So you think you understand homelessness | Marisa A. Zapata | TEDxSalem

i was homeless for pretty much 2 years; from april 2021 to april 2023. living out of hotels, living out of my car for 7 weeks, living in a salvation army shelter. it wasnt due to an eviction or drug usage but rather not being able to afford an apt by myself.

I was homeless for 4 years and my main problem was simply being accepted to a home based off my finances. Sometimes they just didn’t accept me and I continued sleeping outside until I got approved. I’m finally in a home but my homelessness experience is stuck with me and it hurts a little to still know at any moment it can come back

Yikes some of these comments are very interesting bc a large amount of people being comment contrarians are only a handful of missed paychecks away from struggling themselves...

They could be more lenient about sleeping in vehicles at nature reserves/parks, etc parking lots. The other day I was at a nature conservation area parking lot, labeled on Google maps as 24hrs, which are difficult to find usually. Mind you, I work almost half a day from 3:30pm to 3 in the morning. So, sleep is prime necessity while living in a vehicle.. I woke up at 9 in the morning to a parks and recreation patrol (or whatever they're called. Excuse my ignorance), tapping on my window. I showed him the location on Google maps displaying its open 24hrs and lightly described my situation. He bluntly told me not for sleeping, and that I had to leave immediately. It's almost illegal to be homeless in a way. It wasnt my decision to be in the situation that im in.. I try to keep to myself, be moral and not break the rules, but along with feeling entirely degraded and physically/psychologically exhausted as it is, I almost feel like a criminal, until I reach the parking lot of my workplace.. Those of you that may be in a similar situation stay safe, keep cool/warm and keep on keeping on. This too shall pass🤜🤛🙏

I was homeless at one point and time. It was my husband, myself, and my dog. We were all living in one car along with all of our backpacks and things we had. But my homelessness wasn't because of drugs, or that I had gotten evicted. Although, with absolutely $0 in our pockets, deciding to leave all the stress away at home, we traveled in a car across the US during a pandemic. I have to say the trip definitely wasn't easy. Being on the streets you'd have to deal with a variety of obstacles: finding changes of clothes, CLEAN socks were such an issue and sometimes you'd have to resort to stealing food... Altogether with not being able to shower up until you panhandled for enough money to get a night's stay at a cheap motel.. It was hard to keep up hygiene, and I myself like to keep very clean when I can. Luckily we weren't without a car, so we were mobile fortunately safer with the whip than out on the street. But having to sleep in a car brought along a whole other set of issues- police, nosy people, and crackheads all at once, so my advice to anyone sleeping in their car right now - park and rides are your best friend. Don't stay at Walmart parking lots. You could either get kicked out or encounter people trying to rob you. Also, try to always carry around pepper spray with you just in case. I remember my husband ended up finding a job up in Sacramento, CA at a restaurant. The employer was so understanding about the situation, but get ready for a rough patch of 2 weeks. Unfortunately we weren't able to keep the job. But to all employers - give the homeless a chance. And to all people who might encounter someone asking for spare change - Don't be afraid to give. It could really help someone out, and in most cases that money isn't going directly to drugs or alcohol if its someone who actually wants the help. I am now writing this in my own house with my husband and dog. I have never felt more proud to have my own little spot. But I never forget all those people who helped me get through living in my car. I hope if you are reading this and you are considered homeless, remember to stay strong and don't give in. God bless whoever is reading this, stay safe!

Thank you I've been homeless for one year and it is very hard to climb out of the hole with a letter the hole gets deeper deeper and deeper I am so tired of feeling hopeless, I was renting a home and the landlord has increased the rent in the middle of a year and got away it

I'm using the time spent "homeless" to heal, strengthen, appreciate. I know that when the time comes that I can walk through a door, close it behind me, and think that my surrounds are safe, I'll forever appreciate and remember how it felt to be completely displaced. For now, my car is my refuge, but it shouldn't have to be. I'm from Australia, and we're apparently the wealthiest adults per capita in the world, it's just many others are millionaires, and some are struggling.

This needs to be seen by more people. What a professional individual, love what she has to say.

I feel like this video highlighted a very important problem associated with the cause of homelessness but I would like to acknowledge that the issue is very complex with a variety of socio-economic factors that contribute to the situation. The solution of providing a home will not work every time for the person experiencing homelessness and because of those nuances, there should be a variety of programs offered to help people from different walks of life. Those programs could include not only housing but education, support groups, mental health support, finance classes, job help, rehabilitation, and provide ways to find affordable homes afterward. Every person has a different story so applying the same rules could have ineffective results. I appreciate Dr. Zapata's reference back to the historical origins of homelessness in the United States and relating it back to the modern-day system that we live by. It shows how flawed our foundation is for providing some of the basic needs that people in this country, which is something we can change. I think it's important to understand past mistakes so that way we can change the future for the better. This video is a great start to spread awareness of the problem, and perhaps a basic answer to go about solving it but we can incorporate much more solutions to better fit the people experiencing their own unique situation of homelessness.

This is so interesting. Thank You for helping me understand!

I cannot deal with the fact that this only has 52k views- whew lawd!

I'm in the midst of trying a build a small house on a plot of land in Northern California. I'm learning how expensive and cumbersome this will be, and not just in regards to raw materials ( we're currently looking at costs of $500 a square foot!!). The laws, rules and permitting in place will likely result in at least 24 months of waiting before shovels touch dirt. THAT is why it is expensive to build housing in California. Until we dismantle this apparatus of bureaucracy, nothing will change.

Strong positive family structures are important resources not only social adaptation but also things like....health insurance..

I spent a year completely homeless .. in a large city .. up here in the north, where -40 is common during the winter .. I've been living in a small one room apartment now for about 3 months .. I feel so misplaced .. lost .. it's like living in some strange kind of limbo .. Living on the streets changes everything .. even if you escape .. it .. changes .. everything

Love that you talk about the mortgage interest deduction!

Thanks for this talk! I think that perfect is the enemy of good. In the USA, we expect people to have either "acceptable" housing or no housing at all.

Thank you for information about homelessness.

If homelessness and loneliness didn’t already want to make you off yourself, people’s views of homeless people and law enforcement will. Thankfully, I made it out but it’s always one missed pay check away.

There is lots of land. You can drive in Texas for days and not see anyone.

“A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few person’s nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” - Albert Einstein