Car Sleepers the new US homeless

[lonestarnot]

By Rajesh Mirchandani
BBC News, Santa Barbara


Santa Barbara boasts a classic laidback California lifestyle, with uncongested beaches, wholesome cafes and charming Spanish-style architecture.

Of course there's a hefty price tag: nestled between the gentle Santa Ynez mountains and the inviting Pacific Ocean are multi-million dollar homes.

But in this sun-washed haven of wealth, many live far from the American dream.

In a car park across the street from luxury mansions, the evening brings a strange sight.


http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Find-Freedom.htm?At=038827

[Crazy Dave]

1. Pretty soon with gas and insurance prices the way they are...

...the cars will become as stationary as a home.

[lonestarnot]

2. That's our new community on wheels!

Only the gardens will be stationery!

[Mnemosyne]

20. Gas may make them stationary, but insurance will not.

Many will drive uninsured and that will start a whole new set of problems.

[ihavenobias]

3. Interesting n/t

[lunatica]

4. parking Hooverlots n/t

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. RayGun's homeless and Bushie's car sleeper brigades.

The Repigs must be so proud. Fucking greedy, stupid, uncaring a-holes doing the dirty work for their overlords. The stupidity is mind-boggling.

[TomInTib]

6. What a sad account.

These people didn't screw up anything, they just got screwed.

What a shame.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

7. Condo on wheels.

[barbtries]

12. how'd you like to put gas

into that? eh

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

17. Only if I had this...

[shraby]

8. Just like the Reagan years..a

mobile home for every American!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

29. Just change "shopping cart" to "small personal condo" ..........

:sarcasm: :cry:

[Berry Cool]

9. Damn, this story is sad.

If I were one of these people I'd do what I could to save up some gas money, drive someplace else far away from southern California and try to get an apartment and a job. Part of why they're screwed has to be the ridiculous real estate prices and rental rates there.

[lonestarnot]

10. You think that's it do you berry BUSH?

[Quantess]

19. They'd have to save up rent and deposit money, too, before leaving So Cal.

As long as they're living in their car, it's pretty much going to be somewhere with mild temperatures at night.

[barbtries]

11. heartbreaking

the inequities in our society - but instead of the least among us, we are expected to prop up the wealthiest? it is perverse.

[ColbertWatcher]

13. And we're being conditioned ...

... to accept it as normal.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4047452&mesg_id=4047452

[lonestarnot]

22. All while we've been conditioned to accept a wage that is not liveable,

a mortgage that is not affordable, and a collapse that is regarded as "emminent" unless we front the now $7 hundred and FIFTY billion and pay over market value for trash.

[SmileyRose]

14. There's a really good tip in there for the homeless

I'm fortunate enough to be able to fold up my tent an go live with one or several of my siblings if it gets bad enough. In fact, a brother and his wife and I and the husband have discussed it as a remedy for things getting too tight in the older years. But for those who have no family or children, have jobs but can't afford housing - that idea of keeping the $20-40 a month gym membership is a great tip. Likewise keep the cell phone bill paid for communication.

It's asinine that a working person in the country can't afford a roof over their head, but if an educated middle class someone is caught for a time homeless and just needs time to reorganize and regroup $40 a month for a decent shower to get read for work in the morning and the cell to take your business calls will help you to "appear" living normally for a short time until you can figure out a better plan.

I recently found out someone who worked at the Ford plant here in Atlanta was homeless. Guy made $40 grand a year, lived within his means but never saved. Blue collar factory work is all he knew and couldn't retrain and adjust fast enough to avoid losing his condo. He had been living in his car an using restrooms in gas stations to clean up. He's at our house now and is expected to stay as long as he needs to in order to regroup.

Probably a lot of people formerly with housing in the same boat now - agents, loan processing clerks, carpet layers......... everyone.

[madrchsod]

15. bbc america had a story on this last (?) month

bushvilles across america

[Warren Stupidity]

16. Middle class homelessness?

Ok, so if this was from The Onion it would be a great joke, but the fact that the author, Rajesh Mirchandani, thinks that Middle Class is a social position and not an economic one is goofy. If you are living in a car because you cannot afford to live elsewhere your class position is not 'middle'.

[Uben]

18. He lives in a van,.......down by the river!

I'll never forget that line by Chris farley on SNL. These days, some people can only hope for a van....down by the river!

[Mnemosyne]

21. I lived in my car for six months in 1977. I was working. It was damn hard.

My heart goes out to these folks.

[rug]

23. The new mobile economy.

[mdmc]

24. Santa Barbara, internationally know as the home

of the homeless.

Isn't that where LeShow is broadcast from?

[lonestarnot]

25. What's LeShow?

[mdmc]

26. Oh it is an awesome radio show

Harry Scheer stars...
let me see if I can find a link for you...

[mdmc]

27. it is worth checking out

http://www.harryshearer.com/news/le_show/

:hi:

[lonestarnot]

28. Cool thanks!

:hi: