{"id":17972,"date":"2022-02-18T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T14:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/?p=17972"},"modified":"2022-10-09T05:52:23","modified_gmt":"2022-10-09T09:52:23","slug":"why-arent-we-treating-homelessness-like-the-natural-disaster-it-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/why-arent-we-treating-homelessness-like-the-natural-disaster-it-is\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Aren\u2019t We Treating Homelessness Like the \u2018Natural\u2019 Disaster It Is?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Natural disaster, as per\u00a0<a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/natural%20disaster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Merriam-Webster<\/a>:\u00a0\u201ca sudden and terrible event in nature (such as a hurricane, tornado, or flood) that usually results in serious damage and many deaths.\u201d<\/h4>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Like other terrible events that occur naturally and unexpectedly, homelessness takes its victims by storm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In an eye-opening\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MKushel\/status\/1480278519678603267?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Twitter thread<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, Dr. Margot Kushel of the UCSF Department of Medicine pondered what it might be like if we lived in a world that treated homelessness like the disaster it is.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Why do we view middle class folks make homeless by natural disaster differently than others? What would it look like if, instead of criminalizing homelessness, we treated it like disaster it is? Great piece by Dr <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jabarocas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@jabarocas<\/a>. I would highlight\/add a few things ?1\/x <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EGFdQEveum\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/EGFdQEveum<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Margot Kushel MD (@MKushel) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MKushel\/status\/1480278519678603267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">January 9, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While the brief but informative thread presented a multifaceted look at policy and public opinion, one question really stood out in this message. This renowned housing advocate and medical professional would like to know, \u201cWhy do we view middle-class folks made homeless by natural disasters differently than others?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This is an excellent question given the emergency-level crisis that homelessness presents all by itself. If we really looked at homelessness for what it is, we might even say that all homeless people are the victims of a \u201cnatural\u201d disaster &#8211; a storm they simply cannot dig out of, no matter how hard they try.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Could it be that we as a nation have become so self-serving that circumstances matter more to us than human lives? Let us look to the entry and exit points of homelessness for middle-class residents displaced by inclement weather and those on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum. Herein lies the glaring discrepancy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>January 2022: Boulder County, Colorado Residents Show Overwhelming Support for Middle-Class Neighbors Rendered Homeless in the Wake of The Marshall Fire<\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In a riveting essay published by\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westword.com\/news\/homeless-boulder-marshall-fire-denver-sweeps-13184406\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Westword<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0in January 2022, writer Joshua Barocas reflects on a notorious fire that thrust his aunt and uncle immediately and unexpectedly into a state of homelessness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Based upon his description, tens of thousands of other locals had a similar experience. Their homes were ravaged, and their lives were in jeopardy. But like a phoenix rising, the folks of Boulder County, CO, came together to aid these middle-class residents in piecing their lives back together after the harrowing storm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">With the assistance of both state and federal government forces, advocates and volunteers established eight new emergency shelters, not to mention a brand-new\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.bouldercounty.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/boulder-county-dac-organizations-jan-2022-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Disaster Assistance Center<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0providing all of the following services:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rehousing<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mental health services<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Replacement of government documents such as driver\u2019s licenses, marriage licenses, insurance cards, home and property deeds, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Donation management<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Building, planning, and permitting<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Pet services such as veterinary care, food supplies, and missing pet reports<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Motor vehicle documentation, including title and registration replacement and more<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Post-disaster resources were provided by:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">American Red Cross<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Boulder County Human Services<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Boulder County Community Foundation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A Precious Child and more<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">As is evident from the outcome, the public support for this particular group of displaced people was more than just symbolic. It was heartfelt and actionable.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Indeed, the above information <em>shows that we know how to handle, remedy, prevent, and drastically reduce homelessness.<\/em>\u00a0So, then why isn\u2019t this kind of exemplary strategy being used to help other homeless communities?<\/h4>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When was the last time you saw a person experiencing vehicular homelessness being offered title and registration replacement for the car they were living inside of? If anything, they were most likely being handed a ticket for illegal parking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When was the last time the American Red Cross came out to replace medication lost in an encampment sweep? If anything, encampment residents are often forced to choose between a violent shelter, a new street corner, and a jail cell. The uniforms they see are much more likely to belong to law enforcement officers than medical professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>If we took a long, hard look in the mirror and were honest, it\u2019s clear that when we react to homelessness, we are not reacting to what is happening, but rather who it is happening to.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Homelessness Might not be a Hurricane, but it Sure Looks Like One to the People Inside It<\/h3>\n<h4>Homelessness is such a national emergency that the social services sector often uses natural disaster analogies to describe the situation. Think about recent homeless news and the jargon in the headlines. We have been warned of \u201ceviction avalanches\u201d followed by a \u201cperfect storm\u201d of poverty and pandemic-related emergencies.<\/h4>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Going back to the definition of a natural disaster, is it not true that homelessness almost always presents itself as a \u201csudden and terrible event\u201d? Verily, noted street photographer Suitcase Joe described many of the individuals he met on Skid Row as having been thrust into homelessness most suddenly and unexpectedly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">All of the following sudden and terrible incidents are pathways into the desolate state of homelessness:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Job loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Terminal illness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Death of a spouse, parent, or another member of a support system<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Amputation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Disability<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Eviction, the list goes on<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Furthermore, can\u2019t we all agree that homelessness \u201cresults in serious damage and many deaths?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Indeed, just by virtue of being homeless, a person\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nicswell.co.uk\/health-news\/homeless-die-30-years-younger-than-average\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">life expectancy is cut three decades short<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. They are also much\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nhchc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/vv-29-1_ptr_a8_122-136.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">more likely to become victims of violent crime<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0than people who enjoy the status of being housed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Get in Touch with Your Local Representatives to Point Out This Grave Disparity<\/h3>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When it comes to homelessness, the truth is we know what works. Sadly, we are shifting away from initiatives that prioritize housing in favor of criminalization and short-term \u201csolutions.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This mindset can only continue to erode our society, causing homelessness to flourish under the current climate of corrupt legislation. <a href=\"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/talk-to-your-legislators\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talk to your representatives<\/a> about treating homelessness like any other natural disaster. We must act with swift, effective, non-punitive policies that suppress the crisis, not the people suffering as a result of that crisis.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This has been another code black, courtesy of Invisible People.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Natural disaster, as per\u00a0Merriam-Webster:\u00a0\u201ca sudden and terrible event in nature (such as a hurricane, tornado, or flood) that usually results in serious damage and many deaths.\u201d Like other terrible events that occur naturally and unexpectedly, homelessness takes its victims by &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/why-arent-we-treating-homelessness-like-the-natural-disaster-it-is\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":18032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10139,823],"tags":[253,832,515,16862,508,15675,10182],"coauthors":[8785],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17972"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17972"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17974,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17972\/revisions\/17974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17972"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/invisiblepeople.tv\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=17972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}