administrator, hope me

October 26, 2006 3:59 PM

Imminent homelessness as of Saturday 10/28.

how to cope short term to long term; joke answers will be tolerated, as I hardly believe this is happening to me. Let's turn it around also; I hardly believe I put myself in this situation. I have a car; my family is not to be blamed or berated to being unable to take me in; they have done their very best. nyc area. Disabled taxi driver - links to reality shaky at best, i ask no pity. not caused by SA.

posted by attackthetaxi to Work & Money (39 answers total)

I'm sorry, what exactly are you asking?
posted by necessitas at 4:02 PM on October 26, 2006

Go to a hotel?
posted by nowonmai at 4:05 PM on October 26, 2006

He wants to know how to cope with short to long term homelessness. What do you mean by SA?
posted by iconomy at 4:07 PM on October 26, 2006

I think SA = "substance abuse"
posted by krix at 4:12 PM on October 26, 2006

holy crap, taxi .. how can we help?

fwiw, when my friend was semi-homeless in nyc he did the following:

1) couch-surfing if at all possible
2) sublets
3) slept on the subway a few times.

if it's just a few dollars that's gonna keep you from falling into the yawning maw, i'm sure we could take up a collection on tapes or something.
posted by fishfucker at 4:12 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: Get a list together of resources, fold it up and keep it somewhere safe (shelters, friends who have said "call me if you need a couch", free clinics in case of illness, etc.).

I am honestly not trying to make light of being homeless, but even the worst of all circumstances can be tolerated better when thought of as adventures.

Keep a journal.
posted by routergirl at 4:18 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: My understanding is that NYC has an outstanding program to prevent homelessness. Maybe it's not so great for people who are there, but the buzz about the programs that we hear about are fairly positive.

Here's a website that seems targeted to people who are at risk of becoming homeless.

At the same site there's a list of shelter providers.

Good luck to you! Try to stay warm!
posted by jasper411 at 4:18 PM on October 26, 2006

How absolute is 10/28? Is that the last day of paid rent? Or have you already been through all the legal eviction phases and they are coming with the cops to change the locks on you? Because you may have more time than you think to get something else lined up.
posted by krix at 4:19 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: Are you getting SSI for your disability?

NY has an extensive network of homeless shelters.
posted by footnote at 4:21 PM on October 26, 2006

I'm so sorry. fish is right, some of us would like to help you anyway we can.

For those wondering, both fish & I have spent time with taxi so I know this isn't a "kaycee" type of thing
posted by Salmonberry at 4:23 PM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If there is anyway for you to get to the West Coast, I think being homeless in the winter in a cold weather city seems much worse.
posted by visual mechanic at 4:33 PM on October 26, 2006

Also, what is the financial situation? Because maybe you could temporarily move to an area with a lower cost of living? Or in with a roommate? You could maybe find a roommate at roommates.com, or at craig's list or something like that?
posted by visual mechanic at 4:37 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: As routergirl said, make a list of resources (friends, family, shelters, etc etc etc) and keep it with you.

I am not sure if $ is the issue at hand but perhaps finding someone you can sublet a room with and split the cost. Also, have you thought about Cragislist? You may be able to post something under the barter section...I am not sure what the extent of your disability is, but if you can, maybe offer light house work/labor/technical expertise (graphic design, web design, mechanic work, etc). I've seen bartered labor for housing happen before but as I recall it didn't end pretty...an option though.

Oh yeah, if you can, blog your experience. Who knows, that may be your ticket out of the situation. The internet is a magical place.

Good luck.
posted by ASM at 4:38 PM on October 26, 2006

You might not be able to scrape enough up for rent, but could you scrape up enough for a gym membership? That would give you a place to shower.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:47 PM on October 26, 2006 [2 favorites]

I think giving more specific details about your situation, your resources etc. might help people in giving you more focused help and also in answering the question you should be asking:

How can I avoid homelessness?
posted by vacapinta at 4:48 PM on October 26, 2006

whoa whoa whoa. taxi. what can i do to help?

when i was 'homeless' for awhile last year, i couch surfed with a friend of mine. luckily, she had a boyfriend so she 'subletted' her place to me for awhile and then she just crashed at her boyfriend's place. do you know anyone in a situation like that?
posted by Stynxno at 4:52 PM on October 26, 2006

I don't think my roommate would go for a couch surfer, but I can loan you a few bucks.
posted by bingo at 5:23 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: When you typed "links to reality shaky at best" did you mean some type of mental illness? I know this is extreme, but perhaps you could get yourself voluntarily committed into a hospital. It would mean a bed at least, and the hospital social worker could help you line up SSI and housing after your stay is complete.

Otherwise, one of my coworkers lived in his car for a long while after his divorce. It can be done.

Good luck.
posted by christinetheslp at 5:23 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: I don't officially technically have a permanent address right now. Talk to friends, talk to all sorts of people. Living in your car for a while can actually work - just make sure you have a place to shower, somewhere (gym membership, as mentioned, is a good idea.)

But, sheesh, you have to accept people's offers of assistance, don't just let yourself get completely screwed and on a street. It may be your fault that you got to this point, but it happens. Don't allow yourself to fall through the cracks because you feel like beating yourself up about some bad decisions. Even if you don't want to accept every bit of help everyone wants to give you, you're going to need a little bit.
posted by blacklite at 5:44 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: I've heard good things about the Dwelling portably zines, but have not gotten around to ordering them myself.

I'd get a PO Box, preferably in a place you can get to easily if the car breaks down - You'll need a place to forward your mail to, register your car at and receive your deposit(one can always dream).

If you get a box at a place other than the US Post Office, they'll probably have a more 'apartment' like address - most even let you use an address like '123 Jones st. Apt#142' instead of calling it a post box.

I'd also mail myself a copy of my resources file(from Routergirl's suggestion, above) and $20 cash, then leave it in there - Put a spare key in your shoe or something.

Good luck.
posted by Orb2069 at 5:54 PM on October 26, 2006

If you get a box at a place other than the US Post Office, they'll probably have a more 'apartment' like address - most even let you use an address like '123 Jones st. Apt#142' instead of calling it a post box.

Yup, this is true- our business is in Suite 163. They never need to know our sweet is 4" by 6" by 24".
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:00 PM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have some housing advocacy experience, so here goes with some basic questions and advice.

Is 10.28 simply the last day you can pay rent?
Or is that the date on your eviction notice? Have you challenged the eviction? That can win you some time.
I'm sure that there are free legal services around housing in NYC who can assist you in this process as well as Housing Advocates who can provide assistance. (Mefites, know of any specifically?)

Are you on SSI/SSDI or unemployment?

What about storage for things currently in your apartment? If you go into debt to a storage company, they often seize and dispose of all your things. If you don't have an income, be careful about that. Once homeless, people have things stolen or just plain lose important items like birth certificates, social security cards, insurance cards, drivers licenses etc. These will be necessary to obtain future housing and they are a pain to get back.

You say this is not caused by substance abuse, what about mental health? Have you been treated, sought help or been diagnosed with depression, bipolar, etc? In my experience, even in the absence of substance abuse mental health plays a factor. Have you explored this?

You should also start working with a housing advocate as soon as possible to apply and look for low-income housing, subsidized housing, Section 8, etc. Check out your local municipality's housing authority to start with. I'm sure the better homeless shelters can also offer assistance and advice in this regard. At least get your name on some waiting lists (usually at least 6 months if not longer)for these types of places.
posted by MasonDixon at 7:03 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: I'd be wary about the suggestion to have yourself voluntarily commited. I know from past experience how ridiculously expensive a stay in a mental hospital can be when you don't have insurance, and if you're already on financially shaky ground, that's probably not something you need right now.

Are there people in your life you could be turning to for help right now, aside from family? It's probably really hard to ask for a place to stay or some assistance getting your shit together, but you might be surprised by how much people want to help. In the past, when I've ended up in bad situations, I've let my shame about how I got where I was hold me back from asking for a hand-- and I've realized in retrospect that lots of people cared about me and would have done something to help.

For example: several people here have said they will do what they can to help you. I will add myself to that list. We may just be people on the internet, but we're a resource, we're people who care. Use us if you need anything. Seriously, please email me if there's something I can do, or if you just need a friend right now-- [e-mail].
posted by bookish at 7:39 PM on October 26, 2006

Seriously, taxi, if I can help, let me know as well. Good luck, brother.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:19 PM on October 26, 2006

I'm happy to kick down a few bucks to help out. I don't care if it is your own fault, you sound like a decent sort. Email's in my profile if someone starts a collection.
posted by gokart4xmas at 9:24 PM on October 26, 2006

Let me know if there is a #tapes collection.
posted by Krrrlson at 10:18 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: You've got a car, so at the very least you can sleep there and shower at the YMCA, short term, before it gets too cold. Stock up on blankets.

You say you're a taxi driver, so I assume that you're working. Hit up Craigslist for their 'roommates wanted' section.

I don't think you're as bad off as many; you have some resources. Best of luck.
posted by solid-one-love at 10:23 PM on October 26, 2006

tax, if you aren't checking your email in profile, can you mail me one that you are checking? We're all worried about you, brother -- let me know ... mail me at my profile email.
posted by fishfucker at 10:34 PM on October 26, 2006

Best answer: You might consider hostels as a resource. Cheaper than a hotel. More secure than a shelter.

I have a family member that rented office space and illegally used it for his home, with a gym membership for showering, in Manhattan for several years, because office space is cheaper and more available.

Staying up all night at coffee shops (or at the 24-hour gym that you shower at?) and sleeping during the day in inconspicuous locations like universities (if you are clean and can pass as a student) is a strategy that I would consider for safety. Business and public places that kick out sleepers will be more likely to look the other way if you have good hygiene. However, this could make it harder to get back into the waking, working world, which is your ultimate goal. 24-hour businesses frown upon sleeping, but many will let you stay so long as you're awake and have made a purchase.

Keep your car clean as well. Basically, do your best to appear like everyone else. This will help you get fit back in when the time comes to look for new housing or work and it will help you not stand out as vulnerable to predators.

When I worked the graveyard shift at Kinko's, I had a soft spot for people who came in our store to warm up. Also, several of our customers created makeshift zines, poetry and pamplets to sell on the street.

However, most graveyard shift workers have seen and heard it all and have had their kindheartedness taken advantage of at the risk of losing their jobs. So, it's important to have a lot of resources and back-up plans in case a particular resource dries up.

Nevertheless, these are all worst case scenarios. You should be doing everything you can manage to find the organizations that will help you stay out of homelessness. Try the YMCA or even the YWCA for starters. At the very least they can point you in the right direction. There are so many resources available for solving short-term homelessness. These resources exist for people exactly in your position. If you hit a dead-end, ask current contacts for new places to go or start fresh from the yellow pages under social services.

I've found that doing your best to be polite and organized towards social service workers goes a long way towards speeding up their process. They're very used to people being disorganized, and that's fine and understandable, but social service workers really appreciate even small hints at being cooperative and thankful.

There's a theory called the strength of weak links. With the homeless, it means that keeping in touch with friends and family, no matter how distant, can lead to things like job leads and connections to other help. We've already seen it in action right here, because acquantances from the Internet are willing to help you out. Let them! Everyone in the world relies on the help of others in one way or another. The blogging idea might sound misdirected, but it's not half bad. The most important thing you need to do right now is stay connected to the world.

Best wishes.
posted by Skwirl at 12:46 AM on October 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

crap dude, what everyone else said. if there's anything i can do lemme know.

Let me know if there is a #tapes collection.
posted by Krrrlson at 10:18 PM PST on October 26

same
posted by duckstab at 4:00 AM on October 27, 2006

taxi you know the crew, I assume you still have some kinda net access and you know where to find us. Alongside duckstab. krrrlson, stynxno etc. I'll wait to hear what we can sort out.
posted by Jimbob at 4:18 AM on October 27, 2006

Response by poster: You do realize that this is still the ONLY real community weblog on Earth. Don't you?

I do. The point of the post was to get some clue as to what I should be doing, as vacapinta put it so well, to avoid homelessness. For those that contributed links or straight info, thank you, thank you, thank you. I understand that some might wish to help monetarily, but that was not what I was after, nor a place to crash. I'd make a lousy mess of things, as is my general M.O. I need no money, because...

I rarely reveal this side to anyone, but when I've run out of chips, I can be hard as hell. That means, basically, returning to the taxi at far less than full strength mentally/emotionally.

What I fear is the damage being hard as hell has done to me in the past. I'm not a natural at my own job, which demands a strange mix of intelligence and sheer mercilessness. It's the pretension to a lack of mercy or even pretending not to give a crap that has caused me to burn out so many times in this line of work. I become...well, you don't really have to know that. All I can say is, the job doesn't cause depression, but it certainly does not help.

As for the living situation, October 28 as an eviction date is valid because of a family member whose strongest points are being arbitrary and bitter; along with having an long-standing (undiagnosed) obsessive/compulsive disorder, because Indians do not have any mental illnessness (of course). Finding housing in this area makes me want to depart the whole gotdarn area and the job, to be honest. I'd do far better (all-around) with an outdoor job.

Folks, you're the greatest. Thanks for the verbal support. What I really need is a kick in the arse, and Here It Is.

Best to you all.
posted by attackthetaxi at 5:40 AM on October 27, 2006

Count me among the worried.
posted by JanetLand at 6:16 AM on October 27, 2006

Best of luck to you, attackthetaxi. It sounds like your current environment is creating a downward inertia, and a change may do you good. Nobody has to live in a certain place, with certain people, doing a certain job; if it's broke, fix it. Please keep us posted.
posted by pardonyou? at 6:34 AM on October 27, 2006

I'd like to second blacklite's advice. Don't forget to let people help you. You're not as hard as you think. You're vulnerable enough to reach out to this community, after all. When you accept help, you're not alone.
posted by Sara Anne at 7:39 AM on October 27, 2006

Short term: HUD's list of emergency and temporary housing in NY (or any of the other suggestions above).

Long term: What pardoyou? said. Take this opportunity to get out of an unhealthy situation.

And you know if you ask us for help, you've got it.
posted by ecrivain at 10:05 AM on October 27, 2006

try calling 3-1-1 (does NYC have a 2-1-1 as well?) to find what social services might be available to you.
posted by rampy at 10:28 AM on October 27, 2006

Sorry about the late response. I've spent some time roughing it before, and the adivice on Survival Guide to Homelessness is mostly dead on. If you have the time and access, read the blog. Good luck.
posted by lekvar at 1:36 AM on October 30, 2006

Wondering how you've been surviving taxi. I hope you're doing ok.

For 13 years a homeless man worked for me. Once one is homeless, there is a community with information on how to survive.

He received free clothing weekly and there are free meals served all over the city at various churches. Government housing is available for the homeless. It's a process.

St James Church at 865 Madison Avenue. I think it's at 75th Street.

Importantly, they offer a mailing address for homeless people who request it by speaking to the person in charge of the Community Outreach Center. You might email the Reverend Smith:
ssmith at stjames dot org

Telephone: [phone]

"Homeless Shelter: In partnership with Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, St. James’ volunteers staff a shelter for 15 homeless men every weeknight of the year.

Tuesday Lunch Program: Each Tuesday of the year volunteers prepare and serve a sit-down lunch to approximately 65 of our homeless and hungry Upper East Side neighbors.

Friday Dinner Program: Each Friday evening from September through June, and each Tuesday evening in July and August, volunteers prepare and serve a three-course sit-down dinner to approximately eighty of our homeless and hungry Upper East Side neighbors.

Toiletries Project: Throughout the year, St. James’ collects sample size toiletries which are combined into toiletry kits for our Tuesday Lunch and Friday Dinner Program guests."
posted by nickyskye at 6:54 AM on July 8, 2007