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I'm no stranger to homelessness. Sadly, so many people are too familiar with it these days. Battered women, families who've lost their income, men who've lost their jobs of 25 years and have searched until their unemployment has run out to no avail. The economy and the social situation in this country seem tailor made to result in homelessness.
In my case, it's merely red tape. I've been out of work as a result of chronic illness (Lupus) for years, and rely on my social security and housing grants to make ends meet, but this month I was faced with a clash between the apartment complex and the Housing Authority that threatened to leave me without shelter. As I went about making arrangements to be homeless, I realized that there were a number of things that could be done to minimize the impact of homelessness and make it more likely to be a temporary rather than chronic situation. For some, homelessness becomes a trap. I wasn't about to let it become a trap for me and my family.
How to Prepare for Homelessness
1. Sort through all your papers. Know what's really important: ID, legal records, school records, social security and insurance information top the list. There are also some publication-ready critiques I have taken out of my file cabinet (which is now empty) and into a small carry-file.
2. Sort through any possessions that have sentimental value. This one is harder for me. The last time I was without shelter, I at least had my car. Last time I was without shelter was when the girls and I moved from Buffalo to Florida in '03. Our car broke down a few weeks before the move, and we had to sort everything into three suitcases. I'm afraid we could be there again.
3. Figure out how much you can reasonably carry. There's a reason you see so many homeless with shopping carts. When I had a van, I was able to keep things like the TV, dishes, and small appliances. If I'm out on New Years Day, I won't have room for any of those things.
4. Which brings me to the next must: Maximize your carrying space. Rolling suitcases, small shopping/laundry carts and the like increase what you can save. It also makes it more tiring to carry and drag around.
5. Know where the motels, shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries are, and what you need to have/ do to get in. If you're looking for a shelter, call in advance to find out when they start to line up and if you need some sort of referral to get in. Also make sure that you know what ages and genders they take. Some places only take families, some only children, some only men, and so on. Try to plan around breaking up families... that part might be hard.
6. Have transportation. Get a monthly bus pass. Some agencies will provide them for the homeless. Sometimes, however, any money you get should go toward transportation. Having mobility means having choices.
7. Don't LOOK homeless. Looking homeless is looking vulnerable. If you look like you're shopping (or on vacation) by staying clean and fairly well dressed, you're less likely to be harassed or robbed, and it'll be easier to impress prospective landlords.
8. Put your money in a roof. Most landlords want to see you pay no more than 1/3 of your income in rent. Let's face it: Hotels cost a lot more than that, and so do most apartment homes in decent neighborhoods... at least if you're on Social Security. That doesn't mean YOU have to agree to that. I've paid 1/2 of my monthly income in rent before, and more than that on a few occasions. The thing is, if a landlord lets you in with that little income, he's more likely to be a slum lord type. If you're well-dressed and well-spoken, however, you can sometimes convince some of the nicer places to allow you
