FROM HOOVERVILLE TO OBAMAVILLE: A New Breed Of Homeless Emerges From The Embers of The Great Recession

During the Great Depression, shanty towns were constructed by the unemployed and homeless. These shanty towns were constructed of cardboard, plywood, stone and metal. Basically, whatever materials that could be scrounged up. The shanties were built on vacant land side by side and resembled small neighborhoods. These make shift neighborhoods lasted through out the throughout the Great Depression, from 1929, until 1940. These homemade ghetto towns of the Great Depression were called "Hoovervilles", named after President Herbert Hoover. As many believed Hoover allowed the nation to fall to such ruins.

Today, not much has changed. The housing bubble burst December 2007, causing thousands of foreclosures nationwide. The Great Recession as it has come to be known by, has not changed for the better by the early days of 2012. The waves of foreclosures continue, causing thousands of homeowners to be put out of their homes with no where to go but the streets. Tent cities, reminiscent of Hoovervilles are turning up in several American cities. The only difference is today, these makeshift towns are called "Obamavilles". Although named after President Obama, the issues that caused this situation were in effect before Obama ever ran for the office of President.

Lenders began originating large numbers of high risk mortgages from 2004 to 2007. The prices of housing hit it's peak in 2005-2006. By 2006 - 2007, interest rates began to rise and housing prices began to fall. Refinancing became more difficult as those that qualified for the former Subprime, Zero Down, Adjustable Rate Mortgage, no longer were eligible for home mortgage loans with new qualifying factors. Home owners scrambled desperatley to list there homes on the real estate market. But with the laws of supply and demand, the market became flooded with overpriced inventory, giving homeowners no other choice, but to fall into foreclosure. The housing market claimed many other casualties, such as the booming construction business. In 2005, the construction industry could not built quick enough to accommodate the ferocious supply and demand that loomed throughout the country. Realtors, Loan Officers, Bankers all saw their careers taken hostage when the housing bubble burst. Casualties of the housing market along with bankruptcy of the American automobile industry, accompanied with outsourcing of the manufacturing industry all worked hand in hand to create an impoverished America. Possibly impoverished to a point not seen since the Great Depression. The 2001 stock market collapse was nothing in comparison. 2011 saw the credit rating of the United States fall from AAA, for the first time ever in history. In addition to all these negative hits on the economy, gasoline hit record breaking highs, causing an increase in every product transported, especially groceries.

By mid 2008, many former middle class workers and they're families now found themselves homeless. This included children. Many senior citizens and former military veterans were also turned to the streets. A 67 year old mother of three adult children found herself sleeping in her car in a parking lot with her two dogs, after losing her home when she lost her job. She recieved Social Security benefits and worked at a part-time job during the day, but her income did not afford her enough to afford a rental payment.

The United States reported the median income for a family of four to be $22,000 in 2011. Many families with children fall into this catagorie. Prior to 2008, the length of time that most families were homeless was just a few months. Due to the economic condition in the United States today, many have been homeless for as long as two years and for some, possibly longer. The homeless population increased from 2008 to 2009 by 20%, with 4 out of 10 homeless living without shelter, which includes living in a car.

We've heard stories of families being split up after losing their homes. Children taken from homeless parents by social services. Homeless shelters are full, some families or individuals are able to scrape together enough to afford a hotel room for a night or two. Others living out of their cars and others dwelling in tents or in sleeping bags on the streets. They are cold, they are hungry. Children are now a quarter of the homeless population. Men who had incomes of over fifty thousand or more per year are now living on the streets. The new breed of homelessness is the middle class.

The homeless are not only victims of they're circumstances, but victims of predators. In the last days of 2011, in Anaheim, Yorba Linda and Placentia, California, three homeless men were stabbed multiple times, killing each by what is to be believed a serial killer. November 2011, a homeless woman was murdered on a bike path in Oregon. In 2009, a 42 year old homeless man in Escondido, California was beaten with a baseball bat by a group of young men. He was hit over 30 times while he slept near a bike path. He was taken to a hospital in a coma. Florida, has one of the highest reporting of violence against the homeless, especially in the city of Orlando. In October 2010, Florida was one of the first states to enact a law making it a hate crime to attack a homeless person.

Several communities are unsympathetic to the homeless, when camping in tents, too close to they're towns and neighborhoods. In Sacramento, California, a tent city of hundreds has been broken up and relocated several times by police. Other communities have tried to help change the outcome of these people. Portland, Oregon has allowed shanty type homes to be built and maintained on vacant land. This homeless compound named "Dignity Village" is an encampment of approximately 60. The compound is located on city land near the Portland airport.

Among the services offered by Dignity Village for their residents are:

• Showers
• Sanitary facilities
• Private and communal food and flower gardens
• Communal cooking and refrigeration facilities
• Emergency transportation
• Access to education
• Access to counseling
• Access to television (limited)
• Distribution of donated food, personal items and construction material
• Internet access
• Weekly community meetings
• On-site veterinary and medical care on a scheduled basis by volunteer doctors and nurses
• Access to prescription medication assistance
• Rudimentary first aid
• Access to telephone

Dignity Village housing falls under Oregon building codes governing campgrounds. Previous housing in Dignity Village has consisted of tents, tee pees, hogans, light wooden shacks, hay walled shacks, recycled wood and clay covered straw housing. As of 2009, fifty 10'x10' family structures made of recycled materials were constructed. Due to the continuous building and previous crminal convictions not being a hinderence of membership at Dignity Village, children are not allowed as residents.

Another homeless and low income housing project, completed this year (2011) in Portland, is the "Bud Clark Commons". At a cost of $47 million, the complex named after a former mayor, has 130 apartments designated for the homeless and very low income. The objective of this innovative housing project is to help residents to move onto a better life and self reliance.

In Sacramento, California, a transitional housing program has been in effect since 1997. Three phases are available. "Quinn Cottages", "Skylab" and "Serna". Quinn Cottages offers 60 cottages for up to 24 months, encouraging residents to increase employment while decreasing welfare dependency. Skylab is a youth program offered to build confidence in youth while offering skills workshops, sports and recreational activities and academic preparation, to list just a few of the programs. Serna Village is a compilation of 83 apartments housing over 100 parents and 200 children. Giving families a place to "call home".

While these are just a few transitional housing projects provided, there are far more living in tents, on the streets and in their cars. For too long, many of us have looked down on the homeless with the notion that they have chosen this path, mostly due to drugs, alcohol and mental illness. With new statistics proving that many of today's homeless are foreclosure victims that used to comprise America's middle class. Many have children and are truly victims of the economy, rather than they're own lifestyle choices. Not to say that drugs, alcohol and mental illness are necessarily choices and sleeping on the sidewalk is never anyone's "choice". To live in their shoes for a day, spend a day (especially in winter) eating out of can, finding somewhere to bathe and sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground, in public, if possible.

Any of us could be next, today, it might be a neighbor turned out on the streets. Tomorrow it could be you, your mother, your sister, your best friend. Truly we are all just one paycheck away from this same plight.

" When we had jobs, we were important. When we had homes, we were important. When we had cars, we were important. When we had bank accounts, we were important. ~ Eli - Written by a homeless man.