Congratulations, your growing city has now become a metropolis. Guess what comes next, the Homelessness problems and societal conundrums.
As I read more and more online news these current days, I have noticed the continued prevalence of Major USA cities now facing amplifying Homelessness problems. The "tent city" issues and drab are now visually pervasive. Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, New York City, and now even Top 15 populated, Austin, Texas.
Here's a quick personal insight story and perspective in homelessness. I, George Vance McGee was once on the doorstep and realization of homelessness. How? When? Why you ask?
Well, in the Winter of 2011, I had been removed from my non-income, non-salaried position as a Licensed Real Estate Agent at Citi-Habitats in New York City. Despite my valid New York State sales license, previous business and real estate experience, this job did NOT turn fruitful. It was a career working disaster! First off, the Citi-Habitats salesperson, tenant rep position did not carry a salary. $0 dollars were paid to me for showing up and working a full day for the company. This Citi-Habitats job was straight leasing commission only. Plus, beginning agents wages were garnished at 30.%-$35.% percent of the full tenant rep earned a commission. This wage garnishment per Citi-Habitat's policy was for brand new agents, like me on their first 6 closed, leasing deals. Post 6 closed leasing deals, of which I never personally achieved, supposedly the commission split for working agents got better. Why else did the Citi-Habitats, Manhattan Grammercy / Union Square-based job fail so miserably GVM? Well, at the time I did not possess a smartphone. I could not receive email, application paperwork and tenant inquiries on the go. I was also broke and reluctant to purchase the new-age smartphone device. In addition, the Citi-Habitats company placed the COST burden of craigslist advertising of Citi Habitats Landlord Lease Listings solely upon their hired Tenant Reps and "non-employees." Citi-Habitats saddled and passed down their advertising costs to the agents. What a noble company eh? It was a horrible job! Keys and access to apartments was always a challenge. Tenant Customers often disliked the concept of the tenant paid 15 percent of the 1st-month broker location fee, and in general, the rental prices even in the year of 2011 were pretty damn high and expensive. Only citizens and clients will full-time well-paying jobs could even fathom the prices, and go through with the lease signing and monthly rent mortgage-esque burden. So, despite my 6-month honest hard-working effort, and now with a MAXED out Wachovia Credit Card of $6,000 (Wachovia Bank since purchased by the Wells Fargo Bank), I was facing major dilemmas. I was now unemployed. The impending frigid NYC lengthy winter was on the doorstep, and I was in the most debt I'd ever been in. Yikes. I was about 27-28 years old at this daunting time. Despite my rent-controlled apartment and room in Midtown West only being $550 per month, when you literally have zero dollars, no income, and heavy debt, as little as $100 dollars is a lot of money.
So to summarize and get us all caught up on this story. I'm 27/28 years old, unemployed, in $6,000 worth of credit card debt, broke, and unable to pay my next rent check of $550 bucks in Midtown West, NYC. In essence at this point in my life, I was homeless. What did you do George? Where did you go? Lucky enough I had a very kind 24-year-old girlfriend of 1 year and Hell's Kitchen neighbor. She was fond of me and genuinely wanted me to move in with her. I said yes and moved in with her, as I had no other options. She thought this would be the next superb step in our growing relationship. In truthfulness, I enjoyed and loved her too. My girlfriend's advice to me was to get a brand NEW job in NYC, claw myself out of the credit card debt and keep living happily in Manhattan with her in her safe and sound apartment. Despite the earnestness, realness, and thoughtfulness of her offer (which I accepted and moved-in), I lasted roughly 2-3 days as a resident at her apartment. Why? I was broke, professionally downtrodden, and felt captive. I felt as a young man, my brokenness and lack of sustainability made me worthless. My manhood and male ego were walloped and bruised. My inner self and aura felt and finally recognized that after 5 full-time everyday years of the frantic New York City and Manhattan Lifestyle, I was mentally drained and finished. I was ready to stately proclaim Seacrest-Out!
So what did you do next GVM? I called my loving mother at home in the Old Enfield neighborhood of Austin, Texas. All I said to my caring mother on my Nokia phone was, "Mom, I need to come home." She replied, "I just bought your flight home son, we'll see you soon." I'll always love you, Mom. Thanks, your the best!
I was delighted. I caught a cab and escaped NYC to the Airport and hopped on the next immediate plane home! If not for my loving, caring and successfully steady nuclear family, I too may have had to experience the uncomfortableness of homelessness, and perhaps even the bustling, scary nighttime streets of NYC. My advice, If you ever have to be a homeless person, NYC should NOT be your first choice, Maybe go with the rural countryside, the mountains or the beach. That's my 2 cents. Supposedly Hawaii is an enticing place to live the bum lifestyle?
Now that you've read about my own flirtation with homelessness, let me now attempt to shed light and different angles and viewpoints on this now-controversial sociological topic.
Let me also state I personally think the act of human homelessness should be deterred, prevented and managed. It should not be promoted. Homelessness should not be painted and portrayed as a glorious punk, anti-society, and alternative lifestyle choice.
Turning to present-day times in 2019, My hometown of Austin, Texas and the elected city council members recently passed some laws or ordinances which completely relaxed or removed the police department's homelessness enforcement division and public camping rules. In essence Austin, Texas's liberalness, city council and 75 percent democratic voting constituents have now de-criminalized homelessness. Why did the city municipality decriminalize homelessness? Their media given answer was that giving homeless people criminal tickets of which they NEVER actually pay or show up to court for, was burdening the city's system. The city press release also validated their new criminal relaxing law, by stating future homeless residents' prospects for success were deterred by ticket saddling and the accompanying criminal record of police given tickets. It's tough to pass an employment or tenant background check when your past record is littered with citations.
What do y'all think readership? Is that a legit reasonable answer to de-criminalize homeless? What are your thoughts?
In remembrance of my divulged decade-old brush with the harsh, and undesirable of homelessness, here are my thoughts, recommendations, and remedies to combat and hopefully cure a city's homeless problem.
1. Build, Convert, or Refurbish more Government-owned Buildings and Land into Recovery Housing Shelters. Either within the city limits or smartly in the non-alcohol and drug enticing peaceful rural areas of the county. Whereas in my personal situation I was simply just flat-out BROKE, other homeless citizens face different challenges. Perhaps the Recovery and Housing shelters (paid for by our tax dollars) could include drug, alcohol, and life coach counselors. Perhaps there could be different charity offices on-site to provide services and comfort. Think, The Salvation Army. The newly created Homeless Recovery Housing Shelters would possess all-encompassing methods to further citizen recovery and re-entry into work-filled society.
2. Offer Homeless residents and burdensome city campers a 1-time free day of telephone calls and a free bus ticket to anywhere in the country. Perhaps like in my example geographical relocation could solve the problems. The Homeless folks could phone dial and call friends and family throughout the country in search of a clean couch, roof over there head, or a room with a bathroom. Newsflash, major cities in the USA are straight-up EXPENSIVE $$ to afford. Even for sober hard-working folks. If the homeless residents located to a different city and perhaps a smaller town, there might be more opportunity for jobs and cheaper housing. Check the cheap Housing Costs of Marble Falls, Bastrop, and Lockhart Texas, then get back to me. There are 50 states and ample lands of opportunity to start fresh. I mean look how many NBA Team's former darling and All-Star, smiling big-man Dwight Howard has played for and he hasn't even retired yet? The answer so far is 7 NBA Teams. Just like Southwest Airlines business slogan, "You are now free to move about the country." Every city ain't as expensive as San Francisco. It's an idea, folks. What is freedom of movement and fresh opportunity if NOT used? Let's keep it thoughtful and forward-thinking!
3. Create 1 designated Homeless tenant tent, camp, and living zone. Like an RV park without the RV's but just raw Land with some bathrooms, water access, and tree shade. Right now, the homeless folks are too scattered about the urban landscape. How about we Round-up all the homeless, inform and offer them free camping on this 1 limited judgment site. Instead of allowing city bums and homeless folks to linger in prominent downtown hi-vision and expensive real estate neighborhoods, a city could rezone, and designate an un-used or nondevelopable land ACREAGE site. Perhaps somewhere Homeless residents can be allowed to physically camp altogether. Thus, instead of various, wide-ranging pockets of bums under the highway overpass, on the street corner begging, or lingering near the waterways, there would be 1 consolidated pact of land where Homeless residents would be allowed to sleep, camp and live for free. A designated Safe Place if you can imagine. This solution idea would rid and clean the downtown city streets of homeless piss, eyesores, and urine. Tourists would view downtown Austin as more walkable, safe and pleasing. This 1 designated Homeless Camping Zone, would also allow charities and caring organizations to allocate their loving resources to 1 physical address.
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