Homeless or Just in a Cash Flow Shortage

In today’s environment in the United States, specifically primarily in Northwest quadrant of Washington DC, what assumption made about situations or appearances are not always accurate. For example, a person making use of the evening or night to do work, the serendipitous kind, may be misjudged if they are out in a 24 hour place to do their work projects. They can be judged and mistreated as the homeless are in many instances. It gets confusing when that person is dressed well and speaks with clear rhetoric and balanced tone. Another misjudgment for being treated as homeless, is that you are not spending money on their food; it often never occurs to many that there is a reason such as an allergy to all the food on the menu - i.e. not gluten free.

While I have been doing research as I have been focused on creating opportunities for myself in my personal life and emerging professional life, I have learned much on the ground floor about many homeless - how they come they are in that position.

Society sets up a linear structure which in some cases is effective, but in some cases do not fully match this population’s needs. For example, it seems a form of drug and/or alcohol is used to manage their coping skills. It could be related to their own inner demons such as leaving home at age 13 due to disintegrating family life and changes with parents’ marriages and divorces. Based on those I spoke with, I learned that many who have “achieved” and are in section 8 housing where I understand their income will be always capped based on if they earn more, they pay more. So they often panhandle and make money off the table and sometimes in nefarious ways, just to live in housing. Some housing may be reasonably in good shape and well-maintenanced. With one person I spoke with, they want to leave DC proper as his apartment building has been ridden with rats and roaches, despite the rental cost of living there; roaches invaded through the vent system and the roaches were in his books that were unique and special to him. A full spray in apartment, including most personal items, seems outrageous, especially since it is Northwest DC in the Adams Morgan area. Another person had come up to me as he wanted me to take him The Psychiatric Institute of Washington which is down the street, from the 24 hour fast food restaurant we had been separately there. He was tired of living on the street and thought by getting checked-in at that Institute, in 6 months he could get into an apartment. I did not ask if he had spent time in jail before, though he was trying to stop his drug addiction which he seemed to go in and out of periodically. I let him know I could not do so, as I did not know him and therefore was not in the position of having him entered into the psych ward.

Another experience was studying at a local bus stop while waiting for a local bus. Someone out of no where arrived there by bicycle and in an unconcerted, edgy and somewhat irritated way. He almost caught a bus then later resorting to inhaling a drug related to tin foil. I so do not know anything about drugs and little about alcohol. This was a bit disconcerting for many reasons for me. I felt so out of my element.

In the Washington DC area, if you had been walking around with a smaller suitcase on wheels, you would have in many cases thought that person was a student or professional, who did not want to be carrying heavy stuff on their back or shoulders. Now in the city, there is such a mix - many are traveling in and out of DC, as well as within the District area.

Washington DC has been going through a metamorphosis particularly over quite a few of the latest administrations. We are in time of great change, new perspectives and understandings. Managing these changes, often requires much from its population, such as new found flexibility replacing once was considered stable and unwavering.

Innately, many have concern for humaneness and others develop after experiencing much in their own personal life. Whichever the case, awareness is key, versus suggesting “sensitivity” is required. Sometimes to create change, more direct communications and proposals are required.

I am in hopes that the population of the homeless, are better understood and that we are better able to support those who are homeless who care to do for themselves and for their children. Teaching emotional management seems to be something critical to a person pulling themselves out of difficulty and this element could assist in turning around many in this population into a happier, better functioning population.