Rachael is invisible in this massively spread-out city called Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, New Zealand). She tries to sleep in her car at a local petrol station every night. Many more are doing the same, just in different places and vehicles. She has a host of fears but also plenty of dreams. She isn't seen, she's forgotten, but she's there!
Kenneth is visible in this condensed crowded city called Chicago. Every night he hides under a blanket and tries to sleep on the noisy El train that travels from one side of the town to the other. Many more are doing the same, just in different carriages and trains. He has a host of fears but continues to hope. He's seen, he's forgotten, but he's there!
In this post, I will highlight 7 differences and 7 similarities I've observed between the two vastly different cities I've lived in. This list is not comprehensive by any stretch of the imagination, these are just my observations that stem from having worked over 25 years with and amongst those experiencing homelessness. The 2 respected organizations I work for, Cornerstone Community Outreach in Chicago, and Visionwest Waka Whakakitenga in West Auckland, have similar histories and dreams: a few from a local church felt and saw the suffering in their neighbourhoods, so as a response they made a courageous decision to put their faith into action, and compassionately meet those needs.
The journey has and continues to be one full of both tragedy and beauty, yet despite some big differences, homelessness is real in both cities: the trauma is real, the struggle is real, the fears are real, the hopes are real, the compassion is real, and the love is real.
7 DIFFERENCES:
1. Visual Differences:
The magnitude, the sheer numbers, of those experiencing homelessness in plain sight are vastly different. In many ways, this is probably the most obvious.
There's no way to dodge the reality of homelessness in Chicago. It's in your face wherever you go. When you catch a train in Chicago there are always plenty of seats taken by those without homes. Whenever I would walk to the lake from my home in Uptown, I would pass a row of occupied tents under the bridges. CCO, the homeless shelter I work for, is nearly always full. It's an everyday occurrence that someone asks for change or food. Those experiencing homelessness in the Windy City are always visible, they are "in sight" and "in mind".
There are many ways to dodge the reality of homelessness in Tāmaki Makaurau. This massive spread-out city with rolling hills, streams, and plenty of parks and trees, makes it easy to hide. People sleep under bridges but remain out of sight. Every night hundreds sleep in their vehicles, but most people would pass them without knowing. Apart from a few obvious areas like downtown where homelessness is quite visible, people are much more likely to remain "out-of-sight" and "out-of-mind".
2. Landscape Differences:
The "City of Sails" has about 1.7 million people spread out over 53 volcanoes, has plenty of forests, and is surrounded by 2 harbours. This diverse green terrain has a complex maze of roads on it, resulting in an inept public transportation system and many homeless people having cars. Because Aotearoa is surrounded by the ocean, most of the North Island has a moist moderate climate.
Despite Chicago's nickname, the "Windy City", coming from "full-of-hot air" politicians promoting their beautiful city in the late 19th century, the modern perception, (and what I always thought), is that it coined its name because of the arctic air that soars off Lake Michigan and rips between the highrise buildings of this flat concrete jungle. Blizzards and cold snaps make hypothermia, frostbite, and freezing-to-death ever-present realities, but beyond that, the Midwest has heat waves that can be even more deadly than those frigid winters. Chicago's efficient public transportation system has probably saved thousands of lives.
Because Auckland doesn't experience polar vortexes, people can sleep in their vehicles all year long without worrying about freezing to death. Every winter in Chicago, we would go on rescue missions, we'd go under the viaducts and to loading docks to find people. We would bring them into our shelter or give them transit cards so they could ride the train. I remember bringing a frozen Kim into our dining room, he was huddled in a fetal position when we found him under a bridge. He had hypothermia and frostbite. It took hours for him to defrost, and for years afterwards, he recalled that evening that could have been his last.
At this point, I want to remember Terry, someone I'd known for years, who sadly froze to death on the streets of Uptown earlier this year (2022). Sorry, you weren't rescued. My tears are weeping for you. Rest in Peace, my friend, you are now in the warm loving embrace of your Heavenly Father.
3. Cultural Differences:
Both cities are extremely diverse melting pots that pride themselves on being inclusive. Yet, the ongoing effects of colonisation, slavery, and white privilege, are blatantly evident in both places, proven by the race disparities in housing, homelessness, and the criminal justice system. With that being said, any government-funded social service agency is mandated to be non-discriminatory and to help anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religious belief. In this section, I will highlight how each city has its own flavour and way of embracing cultural differences.
Chicago, with its beautiful Hispanic and Black flair, is very segregated. It was purposefully divided (redlined) by city planners and the government into neighbourhoods based on race and income. Each ward has its own unique flavour, with its culture, its trauma, its danger, and its beauty. Every Chicagoan is told and is highly aware of where they "can or cannot go!" Uptown (where I live) is an anomaly, as for decades it has always represented many cultures and socio-economic groups. Sadly, this beautifully diverse neighbourhood is tragically now becoming more segregated through the destructive power of politicians, money, and gentrifiers.
(I will address anti-homeless sentiments in another section: but for context, I wrote this to show how racism and anti-homeless sentiments are changing a diverse neighbourhood): Looters and Thieves: the art of destroying a neighbourhood through gentrification)
Tāmaki Makaurau, with its beautiful Māori and Pasifika flair, is more integrated. This city definitely struggles with its own version of segregation, but it seems to be defined by the landscape. The wealthy love to buy houses with more trees, better scenery, closer to the ocean, or higher up the hill. The lines of separation aren't as black and white as Chicago, as Auckland's relentless hills and valleys do highlight massive disparities, but it also means people of different cultures and income brackets do live in the same suburb or even on the same street.
Statistics in both cities show how a few races and ethnicities are sadly overrepresented in homelessness, housing insecurity and income disparity. These numbers reveal the devastating effects of colonisation, slavery, and white privilege. In acknowledging this inequality, I want to focus on a major difference between these 2 cities, how indigenous people are treated, acknowledged, respected, and honoured.
Within Aotearoa, social workers are trained in decolonising principles and Tikanga Māori, which means living out the inherited values and concepts practised from generation to generation. Every day in my mahi (work) there are concerted efforts to honour the Whenua (land), to speak and sing in Te Reo Māori (language), and to respect Māori protocols. So much has changed since my childhood and from this country's dark past, when the powers that be tried to snuff out the Māori language and customs. This past year in Waitākere has been a beautiful journey for me, being surrounded by people that seek to honour this city's beautiful indigenous people, and seeing Māori proudly living out their traditions without fear of retribution.
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The USA stands in stark contrast! Native American land isn't honoured, their language isn't acknowledged or used, and their customs aren't respected, at all! It's sad, they know they've been forgotten and their voices have been snuffed out! When I walked with and assisted many people living in Uptown Tent City, I saw their tears, listened to their traumatic stories, saw the effects of colonisation, and heard their lamentations. Peter, who slept in one of the tents, felt he couldn't live out his traditions, he felt his people were just viewed as mascots, his words echo in my head, speaking of why he doesn't vote or ask for help: "There's no hope, they (both sides) don't and have never given a damn about me or my people."
In this blog, I've tried to honour a few that could easily be forgotten: Rest In Peace Beverley and John (Chief), I pray I did you right. #NativeLivesMatter For us, it doesn't matter how neglectful or embracing a town may be, it does not matter the colour of someone's skin, it does not matter what country someone comes from, we should, on a personal level, honour, respect, and love each and every person we encounter.
4. Definifions Differences:
My friend Dan was a Vietnam veteran. Depending on which season or year it was, he would sleep on cardboard and under blankets behind the local clinic, in a tent under the Lawrence viaduct, or in his bed at the CCO shelter. When the weather got rough or he needed a little peace and quiet, he'd stash his bedding in a safe place, make sure his backpack was secure and ride the train to the southside, where he'd get some much-needed shuteye at his elderly mother's place.
This was Dan's routine for over 2 decades, he experienced homelessness for over 20 years, yet he wasn't always counted in Chicago's annual homeless Point-In-Time count. In fact, he was often missed, because he'd go to his mother's! One evening every year, hundreds of workers and volunteers go onto the streets, under the bridges, on the trains, and into homeless shelters to find those experiencing homelessness, ask pointed questions, and count them. This survey is always done in late January, around the coldest time of the year, around the snowiest time of the year, and there's a simple rule in this PIT count: if you don't see them, you don't count them!
Just as Dan wasn't counted when he went to his mother's to escape freezing to death, many others find their safe places and aren't counted. Friends and family of rough sleepers know how deadly a Chicago winter can be, so they're willing to give up their couches or risk eviction for having a guest for a couple months, causing the numbers of those sleeping on the street to definitely dip. Did you know that if someone lives in a tent, and if they're working their shift on the night of the count, they're not seen, so they're not counted? The survey misses so many and leaves many unanswered questions, like: how can anyone genuinely count every single person who sleeps on Chicago's extensive public transportation system?
These aren't meaningless numbers, they carry a lot of weight. If the numbers are low, it looks as though Chicago doesn't have a homelessness problem. Not only that, the PIT count is used to determine vital things like how much funding is needed, how to allocate that funding, whether there's a need for more subsidized housing, and what policies to focus on. When Dan isn't considered homeless, another senior citizen isn't counted, another veteran isn't counted, another chronically homeless man isn't counted, and fewer policies and less funding go toward those demographics.
It is also important to note this city's narrow definition of homelessness: it includes only those who are rough sleeping and residing in shelters. In 2021, the PIT count was done on the evening of January 26, and here are the findings: Chicago has an estimated 4447 people experiencing homelessness. 3023 people are residing in shelters and an estimated 702-1454 people are rough sleepers.
The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless does its own count. They don't receive any government funding, giving them the freedom to show the extent of the problem and to advocate for more funding and housing. They estimate 65,611 folks in 2020 experienced homelessness. This huge disparity in numbers comes from how the 2 agencies define what "experiencing homelessness" is. CCH finds it imperative to add to the City's narrow definition by including those who temporarily stay with others (doubling up) because of financial hardship or housing loss.
Auckland's definition of homelessness is a lot broader than Chicago's, as it includes those who are in overcrowded places, sleeping in garages or couch hopping. Here's a brief look at Aotearoa's estimates from 2018: 41644 experienced homelessness. 3522 are rough sleepers (including those in vehicles), 7567 are in an emergency or transitional accommodation, and 30,555 are temporary residents in severely crowded dwellings.
Dan's precious life mattered. Dan eventually moved from homelessness and into housing. Dan has now moved on to his next life. Dan, I miss you, my friend. His name is so much more than just a number or a definition, but definitions and numbers do matter, for, without them, policies aren't made, funding isn't provided, and housing isn't built.
Links for the above numbers: PIT Count doc, CCH article, and NZ numbers
5. Emergency Response Differences:
- Whenever someone faces homelessness for the first time: It's daunting! It's scary! It's traumatic!
- It doesn't matter if you're alone or in a family, when the reality of being unhoused stares you in the face, homelessness is a daunting, scary, and traumatic experience!
- It doesn't matter what someone's circumstances are, who's to blame, where people are located, why they ended up unhoused, or how tough a person may seem; homelessness is a daunting, scary, and traumatic experience!
- Homelessness wounds. It leaves scars. It's never an experience people dream of or plan! It's overwhelming. It's crushing.
When homelessness strikes, in that moment of panic and fear, in that moment of desperation, people need immediate answers to the countless complex questions that quickly surface, questions they never thought they'd need to find solutions for. They need a bed. They need warmth. They need to feel secure. They need to feel safe. They need comfort. They need help, yet sadly, when facing the fear of the unknown, most people are frightened and alone, having absolutely no idea of whom to turn to, where to go, or what the process is.
Chicago and Tāmaki Makaurau respond to homelessness in vastly different ways. For 25 years, I worked in a homeless shelter where I guided people where to go, accepted people into our place, gave them a bed or mat to sleep on, and often became their case manager. I am used to the Chicago way, where homeless shelters are the initial point of entry. These facilities are much more than "3 hots and a cot". The goal in shelters is to offer wrap-around services, a short-term stay, where case managers guide people on their journeys, toward whatever housing is appropriate for them. Even though that may be the goal, people often stay longer because there aren't enough affordable houses available.
When I started work at VisionWest, the NZ system was new. It was confusing to me. Auckland does not respond to or address homelessness with shelters. It embraces the Housing First model. The goal is to place people immediately into an appropriate permanent home, without the red tape, without any barriers, without an in-between stage, with wrap-around services to help sustain their tenancy. Even though that may be the goal, there aren’t enough affordable houses available, so emergency and transitional accommodation is always needed.
What appropriate permanent housing means differs on what each individual or whānau needs. Some are young, some are old, some need ongoing support, and some need just a little boost, but for all, the ultimate goal is that when people move into their place, they feel safe, secure, and satisfied and can sustain their tenancies. Both cities have programmes and funding designed to help people move into their own versions of permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and market-rate housing. Let's look at 2 examples of 2 elderly single people around the same age who have faced homelessness, for the first time, on opposite sides of the planet. Let's look at their journeys toward finding a safe, permanent place to call home.
It's a frigid February morning on the southside of Chicago, and Rodney finds himself outside with a stuffed suitcase, no money, and nowhere to go. He had been living with his mother, but she had passed away, and the landlord booted him out. He doesn't know where to turn or whom to ask, so he wanders along the icy paths to a hospital, and they advise him to call the Homeless Prevention Call Center (311). They promise to send a van to pick him up and take him to a shelter. He just needs to wait.
The wait can take a few hours, so, at this point, many people give up and wander off to find somewhere to hunker down for the night. It's difficult waiting, Rodney had the hospital security tell him to relocate as it's only for patients, so he finds a bus stop outside. He's hungry. He's freezing cold. He gets questioned by the police. Whenever he needs to use the bathroom, he worries that he'll miss his all-important ride. Eventually, the van arrives with a couple of fellas and a woman facing the same plight, so he climbs in, thankful to escape the biting wind. The driver asks him personal questions and fills out the appropriate paperwork. Off they go. Rodney is driven to a part of the city he's never been to, a shelter on Chicago's Northside, to Cornerstone.
This may be Rodney's story, but most individuals or families who come to CCO, or any shelter, share similar experiences; the confusion, the phone call, the wait, the interview, the van drive with a few strangers, and then entering into a building full of strangers with their referral, being asked personal questions again by another stranger, eating meals with strangers, and being placed in a bed or room next to more strangers. Within hours, they've gone from isolation to being surrounded by new faces and bombarded by invasive questions. The process is frightening, overwhelming, and necessary, so many take off and sleep on a train or under a bridge instead. Rodney persevered, and as a result, he made lifelong friends and benefited from his case manager, who advocated for him and helped him move into his own subsidized apartment. He remains there today!
I need to clarify something important; these personal questions are invasive and mandated by government funders. These often repeated questions trigger a lot of emotion as they look deeply into people's pasts and ask them what they are struggling with. Most people never have to answer such questions, especially to a stranger. Most social workers I know do not like asking these questions, but it is required! On both sides of the globe, it is an honour to work with people who care deeply for those they are supporting, as they don't want to add more trauma to an already traumatized person and will network with like-minded people for the sake of those in need.
Now, let us travel down to Aotearoa to see how differently Auckland responds.
Rachael felt comfortable where she lived, but tragedy struck. Her landlord died, so new owners came in and told her to leave, which left her homeless! She is elderly and has life-threatening health concerns, so when this happened, she had no idea where to go or whom to turn to, which resulted in her sleeping with all her possessions in her car at a local petrol station. After enduring weeks of immense pain, she ventured over the hill to a Salvation Army, searching for assistance. This little drive saved Rachael's precious life because she found people who cared deeply for her and were willing to provide the help she desperately needed.
A few of us came together to help Rachael. Networking is vital. Over the following days, we journeyed with this fragile woman, advocating and ensuring she wasn't ignored and forgotten. We went to the appropriate government agency (MSD), asked her personal questions, got the necessary paperwork done, and within 36 hours, she was placed in emergency accommodation. She had gone from sleeping in her car to a nice comfortable hotel room. Unfortunately, her journey had a snag. That first night her pain was so severe that an ambulance had to be called. Rachael ended up in the ICU. After about 5 days, she could go back to the hotel, and then, after a couple of weeks, she was transferred into a transitional housing apartment, where she remains today. Presently, she is being assisted by her case manager to eventually move into a suitable permanent place.
Hotels, run by hoteliers, are used for emergency accommodation in Auckland. The first week is free, paid for by MSD, and then, people must renew their contract weekly and pay 25% of their income. Transitional housing is run by agencies, has support navigators, and the whānau pay 25% of their income to live there. They have their own private lockable rooms, their own cooking section, and their own private bathrooms. This is very different from the shelter system in Chicago, where people stay for free. Shelters are run by agencies, have case managers on-site, and are far less private. If Rachael was in Chicago and ended up in CCO, she would have been given a bed in a large room with over 50 other women, had to share meals in the dining room with well over 100 other residents, and would have to use the shared restrooms.
What I have illustrated here is a simplified version of 2 complex systems. We have 2 cities desperately trying to eradicate homelessness through initiatives, funding, vulnerability indexes, and referrals. It's worked out well for Rachael and Rodney, as they are both healthier and happily housed. But that's not the case for many: people are riding trains, people are sleeping in cars, people go from shelter to shelter for years, people are sleeping in tents, people are living under bridges, people are staying in abusive relationships, people are sleeping on the pavement in front of houses because they've got nowhere to go.
As I reflect on these 2 cities I deeply care about: It pains me to see glaring gaps in these systems, it pains me to see people who don't qualify for or suit the options available, and it pains me to know it's our most vulnerable who fall into those gaps. In Aotearoa, I see how a shelter could benefit those who don't qualify for emergency or transitional accommodation. In Chicago, there's a need for emergency hotels or transitional accommodations for those who don't qualify for shelters. Both cities could benefit from more creative and daring housing solutions to a very complicated problem with complex needs.
As I reflect on these 2 cities I deeply care about: I know too many people who are waiting, waiting, waiting, for their names to be called up to view a house - potentially their permanent home. The waiting lists are long. The waiting lists are only getting longer. This only makes these in-between emergency response solutions necessary. The problem isn't dedicated workers or the number of buildings or the supportive programmes, the problem is, there's a lack of affordable housing. What we need are more owners and landlords who are willing to take subsidies, who are willing to give those unhoused a chance and take them into their properties.
As I reflect on these 2 cities I deeply care about: Our job is to cry out for more properties, and as we wait, our job is to work within these systems, walking with and beside our most vulnerable whānau, doing our best to find them somewhere safe and secure to lay their weary heads. When someone is housed, our job is to help them sustain their tenancies, so they do not need to go through all this again.
The next big difference between Chicago and Tāmaki I want to focus on is what services each government offers those experiencing homelessness. We all need food to survive. Money is necessary in today's society. We should all be able to receive medical help. Having a roof over our heads that keeps us warm, dry, healthy and safe should be a basic human right. The questions I want to ask here are: Do both cities meet those needs? How do both cities attempt to meet those needs?
My goal in this particular reflection is not to focus on every little minute detail. I aim to highlight and summarise these differences as briefly and succinctly as possible. This is a challenging task as both cities are very diverse, with a plethora of needs. A family of 10 needs a different type of help than a single person, and an 18-year-old girl will need a different sort of assistance than a 75-year-old veteran. They all need a hand, it just comes in different ways! Both cities have complicated systems, with plenty of specialist organisations designed to assist people in obtaining the necessary resources and help to alleviate harm and live.
Please forgive me, as there will be many things I'll miss or choose not to focus on.
I've been doing this for over 25 years and can honestly say we have to tirelessly work within a system that doesn't have all the answers. It can be frustrating. It can be challenging to bring hope when there are a ton of roadblocks or red tape. We want to house everybody, but there are people on the streets and in shelters because so many people don't make a liveable income and there aren't enough affordable places available. Those who make the rules, design the programmes, and allocate funding affect those experiencing homelessness and how we do our work. Our job, as case managers, is to help people navigate within the limitations of the city's bureaucracy, ensuring they get the money they're entitled to, have enough food to eat, have their health needs met and move into housing that is affordable, safe and dry.
In Chicago, most of the fellas I worked with didn't receive any income! Zero dollars to buy clothes or pay rent! All they received was SNAP benefits, which are commonly referred to as Food Stamps. This is a small monthly amount put on a card to be spent only on approved foods at approved stores. Today, a single person who's not working or receiving another benefit gets only $281 a month on this card. Yes, $281 a month! How can anyone live off that? How can people pay rent? In Illinois, just under 2 million people get SNAP benefits (16% of the population), and while this number includes many people with other sources of income, there are those for whom this is their only "source of income". This is an unthinkable concept in Tāmaki Makaurau, as single people generally qualify for a benefit called the Job Seeker Support, where they receive a weekly payment to help toward rent, food, clothing and whatever other needs they have.
Both cities tackle poverty in vastly different ways. Since Chicago is part of a huge country that is divided into 50 States, its residents need to determine whether they get help from a federal office (Disability or SSI checks), a State of Illinois office (SNAP benefits) or a City of Chicago office (finding a shelter). These offices are not close to each other and there aren't many of them. Every time I went to one of these offices, the waiting rooms were overflowing and we had to wait hours to be seen. Many people miss out on what they’re entitled to simply because they don’t know how to navigate such a complicated system. Personally, being from a country with fewer people than the greater Chicago area, it took me a while to figure out these complexities. In Aotearoa, it’s still complicated, but you can generally find your help under one roof or on one website, there are about 30 offices scattered throughout Auckland and I've never been into one that is crowded.
It doesn't matter where someone's from, people need to go to the appropriate office to find what they are entitled to. What someone gets depends entirely on who they are and their family's makeup. Are they a veteran? Do they have a disability? Are they over or under a certain age? Are they single, a couple or a family with children? These personal questions determine what people are entitled to, how much they get, how long they can receive it for, and if they qualify for social housing or an accommodation supplement. Kiwis normally get paid weekly, whereas Chicagoans get their checks monthly, and despite what they qualify for, and despite the propaganda, it's important to note that beneficiaries in both cities struggle to make ends meet most weeks.
I want to look at two different fathers who lost their places and jobs and ended up homeless. These are real men with real children in real need, separated by the mighty Pacific Ocean. My hope is that these real illustrations (with fake names) show how each city responds to what these fathers and their tamariki (children) need.
The city's van dropped Robert with his 2 children off at CCO. He had his referral. All his possessions were in a couple of suitcases. He came into the shelter without income and all his documents had been destroyed in a fire. As we interviewed Robert, we discovered that he'd always worked, but now that he had lost his job he didn't know where to turn. Being in a situation like this is traumatic and stressful, especially with 2 little ones to look after. By living in our homeless shelter, he was thankful to find a little relief in knowing he had a roof over his head, meals were provided, clothing was given and he was assigned a case manager who could help him navigate Chicago's complicated system.
Robert's life was in shambles, he had to start again, and he had so much to do. He had to enrol his kids in a local school. He had to go through the long and tedious procedure of choosing a health insurance provider (something Kiwis don't think about). He had to get his birth certificate, social security card and State ID. He had to apply for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), knowing it would be less than $600 a month. With the assistance of his case manager, he was guided all over the city of Chicago to accomplish his goals. He made phone calls, took multiple buses and trains, stood in lines, sat in overly crowded rooms and tried to wait patiently for his documents to arrive in the mail so he could carry on to the next task.
Robert was focused and motivated, but all these things took him about 6 weeks to accomplish. Despite all the frustrations, this journey needed to happen so he could focus on housing, employment and self-sufficiency. CCO was a temporary shelter from the storm. CCO was a turning point in his life. He eventually moved out and into his own crib, where his children are doing well and he's found meaningful employment.
Rawiri's story is very different to Robert's. He wasn’t new to the system, he had his benefit and knew the procedures. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, he had to vacate his apartment within 36 hours. His place was full of belongings, he didn't have a car, he had 2 young kids and needed to find emergency accommodation. So much to do in such a short time. Without the necessary resources, this is overwhelming. I drove him and helped him and advocated for him and walked with him for 2 long days. Here’s a brief look at his hikoi (journey) and how it differs from Chicago's fixed system. It gives us an idea of how Tāmaki Makaurau has more flexibility in meeting immediate needs.
Our initial destination was to go to the local Ministry of Social Development office for assistance. The line wasn't too long, the receptionist was pleasant and answered the necessary questions and we were given a specific time to return to meet with a case manager. Over the next 36 hours, we went there 5 times and accomplished everything we needed to. In between those visits, we had to drive to other locations to either get quotes or pick up what was needed. Rawiri was assisted in getting a phone, a copy of his driver's license, a rental truck to transport his belongings, a storage unit and, in the end, emergency accommodation in a hotel. All those things were necessary to fulfil the final goal, Rawiri and his kids having a warm, dry, healthy and safe place to lie down that night.
Before assuming everything's for free and the NZ government is just giving away money, let me clarify how this works. When someone, like Rawiri, is in need they are given what's called a "green card", which can be loaded by an approved person with the correct funds to be spent at an agreed place for the approved item. Most of the money given to meet the immediate need is paid back by the recipient on a weekly basis. Also, the accommodation and storage unit aren't free, Rawiri pays for both of those out of his benefit.
I want to add one last story. This only happened last week and speaks of a few social workers, a pastor, MSD and a landlord working together to house a senior citizen who was sleeping on a mouldy mattress under a bridge. This collaboration helped this man move into a Tiny Home, where he gets free meals and is surrounded by a network of people who look out for him.
Boarding Houses and Tiny Homes are frequently used to help place those experiencing homelessness. If a landlord is willing to take someone in, that person can go to MSD, do the correct paperwork and sign the correct forms, and as a result, the bond and the rent are covered. In this man's case, his rent is now being directly paid out of his superannuation to the landlord, but it's also adjusted to ensure he has enough left over for food and other necessities. These 2 stories illustrate how the system in Aotearoa has a little more flexibility and leverage to address crises.
In answer to my original question: both cities do not meet all the needs. There may be systems in place, but the cost of living is far too high, the needs are too great and homelessness is everywhere. When people seek help, they often ask us to go into these agencies with them, stating they get better service and outcomes with someone supporting them. The answer has been and will always go beyond the government’s response, it needs to fall on all of us, helping and assisting those who need it the most. When we work together, pool our resources and sacrifice our time, we see results, we see lives changing, we see the hungry getting fed, and we see those living under bridges moving into houses.
I want to close this section by thanking those who've dedicated their lives to lifting up others. Thank you for alleviating other people's pain. Thank you for loving those society has ignored and forgotten. I think of those with AIDS. I think of our veterans. I think of our prisoners. I think of those struggling with mental illnesses. I think of those in the LGBTQIA+ community. I think of those with disabilities. I think of refugees seeking asylum. I think of our youth. I think of our elders. I think of our tamariki living in unsafe environments. These are real people who need real help in their time of need. I've met thousands of people, I know their faces, I've heard their stories, and they've struggled, and they've faced hate, but they've also found love and had their pain alleviated by caring compassionate people who've sacrificed their time, money, and lives for their sake.
I'm proud to know so many who have chosen to love their neighbours. Thank you for guiding people across and through this rugged terrain, and helping them reach their destinations. You give me hope! You inspire me. Thank you!
Reporting. It's got to be done! Every shelter, every agency, and every organisation has to meet certain standards to get the money required to run the programmes. Every Grant stipulates what questions need to be asked, what outcomes need to be accomplished, how to record all this information and when it needs to be submitted. Beyond the scheduled reports, programmes in Chicago and Tāmaki are frequently audited, making it imperative for employees to become efficient and accurate in all their intakes, case notes, goals plans and other required information.
"If you didn't write it down, it didn't happen!" I've heard this phrase hundreds of times from Sandy, CCO's past Executive Director, and someone I had the honour of working with for over 20 years.
It's as simple as that! It's as vital as that! Documenting everything is absolutely essential. Even if a programme is doing a fantastic job but they are terrible reporters, funding can be lost, shelters could be closed or reduced and there be multiple threats and warnings to right what's wrong. I've seen it, and I feel especially sorry for small ministries with big hearts and tiny budgets, and who have overworked folks who hold countless positions and aren't computer savvy.
This section will be shorter, not because of its significance, but because it hasn't really been my forte. I have done a smaller monthly report for over 15 years, but Beth is really the expert in our whānau. She has spent hours and hours generating several complicated monthly or quarterly reports for the City. She also has poured over files, making sure every little detail is perfectly documented the way an auditor requires. To add to the confusion, the KPIs (key performance indicators) can change from year to year and each auditor can focus on something different.
Trust me, this is no easy task, especially when dealing with the diversity and complexities of human beings. Here are some of the regular scenarios that can make reporting hard and even cause a programme to fail an audit: 1). Case managers who are brilliant at one-on-ones, but don't make the time to document all their good work. 2). A new participant arrives and they are tired of being asked invasive questions about who they are, what they've done in the past, and their present struggles, so they don't reveal the truth or storm off in anger. 3). Most KPIs require some sort of monthly or weekly check-in with the participant to see if they're meeting their goals, but there'll always be those who avoid those meetings. 4). This final example happened a lot in Chicago: someone would come into the shelter, they'd be meeting the requirements, but then all of a sudden, they'd move out without communication, and we wouldn't know where they'd gone.
All of the above happens in various ways in both cities, but here lies the major difference: Aotearoa tries to be paper-free, it's primarily just the intakes that are done on actual paper because they need to be signed, and then they're scanned onto the very secure database. All case notes, goal plans and any other information are recorded straight into the system, which generates reports and makes auditing easier.
Chicago, on the other hand, loves its paper. Every Intake, case note, goal plan, referral, document, waiver, proof of income, proof of benefits, proof of housing, and proof of ID needs to be printed and put into a physical paper file. When it is time for the audit, these files, which can be a couple of inches thick, are put into banker boxes and presented to the auditor. What adds to the frustration and confusion is that Chicago also has a very secure database, and everything in the paper files can be found there, but the auditors aren't trained to navigate the database and continue to go through page after page after page.
There's a huge difference when someone walks into an office in Chicago compared to Auckland's approach. In Chicago, desks normally have an abundance of paper on them, filing cabinets are filled to the brim and banker boxes are jampacked with crucial information. Admittedly, my office looked like that constantly, whereas in Tāmaki Makaurau people will primarily just see the laptop. Being paper-free is far better for the environment, but it's also important to note, a paperless approach is more productive and offers a higher level of security and protection for people's sensitive data.
The reality is, reports and audits can have the power to take us away from helping people, but if done right, they have a very important purpose that positively affects those experiencing homelessness. Reports produce statistics, which can be used to open people's eyes to the needs in our communities. Reports have the ability to create funding, reports can provoke protests and reports can be used to reveal the need for more programmes. Reports cannot create love or compassion, yet they can keep us focussed on our mission, they can keep us on track, they can prevent abuse and discrimination and they can ensure good outcomes for those we are called to serve.
From Differences to Similarities...
In the opening section, I illustrated 7 noticeable differences between the 2 cities. These 7 differences matter. They can be life or death for those experiencing homelessness.
I often visit this older fella who lives in his van out here in Waitākere. He's done this for several years. He's made his vehicle comfortable and has no issues about sleeping in there every night. He knows what to do to stay safe, warm, healthy and fed for all 4 seasons.
This elderly gentleman is fascinating to talk to, as he's always reading, is highly intelligent and very knowledgeable. In one of our conversations, we were speaking about the stark and brutal contrasts between Chicago and Tāmaki Makaurau, especially for those experiencing homelessness. We spoke about the dangers of sleeping in a car in blizzards, deathly cold temperatures and summer's suffocating heat. In his brilliance, he tells me the exact amount of air in his size vehicle and the exact amount of time it would take before the oxygen would run out. He wasn't being morbid, it was just his way of relating to how he couldn't live the same way in Chicago.
I've sadly known people who've frozen to death and seen how snow and freezing rain can cover a whole vehicle, leaving someone trapped inside. It's a frightening concept, but extremely real. Apart from being cautious in light of our recent storms, with the need to park wisely in case of flooding or falling trees or landslides, Aucklanders can live in their vehicles 365 days a year, whereas Chicagoans are playing with fate for at least 4 months per year.
If this man lived in Chicago, his journey would be completely different. Would his need to find somewhere warm result in going to a shelter? Would he end up riding the trains every night? Would he move into a hotel? Would he reunite with his family? Or would he end up renting his own apartment? We can't answer those questions, but what we do know, is this: If he was to change cities, his homeless experience would be vastly different, what services he received would be different, where he'd be placed would be different, how his paperwork would be done would be different, and what assistance he may or may not receive would be different.
These 2 cities can learn from each other. They both talk the talk, they speak of bringing the homeless count down to zero, but it often feels like it's empty words. The budgets focus on "more pressing matters", leaving homelessness simmering on the back burner. As other issues take priority, the poor continue to suffer. Both cities need to be willing to invest more time and money into creative solutions that result in making housing available and affordable for all.
Differences aren't necessarily wrong, as long as those experiencing homelessness are focused on and prioritized, as long as the proposals and solutions are healthy and good for those in need, as long as those on the street are listened to and given a voice, and as long as love and compassion are never ignored and forgotten in our efforts.
As I move into the next section, I'll be looking at 7 similarities between Chicago and Tāmaki Makaurau. Whereas the differences have focused more on policies and the environment, I've found the similarities have more to do with the human response to those in need. The sight of homelessness in our lives cannot be ignored, it causes reactions: it provokes, it angers, it causes hatred, it brings compassion, it divides, it unites, it judges, it loves and it brings generosity. The sight of homelessness can bring out the best or the worst in us. This is universal: whatever city or town we may live in, the sight of seeing someone experiencing homelessness shows us who we are and challenges us to question our love and compassion for our neighbours who are in most need.
7 SIMILARITIES:
He'd been working, a 10-hour shift of hard labour, he didn't have a home, so he lay on a park bench to get some shuteye. A lady was walking her dog past this man, when she loudly proclaimed, "Stay away from this vile man". In another act of callousness, again voiced loud enough for him to hear, she proclaimed how she didn't want her pet to get a disease from him. This fella told me about this incident years later, how this was just one incident of many, how this type of ongoing prejudice haunted him, and how those experiencing homelessness are viewed as sub-human or less than someone's pet. This lady didn't know him, didn't know his story, she just determined he wasn't worthy of being treated with dignity and respect because he was curled up on a park bench.
Throughout the years, I have never met anyone experiencing homelessness who hasn't faced prejudice. Just read the ugly comments on websites about those sleeping in tent cities in Uptown or those sleeping rough in areas like Titirangi or New Lynn. The world is a cruel and judgemental place, where people are discriminated against, taunted and even murdered simply because they lack a home to call their own. Prejudice is part of the journey. This is true in Chicago! This is true in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)!
We must recognise another part of someone's journey: just as prejudice, racism and discrimination are real, I've been wowed by people's remarkable stories of resilience! Despite this lady's painful words and actions, this man refused to give in. He got up! He continued. Resilience in the face of ongoing prejudice is a story every person experiencing homelessness can tell! This is true in Chicago! This is true in Tāmaki Makaurau!
There’s still another part of people’s stories we must recognise: There will always be those who love on and advocate and fight and provide food, housing and clothing for those being bullied. Despite ordinances, despite those in power, people are willing to risk their safety and image for the sake of others. This man who was lying on that bench now helps those in similar situations get a place to call their own. While the world is judgemental and cruel, there are many kind souls who radiate acceptance and compassion. This is true in Chicago! This is true in Tāmaki Makaurau!
People ditch their backpacks before going into an interview. People use a relative's address instead of the shelter's address on applications. People know that revealing their homeless status prevents opportunities. Homelessness is a continual journey of discrimination and rejection and racism and sexism and overcoming obstacles. It's a painful but familiar story I've seen and heard over the years. People have their hopes up, only to be denied again and again and again. After being knocked down for the umpteenth time, they pick themselves up for the umpteenth time and start over again for the umpteenth time. Those experiencing homelessness shouldn’t be stereotyped as this lazy mob but as resilient fighters in the face of ongoing obstacles.
As seen with my friend sleeping on a bench, just being without a home carries enormous weight, but that burden only gets heavier and even more unbearable because as humans, we are beautifully complex and diverse. Sadly, we are profiled and harassed, bullied and criminalised because of our unique differences. What we should celebrate is used as tools to discriminate and divide. People miss out on jobs and housing and are arrested disproportionately because of the colour of their skin, their age, their gender, their religious beliefs, their sexual orientation, their cognitive abilities, their physical struggles, their addictions, their criminal records, their families and their mental health. This list is in no way comprehensive, and this is true in Chicago, and this is true in Tāmaki Makaurau!
Racism and prejudice rips through all sections of society. It’s vicious! It leaves deep wounds! It scars its victims! I’ve seen it frequently and it attacks in different forms. There is the Friday night group of fancy-dressed “positive loiterers” standing on a corner in Uptown calling 911 on whom *they* deem a threat, there's the overzealous use of trespass notices in New Lynn on those experiencing homelessness and there are trans women and men constantly being denied entry into certain shelters or housing because of their gender identities. Racism and prejudice are continuous and real in both Chicago and Tāmaki Makaurau!
Over the decades, I have witnessed countless examples, but for now, I’m going to speak of 4...
In early 2001, at CCO, we opened and operated a family shelter. It was an honour to welcome families of all shapes and sizes. It didn't matter if they were grandparents, mothers, fathers, teenagers or newborn babies, we became known for embracing any family unit. We quickly noticed an alarming trend in many shelters, a prejudice against youth, especially against boys, especially against black and brown boys. These kids are being labelled and vilified, viewed and judged as thugs, gangbangers and threats! Many family shelters refuse to take in teenage boys, sometimes setting age limits as young as only 8. Families with teenagers often have longer stints of homelessness because of how immensely hard it is to find landlords who will give them a chance. This prejudice causes whānau to make difficult decisions. This rejection of their kids results in these confused, frightened and curious youngsters often getting separated from their families to meet an immediate and desperate need. I’ve seen too many parents weep and be racked with guilt because they've had to send their teenage “baby boy” off to a relative until they can find somewhere safe where they all can be united again.
I had a friend who I used to visit in a local Nursing Home during the final years of his life. He was about the same age and height as me, but he became fatally ill and was confined to his bed. On our visits, we'd eat fried chicken and talk and laugh and he'd ask questions about his buddies from the streets he once called home. Shawn had this big personality, he was tall and loud and energetic and impulsive and had this beautiful burst of laughter that could be heard blocks away. He regularly used to beat his chest, rock his head back, laugh and call himself "the craziest man in Uptown". I personally loved this about him, but because of his mental health and appearance, most people distanced themselves from him and didn’t get to see what a loving caring fella he was, someone who cared for others more than himself.
In many of our discussions, his face would become deeply troubled when he'd reminisce about how he'd intimidate people without trying and all the prejudice he and his friends endured as black Americans experiencing homelessness in a gentrifying neighbourhood. There was one story he’d ruminate on, it gnawed his soul until his death, it was about a meeting he had with his mental health social worker. They sat in her car as onlookers walked past and saw them having an animated discussion. It wasn't violent. They weren't mad at each other. Shawn was expressing his frustrations about his difficult life and they were working on a plan to pave a stable road ahead. He liked his worker, a petite Venezuelan woman, and she liked him. Those onlookers made assumptions, so it wasn't long before the police surrounded her car aggressively assuming she was in grave danger.
What triggered Shawn more wasn't that armed officers surrounded him, it was that armed officers surrounded *them*. He'd been arrested before, he'd been surrounded by the police before, it was nothing new to him. What he was upset about was, that his support person was now involved and put in danger because of *him*. What he was embarrassed about was, that his support person had to stand up for him so he wouldn't be arrested. What he was mad about was, that the prejudice of the locals caused unnecessary trauma for a person he loved and respected.
Shawn and his buddies had been discriminated against for years. I saw it in full bloom and with a new lens when we were asked to open a men's shelter at CCO! In late 2001, we opened our doors to welcome over 100 men experiencing homelessness every night. The need was there, so that's what we did! We embraced the challenge, as we had embraced many challenges before. It seemed natural! It seemed normal! It seemed right!
At this moment, CCO was operating 2 family shelters, a single women's shelter, a soup kitchen 3 times a week, and a food pantry. All these programmes started because we saw a need. Opening our men's shelter was no different, but the reaction was vastly different. Frighteningly different! Long-time staff and volunteers became angry and quit. Men could come to our soup kitchens and food pantry because they were only briefly coming into our buildings. Men could also be housed if they were part of a family. But for those men who were single and without a home, the message was loud and clear, you don't deserve a bed under our roof. In the end, those who opposed these men ran off, and the men's shelter became an important part of Cornerstone's legacy.
I'd seen the prejudice and racism that came from neighbours not wanting a homeless shelter in their hood, but with single men lining up and coming in nightly, those experiencing homelessness were divided into two camps: those who deserved help and those who were undeserving. Neighbours and Block Clubs started an all-out attack on these men and the shelter. These men were judged and cast as violent, addicts, thugs, gangbangers, bums, and criminals. It didn't matter if they were 18 or 80, had college degrees or struggled to read, all these men were deemed not worthy of help and love. People would video these men, unjustly call the police on them, incite rumours online, complain to the politicians, request funding be cut, and gather in clubs to plan our destruction. Most of these attacks came from people with money and assets, and they did have an impact! In 2004, the politicians succumbed to their incessant whinging and funding was cut, as a result, this particular men's shelter was forced to close.
Personally, this was devastating to me, as I had poured my heart and soul into these men for 3 years, we'd seen this programme grow, and we'd seen positive outcomes, only to see prejudice and racism win. Temporarily!
The story didn't end in 2004. It opened my eyes to the power of prejudice and the political games politicians play. The powers-that-be proclaimed how they successfully housed the evicted men, but most of them were just shuffled around the corner to another shelter. Just as Shawn's petite Venezuelan worker stood in the way of an arrest, we need to confront racism and prejudice by not surrendering to its toxicity. I saw how these men were played as political pawns and deemed worthless, so this is when I first became an Outreach Worker, to assist them and let them know "You are worthy, you are not forgotten, and you are precious in the sight of God". In the winter of 2006, the journey continued and we opened our doors to single men again, and since then, we haven't stopped providing beds for single men in need. Since then, we've also seen hundreds upon hundreds move out of homelessness and into safe affordable housing.
Last year I had the honour of walking alongside a man who was sleeping in a local park, right here in West Auckland. He told us a little of his story, of all the trauma, prejudice and racism he'd faced as a Māori, as someone with facial tattoos, as someone with a criminal history, and as someone getting older. He told us not to bother, not to waste our time, as he didn't believe we could help him, that he'd been rejected too many times. We didn't give in, and neither did he! When we had the privilege of helping him get into temporary accommodation, he was in utter disbelief. What makes his story even more remarkable is that now he's in his own place.
Sadly, prejudice and racism feature in both cities, causing a lot of pain and affliction and a loss of hope for our most vulnerable neighbours. Thankfully, there are plenty of people in both cities who stand in the way and fight against it, relieving as much pain and affliction as they can. Let's be a people that fight to eradicate all racism and prejudice, and let's be beacons of hope that helps bring in a more equal society.
to be continued... (this is a work in progress)
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