Ever sat down after a nice glass or wine, or in my case a small handful of THC candies, decided that what you will do at the end of the day, before going to bed, is read the news? Bad idea. I am now wide awake and fuming. I avoid the news. I am bored. I am bored of covid, I am bored of politics, I am bored of mundane cruelty that humans perpetuate towards other humans and creatures. In fact nowadays I get more upset with the cruelty of the dairy farming system than I do about the State of Modern Music. Those poor calves, their calling mothers, the insatiable need of adult human beings for baby-milk, makes me a little queasy. Do no harm. It is the creed I live by. Be kind, be freaky, but no do harm to humans or animals. The only thing I am a danger to is a soy bean.
I knew it when I opened up my lap top, I knew I had messed up. I knew I should have watched Izakaya Nobu with the Boy, but no, I just had to know what was going on. I could have taken the usual irritations and depravity. Florida Man castrates another guy and messes up leaving him ballless and bleeding uncontrollably. Okaaaaay….sadly the castratee is now not happy with the state of affairs, the fantasy being better than the reality. Poor bastard. That was disturbing enough, but it had nothing on the fact that the LA Mayor approved an ordinance that essentially makes being homeless illegal in LA County.
LA will fine homeless people up to $1000 per violation. Sleeping outside just about anywhere is now illegal in LA. The rules make it that finding an area to sleep which does not violate this ordinance will be absolutely impossible. Fining people who are so destitute they are homeless? Do these politicians actually think at all? How is a destitute person going to find $1000? If they had money they would not be outside! It is not a choice, it is not something which people are doing just to piss off the rest of society! The rules make it so it is ‘unlawful for a person to sit, lie, or sleep, or to store, use, maintain, or place personal property‘ within basically any area of the city. It is convoluted and complicated, and weaves a web so tight that I don’t see how anyone will ever find a place in LA that fits the bill. The rules are so prohibitive, that even with a map and a sharp mind, to stay 1000 feet away from other human life is basically impossible. I suppose SF is going to see a sad influx from LA. San Francisco cannot handle any more homeless people turning up – something I am guilty of doing, because it represented my best chance for help, but it will just have to try. The people fleeing these rules are refugees. For all their liberal credentials I don’t see nearly enough outrage from LA natives. Perhaps that will change in the coming days, or will people just be happy to get the homeless out of Venice Beach?
Not only this, LA only has the capacity to house 39 percent of it’s homeless in shelter spots on any given night. There are no other options. Do the powers that be think that the city’s homeless will suddenly find money and a place to stay? Do they think this is a choice?
When it starts to get late, and the sun goes down, and there is nowhere safe to even park up, it is the most awful sinking feeling of danger. When tiredness kicks in it gets even worse, because you have to sleep, there is no choice, because homeless people are human beings too. To then be hounded and threatened with jail on top of that fear and discomfort and danger, is just too much for anyone to bear. It is inhumane. It is cruel. It is wrong.
A fine or 6 months in county jail for the crime of being let down by society.
Are you outraged yet?
I saw an article on this and wondered how clueless and heartless can someone(s) be?
It is heartbreakingly impossible. Enough shelter provision needed to be made first, and some of those shelters need to allow drinking and drug taking, otherwise some people wont go inside.
The situation is heartbreaking to begin with, then to add this on top is making matters worse on many levels.
The rules are immensely complex and require measuring large distances. The homeless person would need a map and some serious math to work out where to pitch the tent. …basically nowhere in LA, as far as I could tell. I suppose homeless people will now be locked up if they cant pay fines..which of course they cant pay…they are homeless! SF better brace for impact…
I read an article, sadly I don’t recall where this was happening. A city built a small city for lack of better word, of tiny houses that were meant for the homeless. There is also a place for showers and a dining area. It looked amazing. I –think–the original/ initial number of homes would hold 200 homeless. I immediately thought someone gets it.
I am probably going to sound ungrateful, BUT here goes. I lived camping for five years. I lived with outside bathrooms and outside shower blocks and no kitchen facilities. These are basically sheds. It is cold, they lack insulation, they lack proper facilities. They are not a long term solution to homelessness. People, especially the older, the disabled and those with children need real housing. It is gruelling living like that long term. It just simple isn’t good enough. People require inside toilets, inside showers, proper decent living facilities and space. There is housing stock available, and plenty of empty office buildings. Shanty towns are just not long term options, though ,yes better than a tent or a sidewalk.
I don’t think ungrateful, more realistic. As you said, you have lived it. You know first hand. I’m the person standing over on the side just going on what I read and not getting the entire understanding that I gained from what you just shared.
Adequate housing is whats needed….
I am outraged every minute of every hour of every day! The current theme is “I got mine, you get yours!” It doesn’t matter that I screwed everyone on the way up, once I am up there, I can’t possible ever fall down to your level! Right! Kiss your ass goodbye, because what goes up must come down. Where you land is important!
…that is because you are a real person, a lovely human being! xx Feeling totally recovered?
I agree it’s completely f’d up… but not quite as thoroughly as it first appears:
“The ordinance prohibits sitting, sleeping or storing items on public property near ‘sensitive’ uses — libraries, parks, daycare centers and schools. But it also states that enforcement in any of those locations would not occur until the City Council has reviewed each location and voted to give the go-ahead.
“Council votes also would be required for the ordinance to be enforced on public areas near freeways, bridges, railroad tracks and recently built homeless shelters. In addition, the council would need to weigh in if the city determined that an encampment is an ongoing threat to public safety.”
“sit, lie, sleep” or otherwise situate their belongings in the “public right of way,”
Yeah. I appreciate the need for a pre-hearing but it’s all bullshit!
Long Bch is trying to develop better housing options but it’s too little to late. And, as you pointed out, no adaptation for people who won’t live indoors for a wide variety of reasons.
We have a couple groups dedicated to providing assistance for homeless pet owners.
I think a mixture of solutions might be needed. I am concerned that older people and people with disabilities or children might be forced into inadequate housing – these shed-like tiny houses with shared bathrooms and showers. It is still camping and it is gruelling and not good enough . Some people might prefer the ‘tiny houses’ but they are going to turn into shanty towns in the richest country in the world. Greed. It’s all greed.
I agree!
Long Bch has opened true apartments and converted hotels, with more planned. But it’s prob 1% of what’s neede.
At the same time, years ago I befriended a homeless guy – till he started taking advantage if me, including hopping my fence to use my washing machine while I was at work. And stealing my garden tools. I understand it. But he got too greedy.
I understand. He was clearly desperate and took too much advantage. Not your responsibility. It wasn’t greedy, no doubt he had a need…just not to YOUR STUFF! – just too much to take from you. He needed other different help that would give him money and clean his clothes. Stealing from someone offering kindness is outrageous. Im sorry.
Don’t be sorry! He saw an opp and took it. I respect that. But if he’d respected my property, he’d still have access. I completely understand seizing the immediate opp! I probably would too!
Robbing someone who helped…its low. Im sorry that happened. Well he fucked it up for himself!
Seriously, don’t be sorry! I wasn’t physically in danger and totally understand seizing an opp. He couldn’t count on the long game… had to take what he could get.
I was also “social” with a guy who was waaay past any chance of functioning in society… either mental issue or drugs (I never knew). The last time I saw him, he was at a local fast food joint with staff being freaked out, despite him being calm. I don’t know if they had prior experience with him or reacted simply to his state. I talked to him by name, got him some food, and gave him whatever cash I had. I know he’d been going between LB and LA. Haven’t seen him in years and figure he died on the street.
Sometimes people get pushed too far…then when they act crazy people are surprised, huh….You are a darling and a sweetheart. Thank you for caring.
I try to know people and respond to them, not my own experiences. I don’t claim to be successful but I TRY.
You try, and that is all anyone can ask. Stay safe. I am so tired with all this drama at the shelter. How are you?
Meh. Still have income and insurance. But expect to bail out for sanity this week. I’m fortunate to have options for survival.
Minus reality, how are you (mentally/emitionally)? How is the kid?
Kid is ok. I am tired. It has been very very stressful. I have a subsidy, but it is hard to get any landlord to take it. If I dont use it within 90 days I lose it. They keep asking for ID I dont have, and things I can’t do. Meanwhile the shelter has gone crazy, I am trying not to get thrown out for basically nothing and feel constantly hounded. Ive been here almost 9 months. Its too much, but better than the street.
sorry you feel you have to bail. Awful. xx hug
It’s okay. I’m aware of how fortunate I am to be able to bail by choice.
🤗 How is the weightloss and the knee operation quest going? x
Down 26lbs, 7 to go. Knee operation will likely be delayed if I quit my job… which I plan to do.
My my gosh!!! Well done! So so well done!…oh shit…well you know best about quitting..but you are so close, sweetie. What a shame if you can’t get the operation you have worked so hard for! xx
Yeah… I have a lot of moving parts in my life right now. At least I’m aware and in control… for now
Darling – very bad day today. Will explain hopefully when I am back tomorrow. I hope you are ok and things haven’t been too tough for you. Love, me x
It is bullshit. I am stuck within the bullshit. I just need someone to take the housing subsidy and let me and the kid move in.
I’m sorry. I hope you can find a way to work it out!
..cant explain. I should be coming back x hugs
The measure makes it illegal to sit, lie, sleep, or set up encampments within 500 feet from “sensitive use” properties, such as schools, parks, and libraries, and other areas such as “overpasses, underpasses, freeway ramps, tunnels, bridges, pedestrian bridges, subways, washes, spreading grounds, or active railways.”
By the time you triangulate all of those requirements there is NOWHERE in LA county a homeless person can sleep or sit.
I agree that it’s all bullshit. We needs SOLUTIONS, not oppression, esp as eviction protections are about to expire and homelessness is about to skyrocket.
I’m happy enforcement is not automatic. Long Bch is substantially more tolerant but as the problem increases, so does the attitude of “not in my neighborhood”, instead of assistance.
My neighbor works with an LA Homeless group, trying to get people assistance. But the people who don’t want it, or can’t abide by rules for group living, really burn him out. He was transporting someone when they flipped out and punched him in the face while he was driving. That’s few and far between but gets old fast.
It is too easy to dismiss people as ‘not wanting help’. Generally it is not wanting to sober up to order. They don’t want to get clean. Sometimes people need to accept that and work with it. There is a need for mental health help, and whilst no one should get physical, we don’t know how far and hard that poor man had been pushed. Abide by rules? I am sick of having to abuse by rules the richer housed people don’t have to abide by. Why should I say where I am going? What my temperature is? Why should I not be able to smoke a joint? Why should I live like Im in jail. Why can’t I make hot food? Fuck rules. They are punishment for being poor.
I agree! Why is it okay for me to drown my sorrows in booze/thc, bit not for someone on the street??
I was at a party where someone came up and asked for $$$. Everyone was drinking but bitched, “he’ll just use it for drugs!” I called then out… how dare they think it was okay for us to drink but not him!!
I said, “it’s my choice whether or not to give him money. If I do, it’s HIS choice how to spend it!” Fucking “chistian” hypocrites!!
Where in LA is “The ordinance also makes it illegal to sit, lie, sleep, or set up encampments within 1,000 feet of or on a “street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way.”
If you add all those together, there is absolutely nowhere that is safe for a homeless person. It is basically telling the homeless get out of LA or go to jail, because no homeless person can pay fines..if they could they would be inside
So this is how they are going to “clean up the homeless” huh? “Look at our squeaky clean streets now!” they will say. Who cares if we have to throw their ass in prison right?” they will say. At least they have a bed to sleep in and they won’t starve right? How fucking insane. Psychopathy is today’s plague.
It is insane. There is nowhere to camp, nowhere to sleep. No way of not being moved on. I moved around homeless for five years in a little camper, sleeping in parking lots, sometimes campgrounds, rest areas. We always had someone banging the side of the camper moving us on. People NEED to sleep. We can’t just keep moving 24 hours a day.
Wow! that’s so ridiculous. How dare you take up a little slice of public space just to get some sleep… INSANITY! Indeed. Humans do not deserve to be treated this way. Every bit of this crap is just gut-wrenching. Your life story would make one of hell of a book it seems. I really need to dig through your archives sometime.
I should be having a book published at the end of the year, if all goes to plan, The attitude of society towards the otherwise housed – the tent dwellers and campers, is extremely hostile. I always said I would never go into a shelter in a city, but here I am. It is exhausting. Nice to meet you, Christopher. The more people that act and are outraged, the better. Throwing people into ‘tiny houses’ – aka sheds – is not the solution. People need to be inside and safe, not camping forever. Just having hot and cold running water in my shelter room is a luxury. I used to have to collect and carry it to camp. Being able to lock a door. Take a shower. Clean clothes.
Well that is really exciting to hear! Fucking awesome! Fingers crossed that it all works out. And yeah I’m 100% on board with you on everything you’ve just said. In the past I would’ve believed tiny houses were a decent solution, but you’ve made realize my error of thinking going on there, because of everything you’ve mentioned just now. That whole notion can be easily debunked. When you said, “People need to be inside and safe” When I saw the word safe, It made me realize just now that the feeling of safety was the least thought about aspect of this whole equation that I myself personally never realized. From theirs and your perspective, just being able to truly feel safe for once, would be like a dream come true I imagine. The things that I really take for granted… I hope and pray you get to feel some kind of safety in your life again ASAP.
It breaks my heart that this world is so cold.
And by the way, it’s nice to meet you, too. I’m really glad you were my first ever comment on my blog. I probably wouldn’t be here commenting right now if not for that interaction.
I have been really really busy and not interacting as much as I would usually, and would like to. I will come over to see what you are up to when things calm down a little.
A shed with rudimentary electricity, minimal sanitation, and outside bath and toilet is not housing someone…and once people are installed in these shanty towns, they will be considered housed and dealt with. We need to push for better standards of shelter. It is a basic human right. Possibly as a short term solution for younger and fit people, who don’t have kids, tiny houses might work, but not long term. It would be better than tents on sidewalks or sleeping in doorways. My worry is that it will be considered long term housing, and that just isn’t good enough, and I suspect it will be expensive.
Camping is exhausting when you do it for years.
I am just hoping this latest news about a subsidy for housing for a year works out for me, and gives me enough time to make some money. I am in San Francisco, so it is very expensive here, but this is where all the help is. My kid has been a star, he was brave when we were camping out for years, and brave in the shelter. He is the real hero of all of this. Never gave me a moment’s trouble ever.
Listen, my blog is nothing special alright, lol, but in light of all the shit you go through, and yet you might even consider taking a little minute of your time to it check out, well quite frankly that’s an honor. SERIOUSLY.
Yeah you’re damn right! I agree with everything here. You’ve said it all perfectly. 100%
At the risk of making a huge generalization, to me, our society has got everything backwards. Those who are really struggling and have nothing should be given the most luxury in my opinion. Shelters could literally be mansions today with the amount of wealth this country really has, and that what’s make it so tragic to me. We could literally be the greatest generation in history with the resources we have our disposal. I know it sounds crazy, and I may be, because well, I am a bit of dreamer at times, for better or worse, but I really believe that.
And that’s fucking awesome! I’m glad he’s been strong and loving to you through it all. I imagine that he’s growing up to become one of a hell of a strong and compassionate man Isn’t he? To love you like he has despite the hard times, is such a beautiful thing to hear.
Dear Christopher. People in ‘real life’ generally call me Detroit, please feel free to use that name. I had a very bad day due to homelessness workers and other official people. I can’t explain, but hopefully I will be back tomorrow after this bullshit and be able to explain.
I totally agree, the problem is that greed rules this world. The wealth and resources are guarded by the elite 1 percent, while the rest of us struggle to varying degrees. I think change is going to come, and is not far off at all. People have had enough. The inequality is too immense.
The kid has had a bad day too. When these people upset a kid like that, make him scared and worried – and rightly so – it makes me very upset. He has been through enough. …but at least he is a good person, a very intelligent and aware young man who cares for others. Im very lucky.
You sound like a great guy. I hope I will be able to clear some stuff up tomorrow morning and I’d love to see what you have been up to on your blog Don’t sell yourself short. If you could cross all fingers and toes tomorrow, I would appreciate it. Nerve wracking morning coming up.
Ok I see, Detroit huh, that’s sounds so badass, I love it!
And I’m sorry to hear that you both had a horrible day. That really sucks 🙁
Cheers, to everything hopefully working out better for you guys tomorrow! I’ll be thinking of you. Detroit.
And good grief, you’re such a sweetheart! Thank you. I’ve had to be humbled over the last 7 years, to at least finally get to a balanced place in my mind. In my past I thought I was a great guy but I wasn’t, I was just a straight up asshole. Walking around blind to it the entire time. I definitely have done things that I’m not proud of. But I’m trying to forgive myself and just move on, I’m trying at least.
The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in ’68 and he told me, all romantics meet the same fate some day, cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe. …..Ms joni mitchell
Ah I see! One of you’re favorite songs I presume?
Yes.