Glorified Chicken Coop

This is the "real life" portion of this blog.

I would like to preface/blanket, whatever I say next with how much compassion I feel for those who are homeless.  People without a home are in profound trouble, physically, mentally and likely spiritually.  This makes me questions what is useful help.

I have been cooking in homeless shelters and eating with the folks, since I started college (decades ago).  In my experience, seldom do you meet a homeless person who would benefit from owning a glorified chicken coop.  There are so many legitimate wrongs with this idea, I won't bore you with the list.  What isn't wrong is the loving, creative hearts of the people who care for the marginalized.

The reasons are vast why someone is homeless.  I could explain it to you, but you already know why people are homeless.  If you don't, go volunteer at your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, and sit down with anyone there and just listen to them.

Real estate.  These micro-structures on public property are not real estate.  This is a fundamental problem with being homeless.  I see a man and woman who park their camper at K-mart & Raley's, every-other night.  Not real estate, just real life.  Is 'real estate' just the space you are currently occupying?

These mini structures (though a childhood fantasy) are unsettling.  I am only one (maybe two) events away from the tragedy of being homeless and I am VERY secure.  My mind tells me to take shelter, and prepare for it.  My body and spirit obey.  Any one of those ingredients can vanish, because life is hard.  What is 'real' about where I live, can vanish as well.

That is the tragedy, not that people can live without a house, but without a home.

I can sit at my computer and pontificate about real estate and housing statistics, but this is another side of the story.  When I look at my reflection through this hometown news story, I feel cut down the middle.  I would rather use the $110 to buy the person a sandwich every day for a few weeks.