeling sorry for yourself because nobody is going to swoop down and save you. If you have the opportunity to go back to where you got kicked out of it might not be a good idea since it may just be delaying the inevitable once again, so if you do go back make sure that you make steps to be more independent so that you do not find yourself being homeless again if you get kicked out again.
Best of luck to all the homeless people out there, and I hope you find shelter soon!
