Who Says There's No Recession

[lizbud]

A sad & scary story for many people. There's a lot of people just one
paycheck away from homelessness. At least this lady has her two Goldens
to keep her company.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayof...ml#cnnSTCVideo

[jackie]

OK, out of those women living in the car park, they cannot find a three bedroom apartment between them to rent?

I understand there is a crisis, but there must be alternatives to sleeping in the car.

[Laura's Babies]

The people on social security are the next homeless.. Baby boomers.. People on fixed incomes that are just hanging on by a thread already.. It is only going to get worse.

The profit big oil is making is part of the problem.. Hasn't it been twice they have been called to Washington to explaine their enormous profits they are making? Big oil-Big profit-Big problems for the rest of us!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

The people on social security are the next homeless.. Baby boomers.. People on fixed incomes that are just hanging on by a thread already.. It is only going to get worse.

I would have been homeless in 2006 if it wasn't for my sweet brother. When the house I was renting had to be condemed, I had no where to go or any money. To rent another place I would have needed at least three months rent plus a deposit. No way on disability, I could come up with that. Plus, I couldn't find a place that would let me keep my cats. It was the most frightening time of my life!!!

I've known we've been in a recession for a long time. The higer ups never think there is one until it starts to effect them. The rest of us, have been in one for a long time.

We are in a sinking ship. Our Social Security may go up 1 and a half % a year, if we are lucky. Food alone has gone up about 40%.

[Karen]

OK, out of those women living in the car park, they cannot find a three bedroom apartment between them to rent?

I understand there is a crisis, but there must be alternatives to sleeping in the car.

Probably not in Santa Barbara - it is not exactly known for affordable rents. But that is where her part-time job is, so ...

It is sad, but at least she and the dogs are getting to stay together, and it is a safe place for them to sleep at night, rather than trying to find a new place every night ...

[carole]

Yep it sure is scarey, it is the same down under, everything has gone up , the petrol is about 2.00 a litre and then of course your food goes up,etc etc,you wonder how much longer it can go on, i really feel for those on benefits etc, it must be extremely difficult just to feed the family without anything else, we have a budget coming up in June, and the government is talking tax cuts, so that should be a little helpful for us,but does not help those on even lower incomes., I know what it is like to be on the lower end of things and we are still not on a high income, but i would hate to be where i was before right now.

[Freedom]

I like that she kept her 2 dogs, and other woman has her 4 cats. So many of the pets end up in shelters or just dumped out on the street.

Who says there is no recession? Only one I know is "W"

[lizbud]

Yep it sure is scarey, it is the same down under, everything has gone up , the petrol is about 2.00 a litre and then of course your food goes up,etc etc,you wonder how much longer it can go on, i really feel for those on benefits etc, it must be extremely difficult just to feed the family without anything else, we have a budget coming up in June, and the government is talking tax cuts, so that should be a little helpful for us,but does not help those on even lower incomes., I know what it is like to be on the lower end of things and we are still not on a high income, but i would hate to be where i was before right now.

I'm glad you posted here Carole. I've wondered if this was the same in other countries. I know everything from food,Rxs( me & the furry kids)and gas
for the car, has gone up & up & my fixed income stays the same.

Local State taxs never go down, they only go up.

[lizbud]

OK, out of those women living in the car park, they cannot find a three bedroom apartment between them to rent?

I understand there is a crisis, but there must be alternatives to sleeping in the car.

That does seem very practical, but I don't know how good that might be.
Wouldn't you hate to be forced to pick a stranger to be a housemate?

[Medusa]

That does seem very practical, but I don't know how good that might be.
Wouldn't you hate to be forced to pick a stranger to be a housemate?

I think that probably after having spent night after night in the parking lot, they probably get to know each other. Three or four women could join forces and combine incomes and get a place together, perhaps not in Santa Barbara but it's what I would do. It's certainly preferable to a 67 year old woman sleeping in her car w/two huge dogs. It's such an awful indictment of the U.S. and how our govt. promises to take care of its own but, in reality, it turns a blind eye to people like the ones on this video. It's so sad and scary. It could happen to any one of us. One spell of ill health and/or unemployment and we could be in that very predicament.

[Lady's Human]

Regardless of what the economy is doing, on any given day in any given city or town in the US you can find similar stories. Is it right? not neccesarily (I know of cases where people have frustrated everyone who has tried to help them, abused the help, and wound up on the street, hence the not neccesarily). I know of several similar cases personally from the "booming" economy of the '90s. They just didn't make CNN.

It's funny how they only seem to trot these stories out into the headlines when there's an election going on.

[RICHARD]

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_9316198

============

The people who have caused the housing collapse are the same ones working in the industry.

I have a long and pompous rant about some of the shenanigans that went on.

I'll start another thread.

[Medusa]

[QUOTE=Lady's Human;2014808]Regardless of what the economy is doing, on any given day in any given city or town in the US you can find similar stories. Is it right? not neccesarily (I know of cases where people have frustrated everyone who has tried to help them, abused the help, and wound up on the street, hence the not neccesarily). I know of several similar cases personally from the "booming" economy of the '90s. They just didn't make CNN.QUOTE]

True, but this woman is 67 years old and she is still working. I do believe that there are people who slip through the cracks, regardless of the ones who refuse or abuse all help. I know how it feels to be a breath away from homeless and I was working two jobs at the time, so I'm sure that there are others who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in a similar situation. Yes, "you will always have the poor w/you" but that doesn't make it right. Not all, but some people are indeed worthy of compassion and our help.

[moosmom]

Lizbud,

I saw it on the news today and realized that I WAS that close to living in my car with my cats. People say "it'll never happen to me". Never say never.

What I don't understand is that the woman's "friends" allow her to shower at their homes. Why not take the poor woman and her dogs in???? If one of MY friends was threatened with homelessness, you can bet your sweet patootie they'd have a place with me for as long as it takes.

[Medusa]

What I don't understand is that the woman's "friends" allow her to shower at their homes. Why not take the poor woman and her dogs in???? If one of MY friends was threatened with homelessness, you can bet your sweet patootie they'd have a place with me for as long as it takes.

I had the same thought, Donna, but currently I've been watching a situation unfold w/a friend of mine. Her friend and husband recently moved from OH to NY and, almost as soon as they arrived in NY, he was w/out a job. Her friend called crying, asking if they could stay w/her for a couple of months until they got back on their feet. My friend said 'yes', that was in late Dec. and they're still there. The woman is working, the husband isn't and they've paid her only $400 in 5 months. So now my friend realizes that, if she charges them rent, they won't be able to save money to move out but she can't continue to support them. She's painted herself into a corner. Another friend of mine was laid off at work, lost her apartment and, fortunately, had a friend that said she could move in w/her until she found another job. She thought that she'd be there for only a couple of months. She was there for a year and a half. I know I must sound unsympathetic and cold hearted and I don't mean to because, if I found myself in such a situation, I surely would hope that one of my friends would help me out but, w/7 cats, it isn't too likely. We just never know what the extenuating cirumstances are w/someone and there could be a very good reason why her friends haven't taken her in. I do know, however, that I would struggle w/watching a friend of mine sleep in her car w/her dogs every night, that's for sure. It's just so sad.