A rose by any other name would still be a flower

A number of years ago I remember the lure of living in an RV, traveling the countryside and seeing it's sites, and finding a way of making a living to exist in a nomadic lifestyle.

A sign to the likes of "sell motorhome" never seemed to pop in front of me when I had the cash.

I remember two television shows in the 70s that revolved around people living this lifestyle, one seeming to be financially self sufficient and the other a freelance photographer. These days it's much easier, the only thing necessary being the ability to connect to the internet...everything else I; and others do; online use tools integrating with laptops for mobile office use.

Depending on who you talk to and the definition they choose to use, nomadics living in homes on wheels to me doesn't feel 'homeless' should be applied to...they identify and feel 'at home' in such.

Who should be the authority of what label is given a demographic slice of society?

Ten Year Plans To End Homelessness: Not for the masses

When a person goes from living a 'sheltered life' to having a home, there are many challenges they face to sustain themselves that are taken for granted...by others and themselves. Many more 'fall off' the wagon than some would want to admit publicly.

While communities across the nation embrace "10 year plans" to end homelessness, many times they don't offer numbers to justify initial or continued cost. While 'placing' individuals or families into 'secure housing' sounds good, many civil authorities can't 'buy in' to such plans due to the best interest of all residents they serve.

It's not just the residents in existing stable housing, there's the fact of services necessary for the needs of the masses that won't fit into predefined planned homes.

How many people could be served by the same funding used to create a safe campground, potable water for consumption and showers, and availability to transportation by including one local transit bus line adjacent? Local service providers could 'satellite' and rotate regularly employees jointly at such sites for case management, medical, and other existing services rendered in facilities requiring overhead cost that could be invested in the service...not the building to provide services to those not living in buildings.

For over three years I've had the chance of witnessing a police lieutenant of Jacksonville Sheriff's Office personally manage a daytime foot patrol beat of Hemming Plaza. Both him and a fellow officer are seen regularly enough there that I address them both by first name when not in the presence of others.

Jacksonville has in it's ability to provide a safer habitable area than many of it's military currently serving overseas and living 'in the field' experience.

When we get past the notion it requires someone in an office to do 'the right thing', maybe we'll start finding the money in our pockets to have done what was needed long ago.

To serve the residents rather than our self serving goals individually.

If you read this far, thanks. If you don't like the air of it, consider changing the humidifier filters if you're that stuffy.

Put your aces in their places

Since it's getting colder and students from high school to undergraduate have a chance to burn fat, there's an increase of awareness through 'sleep outs'.

Depending on who's relating their perspective, readers have a tendency to either 'buy in' or become critical...towards both the subject demographic as well as participants.

There's also the spin put out by recent increases of non-profit agencies using Twitter, Facebook, and other online social sites. Connecting to supporting businesses, potential private and public funders, etc.

It needs to be mentioned that while some agencies employ people later they sometimes serve, doing so serves the business. The bigger an agency gets, the tendency of more people becoming job scared behind a desk.

Homelessness is a business niche. While some businesses having outreach programs are equipped to do the job with offices, vehicles, and the overhead cost needed...I gotta ask:

Why do I constantly see vehicles that should be 'in the field' parked outside an agency's door the majority of the week? Or used to shuttle employees to multiple regularly scheduled meetings monthly? What about the free lunches and buffets?

I see the people on the street. I see them in hotels. I see them when I walk the sidewalk in the woods to my side where they camp, where they call home. Not in my neighborhood, but throughout Jacksonville's other areas I frequent by it's transit system.

...and the vehicle that should be here outreaching isn't. It may be seen driving through downtown at times, but when it's so easily visible when and where it shouldn't be...

...doesn't anybody care?

Get rid of vans and sedans sitting useless. Reimburse people for gas. Get them where they are needed to do their job.

Out of the office and on the streets.

Of course there's gonna be professional lunches. Hitting the streets instead of parking the vehicle and getting behind a desk immediately...it just feels right.