Annals of Unhousing

Bored, lazy & disaffected as we are, we nonetheless figured we should link to this NYT article on ... the unhoused (Sounds so much better than "homeless," doesn't it?) who live in motels. A county south of us, but the situation much the same. Except for the rate.

They are among a lucky few: a charity pays part of the $800-a-month charge while Mr. Hayworth tries to recreate a career.

St. Nick on a stick, we wish! Though we haven't seen anything as awful as this:

“I owe it to my kids to get out of here,” Mr. Hayworth said, recalling the night they saw a motel neighbor drag a half-naked woman out the door while he beat her.

The walls are thin here at the Neon Motel (we've heard things we'd just as soon not have heard) & the police have been here more than once to deal w/ disturbed/disturbing guests. Things are more lively at the beginning of the mo., as the unhoused get what little stipends the gov't. is willing to provide, & the ability to buy a night or two out of the cold supersedes the desire to eat later in the mo. We all must make choices, right?

Still, a source of turmoil for motel families is a California rule that after 28 days, residents are considered tenants, gaining legal rights of occupancy. Some motels force families to move every month, while others make families stay in a different room for a day or two.

At this dump, we're forced to move out every three wks., for a day at least. The Travelodge® may have a refrigerator & microwave, but any savings on food would be eaten up by the added room cost. We're still tired of dragging our bags full of crap like clothes & toothpaste around every three wks. 

Mr. Hayworth’s teenage daughter has had the roughest time because of the lack of privacy. She is too embarrassed to take friends home, and is uncomfortable dressing in front of her brothers, who are 10 and 11. Not long ago, she was attacked at school by classmates who mocked her for living in a motel.

We expect that soon enough her classmates will be unhoused as well. And they'll certainly deserve to be attacked.

“I’d promised my daughter that we’d be out of here by her birthday,” Mr. Hayworth said. “But that came last week, and we’re still here.” “It really hurt me the other day,” he added. “My son came home and asked, ‘Are we homeless’? I didn’t know what to say.”

We do, Hayworth. You are homeless. Face it, you're a fucking loser. You & the Mrs. should be sterilized, & your children should be taken from you & put in workhouses where they'll learn the value of a dollar, & how to work hard for it. Something that people like you never learn, & never teach your children.