Our Homeless Experience Part 4: Bureaucratic Meddling.
This one is going to be about an issue in our city that is incredibly insulting to our homeless community. A bunch of tax money spent in the name of helping the homeless. I'll let you judge who's been helped.
It was a big deal in the news. "Duluth experimenting with tiny houses as solution for homeless.
Wagner Zaun Architecture is here in Duluth, and they came up with the plans and gave them to the city to use free of charge, because it was going toward a good cause. The company said it could be built on the cheap, for $8,000 each.
Enter the Government
Duluth said it could be done for a whopping $60,000 each, including the $13,000 cost of hooking it up to the electrical company (of course solar was not their chosen option) and sewer.
The plan was to have a series of people live in it for a few months each, and then let them know their experience of the place.
This happened in 2016. There have been no follow up news stories since then. I have reached out to Rick Klun, the guy running Center City Housing Corp. but have not yet heard back.
During my housing search I have run across ads featuring that tiny house. The place is 336 square feet. Almost as small as my camper.
They want $750 a month for it. I'm sorry, but at that price, for something so small, you aren't helping the homeless population. You're lining your pockets.
Edit to add: I spoke with my homeless advocate about this house. She says only two people tested it instead of the original several. They then decided to place it at Market price.
So, seriously. Profit over people.
Isn't that the way! I wish someone there could answer the question for you as to why you couldn't stay in your "small" trailer, but it would ok to stay in the "small" house?? Crazy, and completely frustrating to say the least!
Well, if the camper has no water tanks and no working toilet system, I can sort of understand why the child protection services find it unsuitable for children.
That said, fixing this for the camper is probably a lot simpler and cheaper than connecting such a small house to the public networks!
Their one and only complaint was the heater. I was running the camper and using a "Buddy Heater" with an automatic shut off if it tips over, and an oxygen sensor that would turn it off if levels dipped to low.
In his "opinion, that isn't good enough to get through winter" even though I'd told them when running both it could accidentally reach 80° in there.
That's a MAJOR problem with CPS. Their "opinion" is more important than facts.
Oh, I was hoping you had a heating system that vents the exhaust out of the camper.
Heating by burners that release the exhaust into the air is indeed quite unhealthy and even dangerous. You should at least buy a CO-alarm. (they tend to be expensive, but there exist cheap Chinese CO-alarms, I hope they can be trusted ...)
The alternative strategy is to just use lots of clothes and sleeping bags. It isn't that comfortable, but what doesn't kill one only makes one stronger. I had a polish friend that was living in his boat, by anchor, and without working heater in December this year. I've also had nights in my boat with the heater off, quickly dressing the kids while they're still in their beds and before they complain it's cold, then getting out and towards the school...
@tobixen, most campers have toilets and can easily be connected to running water, or the tanks are filled with fresh water. I used to live in mine and it was more than suitable for kids and adults. In fact, my husband and I sold our home and lived in it for a few years before moving out of the country :)
I know - I have no experience with campers, but I do know quite a lot about boats, same thing :-) But as you can see from the other post, the tank in this camper is broken and leaking.
I'd recommend buying flexible plastic tanks (bags) ... but of course, money may be a problem.
Ahh I understand; you're right then, my apologies...good idea re: the plastic tanks for sure. I think the amazing community here has begun to help turn the tides for our friend @hickorymack:)
It's kind of a moot point now anyway as they're renting a place with all the facilities :-)
And ... working brakes may indeed be a bigger priority than water tanks, as it may be needed to move the vehicle.
I don't think I'd get an answer to that. Politicians are very good at steering conversations away from answering what they do not wish to answer.
You said it sista!!
The tiny houses industry is slowly changing. The tiny house movement is continually growing in popularity. The County Boards who have to change city ordinances to allow developers and builders permits to build affordable tiny houses is taking time, but not fast enough. Its a shame on those who sit on those boards and make decisions based on financial gains, because so many Families and homeless could greatly benefit from these houses. I personal have been an advocate for this movement, our society needs them now! and I know your voice @hickorymack will be heard as well. :)
Thank you! There was another here in Minnesota built on church property, and the church wanted to rent it out for cheap to a homeless man.
The city would not allow it.
It's so much red tape for no darn good reason.
It doesn't seem much sustainable to have people living in small houses with private gardens - I tend to favor apartment buildings with common playgrounds, walkable shortcuts, etc.
Always the poor that have to pay the price , andI agree with what you say , fill the pockets of those who care nothing about them.
This is utter bullshit. If its a way to help the homeless it's a way to make sure they stay homeless. This is where the town as a whole should come together and be the power to change what is needed to be changed. Don't let the government be the sole ruler of how you live your life. Be the change for you, for your kids and for the future of the people. Plant a seed and a flower will grow.
Wow - that is insane! It seems like the city does not care about anything but their bottom line. So sad. We have to come back to compassion in order to make a positive and powerful change. Praying for you guys!
You're in Duluth- you tell me if that is Market Rate.
It comes out to $2.23 a sq ft. In Chicago's North Suburbs- a Nice Area- you could get a place for $1 sq ft easy. In some decent areas of the City of Chicago itself- you could get 500 sq ft apartment- clean apartment for $1.70 sq ft .... This was prices as of last year 2017. So how in the world can Duluth rents be higher than Chicago?
The bull started with the cost of $60K to build and continued with the exaggerated Rent. It seems to me if it Really were intended to actuaclly help the working homeless- the MAXIMUM RENT would have been planned & calculated BEFORE it was built- by taking into account- the local economy & what the lower end jobs pay in the area.
I'm guessing any REAL Plan- would have had the Maximum Rent planned to be a MAX of $450 month. I mean the ABSOLUTE HIGHEST MAXIMUM RENT of $450- which isn't really any favor to the homeless for such a tiny place.
If people are willing to pay such a rent, it's by definition the market rate.
Keep in mind that the indoors living area is just one point of measure, there are other factors also. If you measure the rent price as "dollars per bathrooms" or "dollars per square meters of garden", "dollars per parking place", then maybe the $750 price tag is cheap compared to Chicago standards?
Here are some ways local governments can try to tackle homelessness:
I think that you can't fool the market. Central price control (which has been tried many places in the world, to tackle the problem with "greedy property owners taking too much rent") is really the worst thing one can do - by introducing price controls, one is efficiently making a black market for renting (variants of this has been seen in Sweden, house-renters paying the agreed-on rate, but in addition promising gifts or services if they get to rent) and also one is disincentivizing people from renting out - hence reducing the amount of property for rent, and only making things only worse for the homeless.
Having the municipality to build houses and renting them out cheaper than market price is also a way to try to cheat the market. One may end up with a black market for people forwarding their rent contracts to others, and one will surely end up with two classes of homeless people - those being lucky enough to rent a discounted house, and those not getting this support from the government, simply because there are too few houses (I saw this as a student - there were student dormitories rented out to students, at a discounted price - but of course not enough of them - every year the dormitories would be allocated to students through a raffle - basically government subsidies given away through a raffle, how fair isn't that?)
I believe it's also important to incentivize people to rent out - i.e. through tax breaks, and I think the dutch squatting regulation is cool as well.
It's a racket. Those houses are terribly over priced (and the rent is ridiculously high). From what I hear it is going to get worse for everyone, and no one will be able to afford a house now or in the future.
Money over poor people's back.. I have been in a simular situation, at the women's shelter I was moved to another location after 7 months or so. And I would be the "lucky!!" one to move into one of the 5 private houses (2 floors 2 bedrooms kitchen livingroom shower toilet and small backyard) I was actually so happy, this was big enough for the three of us and finally I could invite someone over for a cup of coffee. They told me max 6 months and you will get a house. What they did not tell me that the rent for this small house (with shitty beds, chairs and couch that hurts to sit on) was almost 800 euro a month! I was very unhappy there and when they gave me the contract after a week or 5 or so (they did not do the job well) I was shocked. This meant I would not be having any money for my insurance etc all the time staying there..I.got the hell out of there. I had the option to move in with my boyfriend who I had known for almost 15 years (not father of the 2 oldest kids ) I got out on time.. they did not like that.. I wish you all the best !