Homeless in OKC

[urbanity]

Face of homelessness in Oklahoma City changes | OKG Scene.com

[mturner]

Interesting. I hear that similar story to varying degrees for many in construction. Not to say that it's limited to that sector. It's not uncommon for people in construction to also be "self employed" already working without benefits and worker's comp safety net. One injury or a couple of jobs that fail to get off the dime can put a lot of people already tenuous positions over. I didn't know that there was a place that family's could go to stay together.

[PennyQuilts]

It has been so long that we've had a robust economy that many youngish people are really getting hit because they haven't lived with the notion of saving for a rainy day. I'm betting this economic climate is going to change our spending/saving habits for the next thirty years. This generation won't be nearly as free with discretionary spending.

I felt bad for the people highlighted in the article but what jumped out was that they thought their room mates were paying their way but they weren't. Trust but verify. And I am surprised that a family with a small child didn't go camp with relatives until they got back on their feet. Or relocate to find another job. I'm betting there is more to that story than was reported.

[kevinpate]

Not everyone has family. Some what do can't afford to get to them, or afford to relocate.

A guess on my part, but I do guess that folks with several options don't make the top choices be double up in apartments or hope the spouse makes enough in tips to cover another night in a motel that's the type that the odds are you can cover another night by tip money and have something left over to nibble on as well.

[Platemaker]

It has been so long that we've had a robust economy that many youngish people are really getting hit because they haven't lived with the notion of saving for a rainy day.

I don't think it's limited to the young... I think the last two generations at least are bad savers.

I'm betting this economic climate is going to change our spending/saving habits for the next thirty years. This generation won't be nearly as free with discretionary spending.

If the economy recovers... I doubt it.

Had we not had the bailouts... maybe.

I'm of the opinon that this country NEEDED a full-on depression. That way maybe people would get back a work ethic.

There aren't many jobs out there, yet I still cannot keep entry-level positions I have open filled. The gravity of the economic situation has still not hit home really.

We are American... very good at reacting to bad situations in an "AMERICA! F*** YEAH!" sorta way... but even better at forgetting bad situations ever happend. (4/19, 9/11, Columbine, Katrina, Tsunami, AND the ressesion... once it recovers... OMG Becky, like that is like... totally old news and junk!!! OMG like checkout my new new iPhone III)

[mugofbeer]

While I have no doubt the face of homelessness has changed quite a bit during the deep recession, you always have to take media stories on the homeless with a grain of salt. Those who have the mental capacity to learn how the system works will be able to find a place to stay and find meals for their children. There are numerous governmental agencies and numberous private charities to help them through their hard times until they can get back on their feet.

Where the media fails is that they simply refuse to report true information about the homeless. During normal economic times, the vast majority of homeless are either (or a combination of) elderly who don't have family, mentally ill or chronically addicted to drugs or alcahol or illegals. There is also a smattering of those who simply don't want to live in the normal "work to make a living" system.

While living in Denver, I worked downtown and volunteered time with a couple of privately run homeless shelters. There were hundreds of homeless. Nearly without exception, they fit into the catagories above. The media in Denver would have you believe they are all fit, capeable workers ready to take a job. One outlet actually followed some of the street corner beggers and found several were not homeless as they would have you believe - but had homes and some even had other jobs. My God, you should have heard the criticizm of that piece from the homeless advocates!

The point? Be careful when you read about the homeless in the media. There is often far more than the story covers. Give to the homeless? Absolutely, there are many newly homeless who truly need help, but don't do it directly! Give to the organizations that help the homeless. Giving money to the street corner beggers is usually giving them a bottle of Jack or a tab of something.