bums camping under freeways???

[look 171]

you guys have or notice there are much more homeless camping along side of the freeways in your towns? We used to have them in Santa Monica, but in the past year we seem to have so many camping under and along freeways. I was talking to my wife about it yesterday and one of theory is that many of the young men under 18 years of age are coming from south of the border for legal residency but have not be able to find work or make enough to have a roof over their heads and the weather is "right".

[masraum]

Plenty here in Houston as long as I've noticed in the past 15 or so years. All ages and types. Not just Hispanic.

[look 171]

The numbers are growing, fast. There are 5-10 tents in some of these areas. Yeah I know not just Hispanics

[jyl]

In Portland we have homeless camps everywhere. On sidewalks, under bridges, in parks.

[widebody911]

It's getting to be an issue here as well. I was on a jury back in January on a burglary case where a couple of homeless guys broke into a house about a mile from where I live.

[Geary]

There but for fortune may go you or I ..

[GH85Carrera]

The beggars on the corners are popping up a lot around here. Several TV stations had had an investigation and followed some of the beggars. They walk a block and get into a new car and drive to a nice house. They can clear decent money all tax free.

[Esel Mann]

If the FW goes through a city elevated and you can walk under it, you can even see them with make-shift rooms up in the girders underneath the road!

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Geary

There but for fortune may go you or I ..

No doubt I was lucky enough to have parents that never abused me and always loved me. They taught me the work ethic of earning my own living. The taught by example and provided a loving home for me to grow up in.

[emcon5]

I think the politically correct term is "Urban Outdoorsman"

[look 171]

Originally Posted by emcon5

I think the politically correct term is "Urban Outdoorsman"

hahahahahah. You had me really laughing on that one.

[widgeon13]

None here, they don't like the avg 12 degree temps and much snow.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by widebody911

It's getting to be an issue here as well. I was on a jury back in January on a burglary case where a couple of homeless guys broke into a house about a mile from where I live.

I am worry as well.. We live about 1.5 miles up the hill from their base camp, and its a pretty isolated canyon and open hills. Its just a matter time they come up. Hopefully someone will call and get rid of them. Many of the bicycle are stolen and sold when park on the side of the road by these guys.

[ckelly78z]

Urban outdoorsman sounds like another term for the Hipsters who wear plaid, and have the groomed lumberjack beard and round glasses.

I honestly never see homeless people in our town of 50,000 people, but then again, they would be covered in snow this time of year. We do get the beggars at the mall entrances who say they will work for food. I offered a guy a thanksgiving style meal to come all day and help split firewood, and stack it too, but evidently he wasn't hungry anymore !

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by emcon5

I think the politically correct term is "Urban Outdoorsman"

"Mobile Retail Appliance Technician"

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by look 171

... Hopefully someone will call and get rid of them...

I've seen stats where 1 in 4 homeless is a veteran.


Just sayin

[Geary]

In Hawaii, it's easy to differentiate between transient and locals down on their luck. Many of the transients ended up here because they were given a 1-way plane ticket to dump them on us (thanks, CA), making it that much harder for local homeless.

My mother had to move from her wonderful home when homeless began living under her wooden deck (shared border with public park, so it was going to be a never-ending issue).

Anyhow, it's easy to look at the lot and call them all bums, but the reality is different for a large percentage. Panhandlers don't even belong in this group.

Personally, I think under the freeways is better than on the sidewalk.

[rusnak]

Hi, this is California.

You're welcome!

[Jolly Amaranto]

One summer when I was in college, I was trying to support myself and pay half the rent on an apartment my buddy and I were renting. I was not having luck finding the perfect job and it got to the point that "a job" was better than "the job" so I checked out a temp agency. This place in Houston was for day laborers, I think it was called Labor Pool or something like that. Since I had a car, a beat up old Toyota Corona, they sent me a ways out on the north west side to wash trucks at a Ryder Truck rental agency. Washing bugs off of bumpers with a steam wand was fun but in 98º heat and 90% humidity, it got old quick. Especially when inside an 18 wheeler trailer blowing crap out the back. After a few days I asked to be sent somewhere else. Next they sent me to the Kroger warehouse on the east side. They offered me extra money to take some others with me in my car so I loaded up 3 winos and away we went. I was put on a job rounding up boxes of small inventory dry goods and made sure they all got to the right pallet at the correct loading dock. The other guys were back bailing recycled cardboard boxes. The trip to and from the warehouse was kind of awkward but we all made small talk and I learned a little about their life style. They seemed content with it as they hated responsibility and liked the freedom. After we got back to the office, our daily pay checks were cut and waiting for us. They would grab theirs and disappear around the corner to the liquor store to cash them. I did that for a few weeks before I found a job in a machine shop.

[vash]

I work on bridges. The stuff I've seen......
A lot of veterans here. That's what they claim.