The Harsh Reality of Rebuilding When You Have Nothing

Searching for a new job is one of the most draining and depressing experiences one can encounter. You sit in front of strangers, answering question after question, being scrutinized not only on your aptitude and skills, but also on your appearance, tone, body language, and demeanor. It is essentially an interrogation, not a conversation, and you may still learn that you are, very much, not good enough, directly or indirectly.

Now, consider the same scenario except you are homeless. How is anyone reasonably expected to combat the market, let alone compete in it, if you have no access to clean clothes, a shower, a bed to sleep in safely, or all the basic tools to write your resume? Some people have been priced out of life itself. The cost of living was already at an all-time high, and now even employed people are struggling financially. For someone with no social support network, it can feel almost impossible to get back on track. Today, most landlords require applicants to have an income that is 3–5 times the rent of the apartment they are considering — I have even seen higher ratios among landlords.

Consider how difficult it is to find a place when you don’t meet income requirements and you have a low credit score or other information on your record — most people would tell you not to bother wasting anyone’s time. You are then left with low-quality options: an overpriced motel, a shelter, or you end up living, indeed, in your car. Those are all options that are expressively worse than the basic apartment you could have secured, and still spend less to acquire it. It is like a hamster wheel that constantly spins: you can’t have a job without housing, and you can’t have stable housing, or anything stable, without a job.

As a society, we applauded ourselves for asking what kind of housing people would prefer, rather than investing in more social housing options such as shelters, rehabilitation centers, and dedicated support facilities. Yet, we quickly turned to criticize those who couldn’t easily overcome their circumstances or who appeared to misuse the services offered.

People experiencing homelessness are not the custodians of how society perceives their identity — so how can anyone fairly judge or condemn them as lazy or dangerous? Fortunately, this is not how many individuals experiencing homelessness view themselves. They know they are doing the best they can, given the circumstances, using whatever limited resources they have to navigate and outsmart the conditions imposed on them.

In today’s economic climate, holding onto employment is a privilege. Please remember: if you currently have a job, any job, you have an incredible opportunity.

On top of this, our social structure has become inclusive and not divisive, for the sake of making resurrection, or more broadly stated, the recovery of significantly diminished information of life, just a little easier. As we revisit our perspective on hospitality services, instead of taking to the streets to obliterate someone’s social and material existence, consider how we utilize the range of services provided.

Until we deal with these gaps, rehabilitation and rebuilding from homelessness will remain out of reach for many.