One Paycheck Away - The Growing Middle Class Homeless Population
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 10:55I just finished reading a story on CNN about a 67-year-old woman who is living in her car with her dogs. She had a good job in a nice area and after a recent layoff, can no longer afford to make ends meet. In fact, she is working and receiving some Social Security - and still cannot afford an apartment.
It sends me back to the days when I was living in my car with my three little ones. For the last three years, I have been speaking and writing ["Without a Net: Middle Class and Homeless (With Kids) in America"]about homelessness and my concern about the real estate bubble. While I recognize that my own story of homelessness is just that - my story - I have tried to illustrate that such a disaster can happen to anyone…no matter what choices one makes good or bad.
What most people, particularly the middle class, are beginning to understand is that many of us are just one paycheck away from homelessness.
Michelle johnsono says:
June 10th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Thank you for writing this post. Years ago I worked as a social worker withthe homeless in Tacoma washington. And it was then that I realized, after hearing so many stories, how close most of us in teh middle class are from being homeless. it is an unacknowledged and feared fact , that uless we see it in others and sto p perpetuating the myth of blame (well, they must have done drugs, gambled, cheated, lied, or made very very very bad choices) we will always have it hanging over our own heads.
Great blog, glad I fouond it.