Hobo Survival Guide - Tips for the soon to be homeless....

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Okay,

sorry it took me so long to get back around to do this. With the work from the RNC last month and everything else, I kinda just felt wiped out longer than usual. Needed time to veg out. Anyway, I will say this is from my own personal experience, so YMMV. I will also say that other States/areas may be different as Tampa is kinda unique in several regards. So, with this first part I shall attempt to give advice for those who know they are about to become homeless.

First things first: Remain Calm!

Seriously, its going to suck, but it won't be the end of the world. This will be especially true for the first few weeks before you get yourself established (if you do). Going off the deep end will not help you and quite likely make things worse. Its depressing and you're going to be depressed, no matter how upbeat you can be as over time it wears you down. At the worst you could end up talking yourself into jail time and/or time in psychiatric observation (here in FL its called The Baker Act/being Baker Acted). Be cool and be calm and it will make things alot better in the long run (not to mention the short run).

Second: Take stock of your stuff.

If you have alot of crap you've collected over your life (which I did) you need to go through it and see what you will need, immediately. If you have a bicycle and pump for the tires, that will be useful. A tent and/or sleeping bag, even better. Old tarps are good too. Clothing, especially given the time of year/weather is good to prepare. A backpack and/or military surplus sea-bag are good too. Camp stove is a good item to have as I can tell you cracking open a can of cold ravioli SUCKS. A light blanket or two (or three) doesn't hurt, especially when its cold as shit outside.

You will then need to think of how to store the rest of your junk. A friend/family would be the first choice as they will usually not charge you and/or throw it out. Failing that, well, check your local storage sites and if you have the money, get a storage locker. If neither of those are an option, well, maybe someone will like that collection of history books you have and cannot bear to toss in the garbage. The last option may even net you some cash.

Third: Transportation.

The very first time I became homeless, I still owned a car and managed to sleep in it for a month before I landed back on my feet (somewhat). Second time as well. This last time, all I had for transportation was shoe leather and the local bus system. It was more than a month before I got a bike. Take stock of your transportation. If you're like me and only have a bike or your feet, well, get used to it. Backpacks/sea-bags come in real handy for carrying your stuff with you (so learn to pack essentials). If you have a car, find out where in the area you can park without getting harassed (depends on the locale and the cops/Sheriff). You will probably get harassed (I did), so pay attention to where you are as there are assholes out there who will call the Popo on your ass for merely living in your car and taking up their valuable oxygen.

Fourth: Food!

No shit, find out if there are local food banks, homeless feeds (usually churches) and/or some way of getting nourishment. Find out BEFORE you end up on the street if you can. If not, get a damned EBT card! Don't fall into the trap of "that's stealing from others" bullshit. You're getting fucked by taxes every time you have a job, every time you buy something (embedded taxes) and by the hidden tax of Inflation. Its not pretty and its horrible to have to depend on it, but FFS, the goddamn money has been robbed from you already, get it back! Never forget that all funds are fungible and that you pay for your own EBT every time you visit a store to simply buy food.

As I said earlier, Tampa is kinda unique. As the saying goes, "There is no reason to go hungry here". Where I am, the USF area, there are feeds every day of the week. A number of churches host local feeds within a few miles of the campus. You travel on your stomach and like any old campaigner, think of where your next meal comes from FIRST.

Sadly, alot of cities are cracking down on Feeds. Its fucking SICK and I personally think every single stupid SUMBITCH politician that does so should be forced to be homeless for months in an area where they do that shit. If you're in one of those areas, you have my condolences. Get used to being harassed by pigs cause Cops/Sheriffs that enforce that shit are nothing more than swine.

Fifth: Living Accommodations.

Find out if there are any local homeless shelters that aren't deathtraps (in Tampa, I know of none). Avoid the scammers in The Salvation Army (turn you into a goddamn slave to work back breaking labor) and other bottom-feeding scum that inhabit this strata. If no shelters, see if there is a Tent City set up (the Catholic Diocese of St. Pete set one up that worked but the NIMBY asswipes voted down the one to be set up here in Tampa). If not, think about maybe storage locker place, assuming you have the finances, where the homeless sometimes stay (never did that, but word to the wise: dogs are smart enough not to shit where they eat; ie - keep a low profile cause the Cops would love nothing better than to roust everybody). If none of those are an option, look around and see if there are heavily wooded areas and/or train tracks. CSX will fuck you by trespassing you if they catch you, but its Federal land so the local cops can only bug you. Of course, do something stupid and the dudes with the tin stars <US Marshals> will show up and you will do time in a Federal Pen.

Find a place to set up a little Bush-Obamaville if you can. However, be aware of your surroundings and always keep something handy to defend yourself (expandable baton, machete etc). Try your best to camouflage your area and keep it clean if you can. Be careful starting fires in winter time if your "urban camping" as smoke attracts the attention of the local fire department. Be smart.

If none of those are options, find local JayCee benches to sleep on in lighted/traveled areas (less likely to be stabbed, robbed, beaten etc). I've slept many a night on one, uncomfortable as they are they beat the ground. Don't sleep on one that is a local bus stop or you'll get trespassed. If the ground is your only option, then find a place that is out of the way and try your best to camouflage yourself (not just from the cops but also local pests and/or vermin like feral cats, possums, raccoons (fucking HATE RACCOONS!) and other nasties like spiders and ants (especially ants!). Naturally avoid places near water as mosquitoes will make your night miserable.

I think that's pretty much it for the first post. Others who have been homeless can add their thoughts/observations. I'll try and update this at least once every few days.

 

[amy31416]

Thanks so much for sharing...crazy times.

 

[KCIndy]

Great info, and darn useful even for those not in an immediate homeless situation.

Brooklyn, are things going better for you? Your last few posts indicated you were getting back on your feet. I hope it's still going well for you.

 

[TheTexan]

I imagine soon this will be very valuable advice

 

[squarepusher]

maybe you could have some friends or family help you out?

 

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Brooklyn, are things going better for you? Your last few posts indicated you were getting back on your feet. I hope it's still going well for you.

I'm good. I'm living in an apartment and I work more than I used to. Things are not perfect, but I'm no longer on the streets. As others will attest, I actually kinda miss it in some ways. Sounds bizarre, but it has a certain attraction to it (lets be honest, you've got freedom unlike what most people know).

 

[VIDEODROME]

There are some driving jobs you can get where you basically live in the vehicle. I did Expediting last year and slept in the van.

 

[juvanya]

On the Street and On Facebook: The Homeless Stay Wired

SAN FRANCISCO -- Like most San Franciscans, Charles Pitts is wired. Mr. Pitts, who is 37 years old, has accounts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. He runs an Internet forum on Yahoo, reads news online and keeps in touch with friends via email. The tough part is managing this digital lifestyle from his residence under a highway bridge.

"You don't need a TV. You don't need a radio. You don't even need a newspaper," says Mr. Pitts, an aspiring poet in a purple cap and yellow fleece jacket, who says he has been homeless for two years. "But you need the Internet."

Mr. Pitts's experience shows how deeply computers and the Internet have permeated society. A few years ago, some people were worrying that a "digital divide" would separate technology haves and have-nots. The poorest lack the means to buy computers and Web access. Still, in America today, even people without street addresses feel compelled to have Internet addresses.
Homeless and Online

View Slideshow
[SB124362943678067395]
Brian L. Frank for The Wall Street Journal

Skip Schreiber goes online in his van, which is also his home, in San Francisco's Bayview district.

New York City has put 42 computers in five of the nine shelters it operates and plans to wire the other four this year. Roughly half of another 190 shelters in the city offer computer access. The executive director of a San Francisco nonprofit group, Central City Hospitality House, estimates that half the visitors to its new eight-computer drop-in center are homeless; demand for computer time is so great that users are limited to 30 minutes.

Shelter attendants say the number of laptop-toting overnight visitors, while small, is growing. SF Homeless, a two-year-old Internet forum, has 140 members. It posts schedules for public-housing meetings and news from similar groups in New Mexico, Arizona and Connecticut. And it has a blog with online polls about shelter life.

Cheap computers and free Internet access fuel the phenomenon. So does an increasingly computer-savvy population. Many job and housing applications must be submitted online. Some homeless advocates say the economic downturn is pushing more of the wired middle class on to the streets.

Aspiring computer programmer Paul Weston, 29, says his Macintosh PowerBook has been a "lifeboat" since he was laid off from his job as a hotel clerk in December and moved to a shelter. Sitting in a Whole Foods store with free wireless access, Mr. Weston searches for work and writes a computer program he hopes to sell eventually. He has emailed city officials to press for better shelter conditions.

Lisa Stringer, who runs a program that teaches job and computer skills to homeless and low-income residents, says some students who can't even read or write save money to buy computers at Goodwill. "It's really a symbol in today's society of being OK and connected," she says. She sometimes urges homeless students to put off buying laptops until their living situations stabilize.

Staying wired on the streets takes determination. Electricity and Internet access can be hard to come by. Threats, including rain and theft, are a problem.

Robert Livingston, 49, has carried his Asus netbook everywhere since losing his apartment in December. A meticulous man who spends some of his $59 monthly welfare check on haircuts, Mr. Livingston says he quit a security-guard job late last year, then couldn't find another when the economy tanked.

When he realized he would be homeless, Mr. Livingston bought a sturdy backpack to store his gear, a padlock for his footlocker at the shelter and a $25 annual premium Flickr account to display the digital photos he takes.

One recent morning, Mr. Livingston sat in a cafe that sometimes lets customers tap its wireless connection, and shows off his personal home page, featuring links for Chinese-language lessons.

Mr. Livingston says his computer helps him feel more connected and human. "It's frightening to be homeless," he says. "When I'm on here, I'm equal to everybody else."
[Charles Pitts]

Charles Pitts

For Skip Schreiber, 64, an amateur philosopher with wispy white hair who lives in a van, power is the biggest challenge to staying wired. Mr. Schreiber tended heating and ventilation systems before work-related stress and depression sidelined him around 15 years ago, he says.

For his 60th birthday, he dipped into his monthly disability check to buy a laptop, connected it to his car battery, and taught himself to use it. "I liked the concept of the Internet," says Mr. Schreiber, "this unlimited source of opinion and thought."

Mr. Schreiber later switched to a Mac because it uses less juice. He keeps the fan and wireless antenna off when possible and cools the laptop by putting it on a damp washcloth. He says that by using such tricks, he can keep the laptop battery going for 16 hours, if he avoids videos.

In the van, stacked with toolboxes, electric gear and bedding, Mr. Schreiber shows the contents of his laptop, including the complete California legal code and files on thinkers from Thomas Aquinas to the psychologist Philip Zimbardo. Mr. Schreiber says writings about human behavior and motivation help make sense of what has happened to him.

"No one creates themselves as a homeless person," he says. "We make the choices we can with what we're offered."

Michael Ross creates his own electricity, with a gas generator perched outside his yellow-and-blue tent. For a year, Mr. Ross has stood guard at a parking lot for construction equipment, under a deal with the owner. Mr. Ross figures he has been homeless for about 15 years, surviving on his Army pension.

Inside the tent, the taciturn 50-year-old has an HP laptop with a 17-inch screen and 320 gigabytes of data storage, as well as four extra hard drives that can hold another 1,000 gigabytes, the equivalent of 200 DVDs. Mr. Ross loves movies. He rents some from Netflix and Blockbuster online and downloads others over an Ethernet connection at the San Francisco public library.

One evening recently, Mr. Ross lay down on his sleeping bag and watched an X-Men cartoon on the laptop, listening through headphones over the roar of the generator. When he travels downtown, he takes all the gear with him for safekeeping. His backpack bulges with cords and bubble-wrapped electronic gadgets. Mr. Ross says he doesn't notice the weight.

Mr. Pitts, the poet who lives under a bridge, keeps a mental list of spots to charge batteries and go online, including a deserted corner of a downtown train station and wired cafes whose owners don't mind long stays and lots of bags.

When he was evicted from his apartment two years ago, Mr. Pitts says, "I thought: My existence and my life don't stop because I don't have a place to live."

He bought a Toshiba laptop. When it died, he bought a used Dell. Last month, that one expired, too, with a cracked screen. Now he checks email and posts to his Internet forum on homeless issues, from computers at libraries, college campuses and a laptop stashed behind the counter of a coffee shop by a friend.

Before the Dalai Lama visited a soup kitchen here a month ago, Mr. Pitts researched the Buddhist leader on Wikipedia and copied the text onto his iPod, to read in bed under the bridge. "I'm under my blanket, under a tarp, reading Dalai Lama this, Dalai Lama that," he says.

Mr. Pitts expects to soon scrape up the money for another computer. He figures he can get one for less than $200.

 

[PaulConventionWV]

I'm good. I'm living in an apartment and I work more than I used to. Things are not perfect, but I'm no longer on the streets. As others will attest, I actually kinda miss it in some ways. Sounds bizarre, but it has a certain attraction to it (lets be honest, you've got freedom unlike what most people know).

I find this very interesting. With more stuff comes more responsibility.

 

[juvanya]

I find this very interesting. With more stuff comes more responsibility.

I have so much stuff in my room and it feels absolutely enslaving. Im trying to clean it all up and get rid of a lot of stuff.

 

[angelatc]

Avoid the scammers in The Salvation Army (turn you into a goddamn slave to work back breaking labor)

That's the first time I've ever heard anybody criticize them. Back breaking labor used to be called an honest day's work.

 

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

That's the first time I've ever heard anybody criticize them. Back breaking labor used to be called an honest day's work.

If they did not make scads of money off of donated stuff, it would be one thing. They're not a charity and treating them as one is what enables them. Sorry, but I had bad experiences with them and as far as I'm concerned, they can go fuck themselves.

 

[NoOneButPaul]

If you have a car and drive on the highway to a rest area are you not allowed to sleep at those places?

 

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Sorry for taking so long to write my next post.

Bush-Obamavilles
Okay, I touched on this earlier, but I want to expand upon it. The simplest thing to do is find a heavily wooded area that is a decent distance from any residence or business. Seriously, the locals will not (usually) take sympathy on you if they see you around the area. If you manage to locate one and don't get shit, stay out of sight as much as possible. Find alternate entrances/exits if possible to avoid detection. I know that some of the local homeless where I was staying along the railroad tracks found an alternative to being on the tracks (thus avoiding the CSX trespass issue) while still remaining out of sight.

If you've found your spot, clear it as much as practicable, but keep as much foliage/camouflaging as possible. That will at least give you some defence. Of course, the local cops (if they are like the ones here) will do flyovers of the area in helicopters every now and then using FLIR (which is supposed to be illegal). Soon enough they will know where you are. A multi-tool with a sawblade (or foldable saw if you have one) will come in handy as will a D-handle collapsible shovel (which also doubles as a defensive item). Speaking of which, you want items that have dual (or more) uses as it helps.

If you can, find a few milk crates to get for chairs (assuming you don't have a camp chair). An old pallet is also good to use as a table (especially if you can find a piece of plywood to make it flat on top). Our camp had one stacked on a series of milk crates. Of course, there is the fact that the more 'homey' you make a camp, the more likely you're going to get trespassed eventually.

A tarp strung over the top of your area can make a difference in a rain storm from what I understand. Having the bottom of your tent lined with one can also make the difference between sleeping on wet blankets (which I had to do many times) and a cold, but dry floor. Even better if you can get an air matress to fit in your tent. Speaking of tents, if you can afford one, shop around. In my opinion, avoid the tents from Target as they suck (that's what I had). The Ozark Trail stuff from Wal-Mart actually appeared to be better constructed. Of course, none of them are designed for long term habitation (maybe there are models that are, I don't know).

Having a camp stove is a great idea, in my not so humble opinion. When its cold as shit outside and you can have hot cocoa/coffee and a hot meal, its a great morale booster. The one we got was a butane fuel stove found at a local farmer's market for about $25 (4 cans of fuel are about $6-7 or so) . Look around at the local Chinese and/or Ethnic Food markets and they probably have them (they're used by alot of restaurants). A small propane grill isn't a bad idea either (our "neighbors" had one and we often had meals together). Camp cooking is often going to be limited to heating up a can of ravioli, beans, soup or the like. Get used to eating peanut butter, tuna fish and other basic staples (assuming you're not allergic). Since you won't have refrigeration, eating a meal from a can will be common.

Be very careful whom you let into your camp. We had a situation where one of the local dumbass drunks invited himself and a "guest" to our camp without checking with us first. This will happen alot if you're not careful. Back in May, a fellow homeless woman I know was beaten to death by a drunk asswipe. This is why you have to have something (big stick, blade of some type, shovel, gun) to defend yourself.

Get a garbage can and lid that you can seal. Trash buildup will happen even if you're vigilant, unless you can build a fire and burn 90% of it (which we couldn't). Seal that sucker as tight as possible and be prepared to defend it from raccoons. A trick we never tried, but were told about, was to leave bait out (bread soaked in antifreeze) that will essentially get the raccoons drunk (zombifies them), but doesn't kill them. A good idea is also to have a good supply of small stones/gravel handy to chuck at them. Failing that, snarling at them and chasing at them with a stick works (usually). Just be prepared to have to use it if they are rabid. And the raccoons will get into EVERYTHING. If you have a food 'pantry', try and keep heavy stones on top of it (a plastic bin with a lid that overlaps is good as it should keep out the water, line it with a garbage bag just to be safe).

Making Ends Meet
Assuming you have found yourself a tidy little spot, what to do. You're going to get bored cause you have LOTS of time on your hands. If you're screwed, like those of us in the Tampa area, you're restricted on panhandling (or even selling water/soda/sports drinks). If you can sell, then by all means do so. It will help you crawl out of your situation and the short term funds can be used to buy items you may need (like a tent, other gear and maybe a storage locker).

You can sell your plasma if possible. I just started doing this so I can get more stable (since work is averaging only 10 hours a week for me now). While its not much, relatively speaking, $100 a month can make a huge difference for only a few hours 'work'.

Staying Sane......
If not learn to read or, if you're really lucky and have a laptop, go the local internet cafe/wi-fi zone and keep your mind occupied. This includes going to places like malls (which we could do, which helps). Just, as always, be cognizant of your surroundings. Falling asleep can get you tossed if the security isn't sympathetic. Naturally, avoid being belligerent if they do toss you.

If you smoke, you could go 'duck hunting' which consists of hunting up cigarette butts that aren't finished and using the tobacco to roll your own cigs. Since I don't smoke, this wasn't a problem for me but others may. Protip: be careful hunting as the cops and/or security sometimes don't take kindly to people doing that (which, in all honesty, is absurd as it is a form of trash cleanup).

It goes without saying to NOT fall asleep in certain areas even in the daytime. Benches will sometimes attract asshole cops whose only fun is harassing the homeless. It also attracts other scum that love to prey upon the weak.

That's about it for now. I'll try and cover more again soon, such as IDs, social services and the like.

 

[kcchiefs6465]

My advice if you become homeless is this: Don't hesitate to crack someone's fucking head wide open when they come trying their prison yard bullshit. The creatures come out at night. And I'm not talking about raccoons.

 

[VoluntaryAmerican]

Great thread, I always thought of myself being homeless at some time in my life. Then when I read Kerouac's On the Road I really understood the feeling better... your posts remind me a bit of that.

 

[Anti Federalist]

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Diogenes of Sinope

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope

 

[PaulConventionWV]

That's the first time I've ever heard anybody criticize them. Back breaking labor used to be called an honest day's work.

It's not exactly honest if you're not accomplishing anything worthwhile and aren't being paid for work you do for others.

 

[PaulConventionWV]

If you have a car and drive on the highway to a rest area are you not allowed to sleep at those places?

I suppose you could, but it takes money to get back to town. Rest areas usually aren't in town anywhere, so buying gas to get to and from a rest area all the time really drains the finances when you have such a meagre supply of money. What's more, if people were living here all the time, you'd think somebody would file a complaint. I suppose you could try to live out of the woods and just go back to your car to sleep, but I doubt many people would find that suitable to living in a town or city setting. It comes with its risks, but I guess that's just the stuff of life. No risk, no reward.