HomeFree: Homeless in America

HomeFree: Homeless in America
By
Rod Woods
Copyright 2010
I sat staring out the windshield of my car. I could hear the words coming out of
my mouth, “this isn’t happening to me, this isn’t happening to me…”, as I sat t
here immersed in over whelming fear, shock, and disbelief. I was homeless. Every
thing that I had worked for and valued in life was lost- my job, house, car, sav
ings, fiancé, friends, and family. All gone. I was 59 years old.
I had no previous experience with “homelessness”. I remember seeing the occasion
al person holding a sign asking for help on a freeway off ramp or pushing a shop
ping cart down the sidewalk in Orange County, California as I grew up. I would t
hink to myself, “How sad. I wonder what happened to them to get there”. On the o
ccasions that I drove into L.A., I remember driving through “skid row” and I kne
w alcohol was the cause of their plight. However, these were never more than fle
eting thoughts. I never gave it much thought until it happened to me
I’ve been homeless now for 15 months. During that time I learned as much as I co
uld about homelessness in America. The causes of homelessness a various and the
solutions are complex. I am well educated, articulate, mentally and emotionally
sound, and have no history of drug or alcohol addiction. I represent the “new ho
meless” that have appeared over the last 2 years in America. Most of us are “bab
y boomers” that have been employed for decades, saved our money, raised our chil
dren, and looked forward to a reasonably well-funded retirement. None of us saw
what was coming even while it was happening- “The Great Recession”.
We had made it through several recessions in the past but they were not comparab
le to what has become known as the worst economic collapse since the “Great Depr
ession”. We became victims of a phenomenon that was totally out side of our cont
rol. We were laid off our jobs and no one was hiring. Millions of us lost our jo
bs. We went through our savings trying to hang on to everything we had worked fo
r over the last 35 years. Many of those had family and friends that would help t
hem get through until things got better. I did not.
I arrived in Santa Barbara on April 13th, 2009 with a promise of a job. It never
materialized. I had slept in the front seat of my compact station wagon for eig
ht nights, just as I have for the last eight months, when I decided to seek shel
ter. A number of people on the street told me that Casa Esperanza was the best s
helter in town. I became a resident of Casa Esperanza on April 22nd, 2009. It wa
s here that I would painfully learn about the “chronically homeless”.
The lights came on at 6am in the men’s dorm every morning. It was required that
you make your bed and go down to the “courtyard” by 7am. It was there in that co
urtyard that I learned about the chronically homeless. I endeavored to get my be
arings that first week. I remember at the end of that week while sitting in the
courtyard suddenly thinking- I might have said it out loud. I don’t know- “This
isn’t a homeless shelter, it’s a mental institution!” Some of the residents were
constantly talking to imaginary people or to themselves. Many of them just sat
there waiting for Godot. The scene reminded me of my earliest childhood in Oklah
oma. Cattle were corralled in “holding pens” and they had no hopes, dreams, or a
mbitions. In that courtyard I felt their pain, suffering, meaninglessness, hopel
essness, and despair. It was overwhelming. I was determined not to end up like t
hat!
Two months later I landed a job through the senior’s resource coach. It was only
20 hours a week at $8 an hour, but it was a job. I was placed at Catholic Chari
ties of Santa Barbara as an administrative assistant where I am still employed t
oday. Five days a week I could escape the courtyard! I spent a great deal of my
time at work researching new career choices. I narrowed those down to four- wind
turbine technology, solar energy technology, nursing, or entrepreneurship. I wi
ll enter the Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at Sa
nta Barbara City College in the fall. I have plans to start-up a business consul
ting service- SilverBack BCS- and a clothing store- Riviera SB- in the near futu
re here in Santa Barbara. I lived at Casa Esperanza for four and a half months.
I left of my own accord on September 4th, 2009.
It would be easy for me to be harshly critical of the management and staff of Ca
sa Esperanza. It would not be fruitful. Instead, I will point to a new and innov
ative model that I’m convinced will eventually solve most of the problems relate
d to homelessness in America- The San Antonio Model. This month in San Antonio,
Texas a new and innovative facility has been opened. It occupies a 37-acre site
outside of San Antonio. It is completely self contained and is comprised of apar
tment-like dorms for men, women, and children, modern medical and mental health
facilities, a college campus, drug and alcohol recovery facilities, dinning faci
lities, laundry rooms, day care centers, and marriage and family counselors. All
of the staff are credentialed and certified professionals in their respective f
ields. The underlying philosophy there is: “Sensitivity, Respect, and Compassion
”. That’s a good start.
Fifth teen months ago I had lost my faith and all hope. Today I have faith in my
self and hope for my future. I hope. I hope. I hope.

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