More Homeless Americans Living in Cars and Campers

yahooooo/Time ^ | 02/13/10 | KEVIN O'LEARY

[TornadoAlley3]

Tim Barker never thought he'd have to live in his truck. Four months ago, the plumber was in a one-bedroom apartment in California's San Fernando Valley, with a pool and a Jacuzzi. Then, on his birthday in October, he and 199 other plumbers were laid off by their union, Local 761 in Burbank. Now Barker's son sleeps on the sofa of his cousin's one-bedroom Hollywood apartment, and Barker sleeps on the roof of the apartment building - or in his 2003 Ford Ranger pickup. "I'm 47, and I've never lived in my car," says Barker, a husky 220-lb. single father with sandy hair and a rapid-fire voice. In January, as torrential rains pelted the streets of Southern California, father and son were sleeping in the truck in San Pedro, next to the Los Angeles Harbor. "We were able to spend four nights in the Vagabond Motel, but for two nights we slept in the car," says Barker. "It was raining, cold, and the cat was jumping on us. We both got sick."

[Between the Lines]

Homeless Americans Living in Cars and Campers

They are not homeless, they are just downwardly mobile.

[Boiling point]

So those without RVs are Mobile Homeless? I thought the new politically correct term for homeless was “urban outdoors-man” anyway.

[Cobra64]

[Cobra64]

[backhoe]

But...

but...

We elected Teh LiteBringer!

(Art of Obama)

Cowboy Boosh! and Darth Cheney have been vanquished into the outer darkness... how can this be?

[TNdandelion]

No kidding. My family lived in a motor home for about a month when we were kids. It was off season at the nearby State Park and my parents made some kind of special arrangement to allow us to stay a week or so past the limit. We had just moved to the area and closed on a house but it took the owners a couple weeks to vacate.

I remember my classmates asking, "Do you live here?" when the school bus picked me up at the front of the State Park entrance. lol

I don't think that really counts as homeless, though. But it was fun.

[TNdandelion]

I should clarify one thing. It wasn’t so much fun having to walk to the end of the cove to take a shower. That kinda stunk. :D

[Chode]

didn't know there was a that much difference between putting stuff in, and fixing stuff that's broken...

[youturn]

Don’t these people have families? Brothers, sisters, uncles, etc. If I got into such a bind I know any one of my siblings would make room for me and help.

[Texas resident]

If RV dealers are having a hard time selling campers, maybe they ought to rename them, “Obama Mansions”.

[AppyPappy]

They have a job. They are homeless. That’s their job.

[rrrod]

Quit your whining! Obama and the heroes of the commaon man are now in charge. They know whats good for you...so move along.

[Eye of Unk]

With all due sympathy for those having to leave their homes there is a bright side of this.

Those that are living now in a mobile fashion are less likely to be taxed for healthcare, less likely to have their homes taken over by the IRS for failing to pay taxes...for healthcare.

Are more able to move to more secure or strategic areas of the country in the event of natural or man made disasters.

Also being mobile increases the security of ones family in the event of a breakdown of society where ones neighbor can quickly become the enemy.

[petercooper]

[petercooper]

These are in Toronto.

[Vigilantcitizen]

didn't know there was a that much difference between putting stuff in, and fixing stuff that's broken...

Much different skill set. Whether it's electrical, HVAC, or plumbing, there is a vast difference between installing and service.

[wildbill]

Anyone ever notice that when the Libs are riding high and have support, the MSM seems to lose interest in the homeless?
And the Libs never really pass any legislation to relieve the homeless—unless you consider establishing the sub-prime mortgage market a program for the homeless—and we all know how well that worked out.

But when they are losing support then the legions of homeless become visible to the MSM again.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Laid off in October. No work for a plumber in four months? Anywhere?"

I am in the building trades (flooring). Business is dead in our area for all building trades. The only building jobs around us seem to be government paid for jobs and that is drying up!

in 2008 there were 10 flooring stores in our area, now there are three and two of them are up for sale.

The plumbing and heating contractors are laying off people right and left and a local electrician told me for the first time in his 12 years of working his workplace has no work and will lay everyone off at the beginning of March.

Welcome to the Obamanation.

[ansel12]

With all due sympathy for those having to leave their homes there is a bright side of this. Those that are living now in a mobile fashion are less likely to be taxed for healthcare, less likely to have their homes taken over by the IRS for failing to pay taxes...for healthcare. Are more able to move to more secure or strategic areas of the country in the event of natural or man made disasters. Also being mobile increases the security of ones family in the event of a breakdown of society where ones neighbor can quickly become the enemy.

Like that young ditsy actress said, with the recession and no work to go to, now people can pursue more personal pursuits in their lives like vacations and shopping.

[ansel12]

Must be nice.