Baltimore's people of the woods: Inside the hidden homeless camps made of milk crates, wooden doors

Daily Mail On Line ^ | 21, February 2014 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Kartographer]

A sheet of plastic laid over a clothesline. A mini-fortress of milk crates stacked under a tree. A thin mattress on a flimsy crate lying in a dark tunnel. On the edge of Baltimore's woodlands, dozens of the city's transients live in makeshift homes which they consider safer than homeless shelters.

Photographer Ben Marcin has captured some of the shanties in his thought-provoking photo essay, 'The Camps', documenting the struggle, loneliness and ingenuity of Maryland's people of the woods.

[nascarnation]

Carlyle, probably the most Wash DC connected of private equity firms, is buying trailer parks.

That’s another indicator of where the smart money sees America heading.

[Kartographer]

May I suggest that you make a donation to a homeless shelter and ask them to let you spend the night. Nothing firsthand experience as a teacher.

[Red Badger]

Was his name Gandalf?.............

[GOPJ]

Right on every count...

[WayneS]

When I was 12 or 13 some friends of mine and I built a fort in some woods out of old doors and scrap lumber.

It was fun.

Then we all grew up and got jobs.

[trisham]

Too late.

[WayneS]

Okay. That’s cool...

[central_va]

I really like what they’ve done with the place.

[JoeProBono]

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Done that, but you miss my point.

The gestapo won’t hassle “vagrants”, “homeless”, “pan-handlers” and “bums” regarding inspection of personal property but

every damn LEO I know won’t hesitate to (unconstitutionally) search my car during routine stop.

Who has more 4&5 Amendments rights?

[familyop]

"Carlyle, probably the most Wash DC connected of private equity firms, is buying trailer parks.

That’s another indicator of where the smart money sees America heading."

That's a great idea, and yes, very smart, but it might make trailer parks as expensive as political/regulator class whores. A better idea would be to subdivide many lots--especially in the challenging West--and invite residents with only a little money and real building skills to do the developing. Such men tend to be frugal and hard working, and there are a few here and there with experience or hobbies in structural, electrical, plumbing, energy, codes, roads, etc.

Test them, then watch them build great little places for next to nothing. After that, the big investors can buy from them for more sensible, successful sales and rentals. I've seen many good, hands-on tutorials in all kinds of building-related technologies--tutorials produced by conservative men in rags. It was men like that who built the race cars of yesteryear and brought them pretty near to what they are today.

[Dad built and raced supermodifieds during the late '50s and early '60s.]

[maddog55]

Obama’s income equality model of excellence.

[familyop]

"The gestapo won’t hassle “vagrants”, “homeless”, “pan-handlers” and “bums” regarding inspection of personal property but..."

But they do. They simply sweep them out. And yes, some of them are crazies. But the numbers of those who were middle class have been rising for a long time and will rise much more.

[matt1234]

This kind of scene can be found 1000’s of times among the 50 states. I’ve seen it myself. It’s all part of obama’s willful destruction of the white middle class.

[outinyellowdogcountry]

My daughter spent 3 months doing home health in inner city Baltimore. It sounded like she had some very nice older patients in sketchy neighborhoods. Strange that so many run down abodes had BMWs Mercedes etc. in driveways. She was never threatened but never felt secure (no carry laws there). But she saw some bad situations. Never so happy as when she left.

[Kartographer]

No more like Samwise. A stalwart friend and a supportwho befriended me and cheered me on when I needed it and took me to task as well when I felt like giving up.

[Texan5]

Most people who live out here do so because they would rather rough it here than call a crowded neighborhood in a city or burb home, be able to keep chickens and livestock, grow their own food and barter with others for such things.

There are people who have dropped out of sight to live a primitive, hermitlike lifestyle in this area in the woods on a bit of property rented or owned. They are our neighbors, just like everyone else, and it is damn sure safer than living on the streets or in a camp in a city...

[lowbridge]

This article is clearly a work of fiction and the photos are phony set ups. There is no such thing as homeless people under obama. Recall, bill clinton eliminated homelessness with his electoral victory back in november 92. Case closed. /s

[nascarnation]

Great idea you have.
Hopefully it can be brought to fruition.
It evokes the pioneer spirit that is the antihesis of the entitlement army.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Crap. He owns more land than I do.