1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,666 (gentle music) 2 00:00:12,933 --> 00:00:14,666 - [Interviewer] How long have you been living here? 3 00:00:14,666 --> 00:00:16,500 - [Interviewee] Since May. 4 00:00:16,500 --> 00:00:17,433 - [Interviewer] What brought you here? 5 00:00:19,933 --> 00:00:22,400 - Lack of employment, COVID, life. 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,633 - [Interviewer] Yeah. How's this place to live? 7 00:00:28,633 --> 00:00:29,733 Are you okay here? 8 00:00:29,733 --> 00:00:31,233 - No, it's freezing. 9 00:00:31,233 --> 00:00:34,400 And apparently they're kicking us out on December 15th, 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:35,800 and I'd just like to know 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,466 how people can kick the homeless out of being homeless. 12 00:00:38,466 --> 00:00:41,300 Like, where is everybody supposed to go? 13 00:00:41,300 --> 00:00:43,400 We don't live out here by choice. 14 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,233 - [Interviewer] Have you had a job? 15 00:00:45,233 --> 00:00:47,466 - Yeah, I've done a lot of jobs. 16 00:00:47,466 --> 00:00:50,566 I actually was a preschool teacher for a while, 17 00:00:50,566 --> 00:00:52,800 and this is not where I thought I would be at 30. 18 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,133 Like, you go to college and you think, 19 00:00:54,133 --> 00:00:55,733 "Okay, I'm doing everything right, 20 00:00:55,733 --> 00:00:57,800 I'm doing everything everyone said I'm supposed to do." 21 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:59,900 You go to college, you get a degree, you get a job, 22 00:00:59,900 --> 00:01:03,466 you don't expect life to throw you curveballs like that, 23 00:01:03,466 --> 00:01:05,366 and then you end up in places like this. 24 00:01:05,366 --> 00:01:08,033 And a lot of people are very judgemental. 25 00:01:08,033 --> 00:01:09,533 People will stand out, you know, 26 00:01:09,533 --> 00:01:11,666 with signs trying to get help and stuff, 27 00:01:11,666 --> 00:01:13,333 and people will scream at them to get jobs. 28 00:01:13,333 --> 00:01:15,000 And the thing is, like, they're trying. 29 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Again, a lot of people, you know, 30 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,400 they don't have the background 31 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,333 or the education to get jobs like that. 32 00:01:19,333 --> 00:01:20,500 And like even with me, 33 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:22,233 I've applied to I don't know how many jobs, 34 00:01:22,233 --> 00:01:25,000 and I haven't gotten one yet, and I have two degrees. 35 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,733 We all used to help each other out and stuff. 36 00:01:26,733 --> 00:01:28,000 But it's gotten to the point now 37 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:29,000 where everybody's getting desperate. 38 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,500 (gentle music continues) 39 00:01:34,733 --> 00:01:38,733 - We're helping as much as we can bring food to the people 40 00:01:38,733 --> 00:01:41,166 that are living out in this awful cold. 41 00:01:41,166 --> 00:01:43,500 - It's like the cycle of homelessness, 42 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:46,333 substance use addiction, mental illness. 43 00:01:47,833 --> 00:01:51,000 Once you get in that cycle, you have no identification, 44 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:52,300 you have no birth certificates, 45 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:53,800 you have no telephone number, 46 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,700 you have no phone- - No address. 47 00:01:55,700 --> 00:01:57,466 - No food, no address. 48 00:01:57,466 --> 00:01:59,700 It's very, very complicated. 49 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:04,700 And these people here are human beings just like us. 50 00:02:05,766 --> 00:02:09,433 And if we can just do anything to help, 51 00:02:09,433 --> 00:02:12,200 like give a little bit of food 52 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:13,933 or they desperately need water, 53 00:02:13,933 --> 00:02:17,366 how do they dig themselves out of where they are? 54 00:02:17,366 --> 00:02:20,866 - What these people are missing and lacking is hope. 55 00:02:20,866 --> 00:02:23,533 (bright music) 56 00:02:29,033 --> 00:02:31,366 There's a couple of deaf people up there, 57 00:02:31,366 --> 00:02:32,700 and the woman- - Two deaf people. 58 00:02:32,700 --> 00:02:36,133 - crying her eyes out because she was so cold 59 00:02:36,133 --> 00:02:38,633 and there was nothing that they could do. 60 00:02:38,633 --> 00:02:41,133 The big reason that I'm here 61 00:02:42,133 --> 00:02:45,900 is that my daughter is an addict, 62 00:02:46,900 --> 00:02:49,133 and I can't help her. 63 00:02:49,966 --> 00:02:50,800 Why? 64 00:02:51,966 --> 00:02:55,900 Because every time I try to see her, 65 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:58,466 the outcome is not good. 66 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,966 I can help these folks, 67 00:03:01,966 --> 00:03:04,200 so that's what I do on Tuesdays. 68 00:03:05,366 --> 00:03:07,200 - These people break my heart. 69 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,533 My son is also has substance use addiction, 70 00:03:10,533 --> 00:03:14,466 and I've been trying to help him for many. 71 00:03:14,466 --> 00:03:15,466 I'm sorry. 72 00:03:15,466 --> 00:03:18,100 (gentle music) 73 00:03:20,766 --> 00:03:23,100 I've been trying to help him for many years, 74 00:03:26,666 --> 00:03:31,700 and he's walked these very streets, homeless and cold. 75 00:03:32,766 --> 00:03:33,333 I'm sorry, I don't wanna do this. 76 00:03:33,333 --> 00:03:34,833 I'm sorry. 77 00:03:34,833 --> 00:03:36,000 Sorry. - It's okay. 78 00:03:37,166 --> 00:03:38,666 - So no. 79 00:03:38,666 --> 00:03:42,833 So I'm here to try to just give a little help that I can. 80 00:03:44,433 --> 00:03:45,266 That's all. 81 00:03:46,433 --> 00:03:48,833 Because these are people just like you and me. 82 00:03:52,766 --> 00:03:55,000 - I was in an abusive relationship. 83 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,633 I was assaulted by a partner, 84 00:03:57,633 --> 00:04:02,533 and my landlord said, because I was assaulted, 85 00:04:02,533 --> 00:04:05,700 they didn't feel safe and asked me to leave, 86 00:04:05,700 --> 00:04:08,433 leaving us with no place to go. 87 00:04:08,433 --> 00:04:11,533 We went to my mom's house, 88 00:04:11,533 --> 00:04:15,200 my daughter lived in the house, I lived in their camper. 89 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:17,766 We had a portable heater, 90 00:04:17,766 --> 00:04:22,866 and it would run 24/7 and would not get up over 40 degrees. 91 00:04:23,866 --> 00:04:25,200 - You know, the YWCA closed, 92 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,700 and they ran a shelter for women and for girls. 93 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:32,033 Maine Adoption Placement Services ran a shelter for pregnant 94 00:04:32,033 --> 00:04:33,766 and parenting teens. 95 00:04:33,766 --> 00:04:35,266 That's closed. 96 00:04:35,266 --> 00:04:37,600 Ingraham used to run a shelter. 97 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:38,866 That's closed. 98 00:04:38,866 --> 00:04:40,566 Youth Alternatives ran a shelter. 99 00:04:40,566 --> 00:04:42,000 That's gone. 100 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,166 Catholic Charities got out of the shelter business 101 00:04:44,166 --> 00:04:45,833 in Portland. 102 00:04:45,833 --> 00:04:48,500 Salvation Army got out of the shelter business in Portland. 103 00:04:48,500 --> 00:04:50,166 I mean, these are facts. 104 00:04:50,166 --> 00:04:52,833 These are important organizations. 105 00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:57,333 You know, well-respected organizations 106 00:04:57,333 --> 00:05:01,733 that all said, "Shelter work, we can't do that. 107 00:05:01,733 --> 00:05:03,566 It's too expensive. There's no funding. 108 00:05:03,566 --> 00:05:04,633 The politics are awful. 109 00:05:04,633 --> 00:05:07,066 The neighborhood issues are awful. 110 00:05:07,066 --> 00:05:09,900 The trauma for staff is terrible. 111 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:12,566 The turnover is extraordinary." 112 00:05:12,566 --> 00:05:17,600 So this doing shelter work, it's kind of the third rail. 113 00:05:18,566 --> 00:05:21,433 (traffic humming) 114 00:05:25,166 --> 00:05:27,666 - Years and years ago, I ran away from home, 115 00:05:27,666 --> 00:05:30,333 so that's how I've ended up homeless. 116 00:05:30,333 --> 00:05:32,833 13 years old, you know, I ran away from home, 117 00:05:32,833 --> 00:05:37,900 and I didn't want to live up underneath my father's rules. 118 00:05:39,266 --> 00:05:41,833 And one of his rules was, you can't obey his rules? 119 00:05:41,833 --> 00:05:43,100 Find you somewhere to go. 120 00:05:44,266 --> 00:05:47,000 So I started living out in the woods in tents 121 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,766 and stuff until I got a job, 122 00:05:49,766 --> 00:05:51,433 which my grandmother, she come got me, 123 00:05:51,433 --> 00:05:53,666 well then she got me a paper route. 124 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,000 Some of my friends who were making four, $500 a day, 125 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,800 here I am working $4 a week and only making $100, you know? 126 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,133 So the money looked enticing, it looked real good. 127 00:06:09,866 --> 00:06:13,700 But the downfall of that is I got popped by the cops, 128 00:06:13,700 --> 00:06:16,966 and I ended up going to prison for possession, 129 00:06:16,966 --> 00:06:19,800 cocaine, delivering sales of it, you know? 130 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:26,233 I did 24 years, 14 days, seven hours, and 18 minutes. 131 00:06:26,866 --> 00:06:29,866 (staff chattering) 132 00:06:29,866 --> 00:06:31,300 Possession of a firearm. 133 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:35,633 I knew that I didn't deserve 30 years 134 00:06:35,633 --> 00:06:37,633 just for possession of a firearm. 135 00:06:37,633 --> 00:06:40,466 I didn't banish, I didn't strike, I didn't discharge, 136 00:06:40,466 --> 00:06:42,133 I didn't threaten anybody with it. 137 00:06:42,133 --> 00:06:45,666 It was in a Duffy bag, zipped up in the back of my truck. 138 00:06:45,666 --> 00:06:50,733 So while I was in prison, I read a book by Malcolm X, 139 00:06:52,066 --> 00:06:56,066 and I said that if he could do it, I could do it. 140 00:06:56,066 --> 00:06:57,833 And I thank God for my grandma 141 00:06:57,833 --> 00:06:59,500 because she used to write me all the time. 142 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:01,066 She used to tell me, she said, 143 00:07:01,066 --> 00:07:05,633 "You could either let that prison system taint you, 144 00:07:05,633 --> 00:07:08,633 or you could take it, and you could use it for knowledge 145 00:07:08,633 --> 00:07:10,133 and come out a better man." 146 00:07:11,466 --> 00:07:14,433 - I like to be a advocate 147 00:07:15,966 --> 00:07:17,633 for the Native American people. 148 00:07:18,733 --> 00:07:20,733 In my prayer time, I asked God. 149 00:07:20,733 --> 00:07:22,233 I said, "Well, what I'm gonna do?" 150 00:07:22,233 --> 00:07:25,233 You know, I was kind of like in a jam about this and that 151 00:07:25,233 --> 00:07:26,366 and being homeless. 152 00:07:27,533 --> 00:07:30,100 So he told me in my spirit, he said, 153 00:07:31,100 --> 00:07:32,433 "You're going to places 154 00:07:32,433 --> 00:07:34,433 where you're gonna try to help people, 155 00:07:35,700 --> 00:07:38,933 and somebody needs some help." 156 00:07:38,933 --> 00:07:42,033 I know that they're down and out 'cause I know how it feels. 157 00:07:42,033 --> 00:07:43,766 I want to see the Native people 158 00:07:43,766 --> 00:07:47,100 have something in their life worth living for 159 00:07:47,100 --> 00:07:49,366 and be proud of what they are. 160 00:07:49,366 --> 00:07:52,533 They don't have to live in any kind of misery 161 00:07:52,533 --> 00:07:53,600 or hopelessness. 162 00:07:54,933 --> 00:07:58,200 These people here has been a big help to me. 163 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:02,433 The staff, the residents, you know? 164 00:08:02,433 --> 00:08:05,100 I get along with them, they get along with me, 165 00:08:05,100 --> 00:08:07,533 and so I'm thankful for that. 166 00:08:08,633 --> 00:08:10,533 So it's been very difficult for me. 167 00:08:10,533 --> 00:08:14,366 But, you know, life's gotta go on, 168 00:08:14,366 --> 00:08:17,533 and I'm trying to make the best of it. 169 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:20,866 - Now since I'm homeless, 170 00:08:20,866 --> 00:08:24,033 I'm living in the Bangor Homeless Shelter. 171 00:08:24,033 --> 00:08:25,366 I have a case manager, 172 00:08:25,366 --> 00:08:27,200 and she the one who called me in the office 173 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,300 because she said that I fit the criteria 174 00:08:30,300 --> 00:08:33,200 and she would like to see me get an apartment. 175 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,700 - And then after the briefing, then we'll just, 176 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:37,300 we're gonna go over like what's next? 177 00:08:37,300 --> 00:08:38,866 What are we gonna do next? 178 00:08:38,866 --> 00:08:42,533 The next steps to getting you into your apartment, okay? 179 00:08:42,533 --> 00:08:46,200 - Hi, James, how are you? - Not bad this morning. 180 00:08:47,466 --> 00:08:49,666 - [Caller] It's saying that when we check to see 181 00:08:49,666 --> 00:08:51,166 if you're eligible for the program, 182 00:08:51,166 --> 00:08:52,433 part of what we look at. 183 00:08:52,433 --> 00:08:54,166 - Most of the resources that we depend on 184 00:08:54,166 --> 00:08:57,666 to work to end homelessness are federally sourced. 185 00:08:57,666 --> 00:08:59,666 Biggest among those are through HUD. 186 00:08:59,666 --> 00:09:03,733 And biggest within HUD is our rental subsidies, 187 00:09:03,733 --> 00:09:06,900 like Section 8 or tenant-based rental assistance. 188 00:09:06,900 --> 00:09:08,666 - [Caller] Is determined on the household income 189 00:09:08,666 --> 00:09:10,066 and household size. 190 00:09:10,066 --> 00:09:11,900 - Homelessness is premised on the idea 191 00:09:11,900 --> 00:09:13,666 that we have a lack of affordable housing, 192 00:09:13,666 --> 00:09:17,000 rental subsidies more than anything level the playing field, 193 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,566 so everyone can afford housing. 194 00:09:18,566 --> 00:09:19,733 Two and a half years ago, 195 00:09:19,733 --> 00:09:21,666 we started collecting information 196 00:09:21,666 --> 00:09:23,733 about who was touching the hospital, 197 00:09:23,733 --> 00:09:25,900 who was touching the jail on a monthly basis. 198 00:09:25,900 --> 00:09:27,833 And so we've been looking at that data, 199 00:09:27,833 --> 00:09:30,866 and we found that the same population is up 200 00:09:30,866 --> 00:09:34,366 to 29 times more likely to be in the hospital 201 00:09:34,366 --> 00:09:37,433 and up to 45 times more likely to be in jail 202 00:09:37,433 --> 00:09:39,933 when unhoused than when housed. 203 00:09:39,933 --> 00:09:41,866 - [Caller] Maine Housing helps you pay your rent, 204 00:09:41,866 --> 00:09:43,700 the family will pay 30% 205 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:46,100 of their adjusted gross monthly income. 206 00:09:46,100 --> 00:09:47,433 - The contrast is dramatic. 207 00:09:47,433 --> 00:09:49,266 When people get into housing, 208 00:09:49,266 --> 00:09:50,600 they stop ricocheting 209 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,366 through all of our most expensive emergency systems. 210 00:09:53,366 --> 00:09:55,100 When somebody stays in the hospital for a night, 211 00:09:55,100 --> 00:09:56,533 you know that's $1,000. 212 00:09:56,533 --> 00:09:59,033 You know, they touch the emergency room, that's $1,000. 213 00:09:59,033 --> 00:10:01,433 When police, fire, and rescue come and pick somebody up, 214 00:10:01,433 --> 00:10:03,200 that's thousands of dollars. 215 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,200 If somebody stays an extended period of time at a hospital, 216 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:10,533 psychiatric facility is $160,000 a year. 217 00:10:10,533 --> 00:10:14,000 All that changes when we have people out of that stress 218 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:15,400 and into a stable home, 219 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,400 and people are feeling good about themselves. 220 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,900 They're not tangling up our police and rescue services. 221 00:10:20,900 --> 00:10:22,666 They're no longer obviously at homeless shelters, 222 00:10:22,666 --> 00:10:24,066 and they're not outdoors. 223 00:10:24,066 --> 00:10:25,333 They're in apartments, 224 00:10:25,333 --> 00:10:27,333 and they don't go to the hospital anymore. 225 00:10:27,333 --> 00:10:29,000 They don't go to the emergency room. 226 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:30,833 - Oh, the viewing, yeah? - Yes. 227 00:10:30,833 --> 00:10:32,333 - That's the one that we had available 228 00:10:32,333 --> 00:10:34,900 through Community Housing of Maine. 229 00:10:34,900 --> 00:10:35,700 - Yes. 230 00:10:36,733 --> 00:10:39,166 Big tub. Not no shower. 231 00:10:39,166 --> 00:10:41,666 A bathtub. (laughs) 232 00:10:41,666 --> 00:10:43,566 - Who doesn't like cupcakes? 233 00:10:43,566 --> 00:10:46,166 I like to, you know, to be funny, make people laugh, 234 00:10:46,166 --> 00:10:48,833 communicate with people, make them feel important, 235 00:10:48,833 --> 00:10:51,000 and listen to them, you know? 236 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:52,566 Make sure that they're heard. 237 00:10:52,566 --> 00:10:54,066 I think a lot of times people just wanna be heard, right? 238 00:10:54,066 --> 00:10:55,366 Somebody to talk to. 239 00:10:55,366 --> 00:10:57,033 I'm 13 years in recovery, 240 00:10:57,033 --> 00:11:01,000 I was in active use probably about six years. 241 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,000 It came to an end when I had no place to live, 242 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,333 no family that would help me anymore. 243 00:11:06,333 --> 00:11:08,833 They were basically enabling me at that time, 244 00:11:08,833 --> 00:11:11,000 so I was out of options. 245 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:12,933 From there, I went to a methadone clinic. 246 00:11:12,933 --> 00:11:14,666 I was there two years. 247 00:11:14,666 --> 00:11:17,500 I successfully came off of it. 248 00:11:17,500 --> 00:11:18,933 I went to Beal College, 249 00:11:18,933 --> 00:11:22,433 I got my associate's degree in addiction counseling. 250 00:11:22,433 --> 00:11:26,166 And then the pilot program Diversion came into play, 251 00:11:26,166 --> 00:11:29,100 and I applied for that position, and I got it. 252 00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:32,833 And I've been doing it for about a year and a half now, 253 00:11:32,833 --> 00:11:34,500 and I love it. 254 00:11:34,500 --> 00:11:36,633 Am I the best at it right now? Absolutely not. 255 00:11:36,633 --> 00:11:38,300 It's growing, I'm learning, 256 00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:41,066 and we're just figuring it out as we go. 257 00:11:41,066 --> 00:11:42,966 But I love my job. 258 00:11:42,966 --> 00:11:47,900 I love being able to help individuals where I once was, 259 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:49,466 turning something negative in my life 260 00:11:49,466 --> 00:11:51,400 into something positive. 261 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,966 And I think it's really good to, like, 262 00:11:53,966 --> 00:11:56,566 have somebody to advocate for these individuals 263 00:11:56,566 --> 00:11:58,900 who are experiencing substance use disorder. 264 00:11:58,900 --> 00:12:02,300 There's so much stigma surrounding that. 265 00:12:02,300 --> 00:12:04,133 - Yeah, she's not a bad girl. 266 00:12:04,133 --> 00:12:05,300 She's a pain in the *** sometimes. 267 00:12:05,300 --> 00:12:07,133 But she's a good girl. 268 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,366 - He put a rose on my car for me 269 00:12:10,366 --> 00:12:12,633 as a thank you for the help. 270 00:12:12,633 --> 00:12:14,400 Did you say I'm a pain in the ....? 271 00:12:17,666 --> 00:12:20,733 (bulldozer beeping) 272 00:12:27,733 --> 00:12:30,233 - The sweeps make no sense at all. 273 00:12:30,233 --> 00:12:31,566 And I say that knowing 274 00:12:31,566 --> 00:12:34,000 that these encampments are awful places. 275 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,166 They're not safe, they're public health disasters. 276 00:12:37,166 --> 00:12:38,500 We get that. 277 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:41,566 But the solution is not to just tear 'em down 278 00:12:41,566 --> 00:12:43,000 and bulldoze 'em 279 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,566 and assume everything's gonna be okay then. 280 00:12:45,566 --> 00:12:48,166 It puts people in distress 281 00:12:48,166 --> 00:12:51,400 and more physical harm if you sweep encampments 282 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,166 than if you keep them. 283 00:12:53,166 --> 00:12:56,166 - [Interviewer] Where are people gonna go from here today? 284 00:12:56,166 --> 00:12:57,733 - Into another encampment. 285 00:12:57,733 --> 00:12:59,233 I'm not saying where, 286 00:12:59,233 --> 00:13:01,533 because that's, I'm telling you, 287 00:13:01,533 --> 00:13:02,933 I'd be telling you where they're going 288 00:13:02,933 --> 00:13:04,866 so that these **** can go get them. 289 00:13:04,866 --> 00:13:06,100 No. 290 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:07,866 - That's someone's stuff that they're taking away. 291 00:13:07,866 --> 00:13:09,200 These are people's homes. 292 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:10,700 They have to take what they can to carry 293 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:11,766 to go somewhere else. 294 00:13:11,766 --> 00:13:13,366 They have to start all over again. 295 00:13:13,366 --> 00:13:15,866 Finding tents, finding places, you know, to sleep, 296 00:13:15,866 --> 00:13:17,533 finding food, finding clothing. 297 00:13:17,533 --> 00:13:19,933 - I remember when we didn't have shelters 298 00:13:19,933 --> 00:13:21,366 all over this country 299 00:13:21,366 --> 00:13:23,866 or food pantries every 200 feet. 300 00:13:23,866 --> 00:13:25,266 It's a new phenomena. 301 00:13:25,266 --> 00:13:28,600 I have a big fear that we're gonna move next 302 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,200 into a acceptance of encampments 303 00:13:32,700 --> 00:13:35,766 and we're gonna go so far as to have sanctioned encampments. 304 00:13:35,766 --> 00:13:38,366 But we're also, I think, we're settling when we do that. 305 00:13:38,366 --> 00:13:41,133 Like, okay, this is the best we can do. 306 00:13:41,133 --> 00:13:43,566 - This year was the first time in the Point in Time Count 307 00:13:43,566 --> 00:13:46,633 for the whole country that we had a higher number of people 308 00:13:46,633 --> 00:13:48,966 who were unsheltered than sheltered. 309 00:13:48,966 --> 00:13:50,633 That's shocking. 310 00:13:50,633 --> 00:13:52,133 That's shocking. 311 00:13:52,133 --> 00:13:53,966 That's something that we've never crossed that line before. 312 00:13:53,966 --> 00:13:55,400 And it is growing. 313 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,066 We're seeing outdoor outside homelessness in Maine 314 00:13:58,066 --> 00:14:00,066 like we've never seen it before. 315 00:14:00,066 --> 00:14:02,866 It is miserable being outside. 316 00:14:02,866 --> 00:14:04,866 It is miserable being homeless. 317 00:14:04,866 --> 00:14:06,200 And we are all bettered 318 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,366 by making sure that everybody's included in society. 319 00:14:09,366 --> 00:14:10,700 - Especially during the pandemic, 320 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:12,800 we saw an increasing number of individuals 321 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:14,866 who were unsheltered, 322 00:14:14,866 --> 00:14:16,366 and there aren't enough resources 323 00:14:16,366 --> 00:14:18,866 being deployed in the state to address the need. 324 00:14:18,866 --> 00:14:22,300 10 to 12 outreach workers is not nearly enough. 325 00:14:22,300 --> 00:14:24,933 And the fact that how long it takes 326 00:14:24,933 --> 00:14:27,933 from the point you make that first contact 327 00:14:27,933 --> 00:14:31,833 to build a rapport, to build a relationship, to build trust, 328 00:14:31,833 --> 00:14:33,266 to get the documents in place, 329 00:14:33,266 --> 00:14:35,266 to get an understanding of the barriers 330 00:14:35,266 --> 00:14:37,433 of the struggles the individual may be facing, 331 00:14:37,433 --> 00:14:39,766 and how best to connect them. 332 00:14:39,766 --> 00:14:43,166 There has to be urgency in the work that you do. 333 00:14:43,166 --> 00:14:48,200 - We didn't just arrive at this crisis yesterday. 334 00:14:49,500 --> 00:14:51,333 We have had an issue 335 00:14:51,333 --> 00:14:54,833 with affordable housing stock in this state, 336 00:14:55,666 --> 00:14:58,600 dating back to the mid-'70s. 337 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,000 But if you're only able to put online 338 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,600 less than 1000 units a year 339 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,766 and your need is upwards of 20,000, 340 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:11,933 we must take dramatic steps. 341 00:15:11,933 --> 00:15:15,866 But it became very, very, very clear to us 342 00:15:15,866 --> 00:15:19,366 as we began the 131st state legislature 343 00:15:19,366 --> 00:15:22,700 that not only did we have to address the housing crisis, 344 00:15:22,700 --> 00:15:27,100 but we had to prioritize it in all of our work. 345 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:29,766 (gentle music) 346 00:15:38,266 --> 00:15:40,200 - What we're seeing now, 347 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,866 single mothers are homeless, fleeing domestic violence. 348 00:15:43,866 --> 00:15:45,866 Single adult men are homeless. 349 00:15:45,866 --> 00:15:49,333 And I've seen pilots, I've seen schoolteachers, 350 00:15:49,333 --> 00:15:52,666 opera singers homeless, entire households are homeless. 351 00:15:52,666 --> 00:15:55,333 People who are employed are homeless. 352 00:15:55,333 --> 00:16:00,000 The reality is homelessness is not a condition 353 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,133 or a circumstance that anybody is immune to. 354 00:16:03,966 --> 00:16:05,566 - [Staff Member] Yeah, I'm just, 355 00:16:05,566 --> 00:16:07,233 it has been so nonstop since I got in here this morning. 356 00:16:07,233 --> 00:16:10,900 I'm trying to think about what I need to catch you up on. 357 00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:13,900 (gentle music) 358 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:14,966 - [Tracey] Shelter staff. 359 00:16:14,966 --> 00:16:17,066 Jane, hi, how are you? 360 00:16:17,066 --> 00:16:18,566 - Good. - Good to see you. 361 00:16:18,566 --> 00:16:19,300 How are you? 362 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:21,233 - Good. - Good. 363 00:16:21,233 --> 00:16:22,400 - Good. - Awesome. 364 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:23,633 - I have the voucher, 365 00:16:23,633 --> 00:16:25,800 So we're just looking for that apartment. 366 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:26,733 - [Staff member] That's right, that's right. 367 00:16:26,733 --> 00:16:28,433 - We're looking into the Bangor 368 00:16:28,433 --> 00:16:31,433 and Brewer area for apartments, 369 00:16:31,433 --> 00:16:36,433 'cause my senior's job is in Bangor. 370 00:16:37,266 --> 00:16:38,600 - [Staff Member] And that way 371 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,266 we'll also have ongoing navigation with Jane 372 00:16:41,266 --> 00:16:44,100 for a year after she gets into housing, right? 373 00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:48,100 - So I keep everything my suitcase and backpacks now. 374 00:16:49,333 --> 00:16:51,500 - You're sending the energy that way. 375 00:16:51,500 --> 00:16:54,433 - She's ready to go. - Yes, I'm ready to go. 376 00:16:54,433 --> 00:16:55,433 - All right. - Thanks, Jane. 377 00:16:55,433 --> 00:16:56,766 Good to see you. - Thank you. 378 00:16:56,766 --> 00:16:59,933 - When I was a child, my father starved me. 379 00:17:01,566 --> 00:17:03,566 He was an alcoholic, 380 00:17:03,566 --> 00:17:06,666 and Pastor and Mrs. Schmidt 381 00:17:06,666 --> 00:17:10,200 of the 70th Advent church came in, 382 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,033 and they would buy me groceries. 383 00:17:12,033 --> 00:17:17,066 They got me a little food cupboard and with a padlock 384 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,133 and would buy me groceries once a week. 385 00:17:20,133 --> 00:17:22,366 Diana Schmidt was a teacher. 386 00:17:22,366 --> 00:17:26,633 And Pastor Schmidt, they were just like my own parents. 387 00:17:26,633 --> 00:17:30,066 I have children, Jean Strout and Jamie Wells, 388 00:17:31,366 --> 00:17:34,133 and I'm trying to find them. 389 00:17:34,133 --> 00:17:37,533 And my husband, we're trying to find. 390 00:17:37,533 --> 00:17:41,866 It's Ferris George Lewis from Manchester, New Hampshire. 391 00:17:41,866 --> 00:17:44,800 We have not found anybody. 392 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,533 It's due to I had a long-term memory loss 393 00:17:48,533 --> 00:17:50,800 and my memory wiped out. 394 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,733 Had no memory and ended up in Canada for 25 years. 395 00:17:56,900 --> 00:18:00,566 And I wanted to come home all these years 396 00:18:00,566 --> 00:18:01,800 just to find my family. 397 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,400 I haven't seen my family in 25 years. 398 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,800 If you had your own place for 20 years 399 00:18:10,066 --> 00:18:12,400 and all of a sudden not have a place to live 400 00:18:13,566 --> 00:18:16,433 and none of your friends and family, 401 00:18:17,633 --> 00:18:18,966 and I'm all alone. 402 00:18:20,633 --> 00:18:24,900 I'm in this search of trying to desperately find my family. 403 00:18:24,900 --> 00:18:27,466 (gentle music) 404 00:18:29,066 --> 00:18:32,133 - [Cullen] The idea of people who are falling on hard times 405 00:18:32,133 --> 00:18:34,533 getting to connect with members of their community 406 00:18:34,533 --> 00:18:36,366 and be engaged 407 00:18:36,366 --> 00:18:38,266 and develop those kind of relationships 408 00:18:38,266 --> 00:18:40,866 that help people to wellness. 409 00:18:40,866 --> 00:18:42,200 You can't go wrong with that. 410 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,100 - Another thing, Cullen, that's really cool 411 00:18:44,100 --> 00:18:46,866 is across the street, Freshwater Stone, 412 00:18:46,866 --> 00:18:48,033 they're a second-chance employer. 413 00:18:48,033 --> 00:18:49,200 - [Cullen] I love that. 414 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:50,866 - And will often reach out to us to see 415 00:18:50,866 --> 00:18:53,200 if there's anyone who's having a hard time finding work. 416 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:54,700 - Good. - And they'll often call. 417 00:18:54,700 --> 00:18:56,366 - That is great. 418 00:18:56,366 --> 00:18:58,933 - Most of the people that are there are trying to get help. 419 00:18:58,933 --> 00:18:59,933 They're trying to find a home. 420 00:18:59,933 --> 00:19:01,766 They're trying to find a job. 421 00:19:01,766 --> 00:19:04,500 We want the community to be strong, you know, 422 00:19:04,500 --> 00:19:08,433 and we want to be known as a company that, you know, 423 00:19:08,433 --> 00:19:12,500 is good for their employees and good for the area. 424 00:19:12,500 --> 00:19:14,100 You know, you're helping the person, 425 00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:15,300 but you're also helping yourself, 426 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:16,966 and you're helping the community. 427 00:19:16,966 --> 00:19:19,200 - Yeah, a couple of our guys 428 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,633 from years and years ago are still over there 429 00:19:21,633 --> 00:19:23,200 and making good money, 430 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:24,866 and it's really cool. 431 00:19:24,866 --> 00:19:26,366 Anyone's homeless. 432 00:19:26,366 --> 00:19:30,800 Poverty exists prior to our affordable housing crisis. 433 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,966 So the missing link now is housing and affordability. 434 00:19:34,966 --> 00:19:36,966 I was homeless most of my childhood. 435 00:19:36,966 --> 00:19:38,800 I've also been homeless as an adult, 436 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,866 and I was living in a homeless shelter 437 00:19:42,866 --> 00:19:45,133 when my mother died. 438 00:19:45,133 --> 00:19:49,033 And so if you can imagine being alone in that experience, 439 00:19:49,033 --> 00:19:52,133 and then I was in the shelter when my sister died. 440 00:19:52,133 --> 00:19:56,500 And so just outta terror that there's nothing else 441 00:19:56,500 --> 00:19:58,833 but the grace of the people that are working with you 442 00:19:58,833 --> 00:20:01,100 that can keep you safe and alive. 443 00:20:01,100 --> 00:20:03,500 The isolation of being unhoused. 444 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:07,433 And you can't really pick yourself up 445 00:20:07,433 --> 00:20:10,000 from that situation without help. 446 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,666 That feeling of hopelessness, I can, I really identify. 447 00:20:13,666 --> 00:20:17,700 - People who are going to die in their 50s, or 40s, or 30s 448 00:20:18,833 --> 00:20:21,833 because of the stress of long-term homelessness. 449 00:20:21,833 --> 00:20:24,000 If they go past one year in housing 450 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,433 and they start to get treatment for all those things 451 00:20:26,433 --> 00:20:28,166 that they've ignored for years, 452 00:20:28,166 --> 00:20:31,933 we watch people actually stay well for much longer. 453 00:20:31,933 --> 00:20:34,833 And I've seen people who I knew 454 00:20:34,833 --> 00:20:37,000 when they were chronically homeless. 455 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,800 One individual who was homeless for 34 years, 456 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,633 he looked younger- - Once he was housed? 457 00:20:42,633 --> 00:20:45,700 - in 2014, when he was housed, 458 00:20:45,700 --> 00:20:48,633 than he did in 1997, when he was unhoused. 459 00:20:48,633 --> 00:20:50,300 I mean younger, well, healthier. 460 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:52,366 I'm like, you know, a double take. 461 00:20:52,366 --> 00:20:54,633 Is this really, you know, you look great. 462 00:20:54,633 --> 00:20:57,166 (gentle music) 463 00:20:59,466 --> 00:21:01,600 - We worked in Guatemala, 464 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:03,033 and her life is being threatened 465 00:21:03,033 --> 00:21:05,433 'cause she was a police officer there. 466 00:21:05,433 --> 00:21:09,933 And this cartel has gotten out of prison, 467 00:21:09,933 --> 00:21:11,533 and they're threatening her life. 468 00:21:11,533 --> 00:21:13,266 So she fled to the United States, 469 00:21:13,266 --> 00:21:15,933 got to the border of Texas in September, 470 00:21:15,933 --> 00:21:19,033 just a few weeks ago, 471 00:21:19,033 --> 00:21:23,566 and they deported her immediately to Mexico. 472 00:21:23,566 --> 00:21:25,233 So she crossed again. 473 00:21:25,233 --> 00:21:28,400 And she's just been in my office with her child. 474 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,833 And I quote an attorney while she was in here, 475 00:21:30,833 --> 00:21:34,333 and the attorney said, "There's no hope." 476 00:21:34,333 --> 00:21:37,733 So there's a terror there that, I don't know. 477 00:21:37,733 --> 00:21:40,166 This is a hard one. 478 00:21:40,166 --> 00:21:41,566 Yeah, it's hard. 479 00:21:41,566 --> 00:21:44,000 We live in such an unjust system. 480 00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:47,233 - One week from today, 481 00:21:47,233 --> 00:21:48,666 there will be a new shelter in Portland 482 00:21:48,666 --> 00:21:51,733 strictly for asylum seekers who are on their own. 483 00:21:51,733 --> 00:21:53,400 - That population of New Mainers 484 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,733 currently takes up more than half the space 485 00:21:55,733 --> 00:21:57,066 at the city's new homeless shelter 486 00:21:57,066 --> 00:21:58,400 on Riverside Drive. 487 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,333 The city is hopeful that more beds overall 488 00:22:00,333 --> 00:22:03,333 will help both asylum seekers and unhoused people. 489 00:22:03,333 --> 00:22:05,600 - So yeah, the rationale for having a separate facility 490 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,000 is that asylum seekers need different services 491 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,333 than other homeless folks that are already here. 492 00:22:12,333 --> 00:22:14,166 And if there's funding available 493 00:22:14,166 --> 00:22:15,500 for an asylum seeker facility, 494 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:17,000 then you can go build one. 495 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:18,500 And if there isn't, then you can't. 496 00:22:18,500 --> 00:22:22,600 - Many from senate president to the governor, 497 00:22:23,666 --> 00:22:25,000 bipartisan support, 498 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,500 we have invested and committed 499 00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:30,333 over $100 million into housing. 500 00:22:30,333 --> 00:22:34,166 The immediate impact sends such strong messages 501 00:22:34,166 --> 00:22:37,833 to developers who now have confidence 502 00:22:37,833 --> 00:22:39,666 that they can pursue projects 503 00:22:39,666 --> 00:22:42,500 because they know that there'll be state funding. 504 00:22:42,500 --> 00:22:43,800 - We're lucky enough to host a number 505 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:45,300 of asylum seekers in our town, 506 00:22:45,300 --> 00:22:47,400 and they've been tremendous contributing members 507 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,133 of our community, 508 00:22:49,133 --> 00:22:50,566 great additions to our school system. 509 00:22:50,566 --> 00:22:53,300 So I think it's terrific. 510 00:22:53,300 --> 00:22:54,900 - We have in Maine, for example, 511 00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:57,633 asylum seekers who aren't allowed to work. 512 00:22:57,633 --> 00:22:59,800 I mean, that's just crazy. 513 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,966 We've got this huge workforce shortage. 514 00:23:02,966 --> 00:23:07,966 We've got people who wanna work and often are well trained, 515 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,033 and the law doesn't allow them to work. 516 00:23:11,033 --> 00:23:14,366 Senator Collins and I have a bipartisan bill 517 00:23:14,366 --> 00:23:17,033 to lower the waiting period for a work permit 518 00:23:17,033 --> 00:23:19,633 from 180 days to 30 days. 519 00:23:19,633 --> 00:23:24,633 Again, just to say, look, this doesn't make sense. 520 00:23:25,833 --> 00:23:28,400 So you're forcing people onto public support, 521 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,566 taking up beds in homeless shelters 522 00:23:31,566 --> 00:23:34,066 when they don't wanna be there 523 00:23:34,066 --> 00:23:35,500 and they don't need to be there 524 00:23:35,500 --> 00:23:38,066 if they're allowed to go to work and make money 525 00:23:38,066 --> 00:23:40,333 and take care of their families and pay rent. 526 00:23:40,333 --> 00:23:41,900 - If they can enter the workforce 527 00:23:41,900 --> 00:23:43,400 and get into the housing market, 528 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,566 free up a bed for someone else, 529 00:23:45,566 --> 00:23:48,233 then we can actually create more capacity 530 00:23:48,233 --> 00:23:51,566 in the shelters that we do have in this housing crunch. 531 00:23:51,566 --> 00:23:53,566 - The Homeless Services Center was needed 532 00:23:53,566 --> 00:23:57,000 because our shelter downtown was not an adequate shelter. 533 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,666 Because it was just a former three-story apartment building 534 00:23:59,666 --> 00:24:01,300 that was converted to a shelter, 535 00:24:01,300 --> 00:24:03,300 it didn't have food service kitchen, 536 00:24:03,300 --> 00:24:05,400 so folks had to leave to get meals three times a day. 537 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,533 And this design really also took into account COVID. 538 00:24:09,533 --> 00:24:12,600 And so the four-foot-high walls 539 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,533 are designed to give a bit of privacy 540 00:24:15,533 --> 00:24:18,533 but also space for social distancing. 541 00:24:18,533 --> 00:24:20,533 Other design features of the building 542 00:24:20,533 --> 00:24:24,200 include the 3,000-square-foot clinic that GPH runs, 543 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,366 that has four exam rooms and two dental chairs. 544 00:24:27,366 --> 00:24:30,766 And that clinic is open to not only guests of the shelter 545 00:24:30,766 --> 00:24:32,033 but also the community. 546 00:24:32,033 --> 00:24:34,600 - We've wanted to lower barriers there 547 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,766 so more people who are in encampments 548 00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:40,933 can feel comfortable there, can feel safe there, 549 00:24:40,933 --> 00:24:42,866 will be feel welcome there. 550 00:24:42,866 --> 00:24:47,033 And so when this new shelter opens for asylum seekers, 551 00:24:47,033 --> 00:24:50,233 there'll be dozens, dozens, and dozens of beds. 552 00:24:50,233 --> 00:24:52,966 Hopefully more than a hundred beds suddenly freed up. 553 00:24:52,966 --> 00:24:55,466 (gentle music) 554 00:24:55,466 --> 00:24:58,300 - We confront NIMBYism on every single project we do. 555 00:24:58,300 --> 00:25:00,133 Someone will show up at the planning board 556 00:25:00,133 --> 00:25:01,700 saying it's the worst thing ever. 557 00:25:01,700 --> 00:25:05,033 Homeless shelters obviously face additional scrutiny 558 00:25:05,033 --> 00:25:06,800 and additional negative comments 559 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,466 because of the perceived nature of what goes on there. 560 00:25:09,466 --> 00:25:12,366 Ultimately, it's a skill to figure it out. 561 00:25:12,366 --> 00:25:14,633 And it's worthwhile to get these projects done 562 00:25:14,633 --> 00:25:17,533 because when you've accommodated as much as you can, 563 00:25:17,533 --> 00:25:19,033 when you've taken all the good suggestions 564 00:25:19,033 --> 00:25:20,866 and made the project as good as you can, 565 00:25:20,866 --> 00:25:22,133 it's a fight worth having. 566 00:25:22,133 --> 00:25:25,366 - We had a zoning board of appeals meeting 567 00:25:25,366 --> 00:25:28,366 in Rockport this past week, 568 00:25:28,366 --> 00:25:31,166 and there's a lot of fear, and it's unfounded. 569 00:25:31,166 --> 00:25:36,166 And their representative essentially evaluated the fact 570 00:25:37,100 --> 00:25:38,100 that we were going to be partnering 571 00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:39,500 with Maine Behavioral Health 572 00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:42,666 on bringing services into this housing project 573 00:25:42,666 --> 00:25:46,166 and connected the word behavioral to schizophrenia. 574 00:25:46,166 --> 00:25:48,266 And that this was going to be 575 00:25:48,266 --> 00:25:51,333 some kind of mental health facility. 576 00:25:51,333 --> 00:25:53,166 And that landed in the paper. 577 00:25:53,166 --> 00:25:57,000 - I do not believe, maybe people here know differently, 578 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,433 but I don't think there's been a clear statement 579 00:25:59,433 --> 00:26:01,833 of who will be in this project, 580 00:26:01,833 --> 00:26:04,400 what sort of services will be provided, 581 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,566 whether or not schizophrenics, for example, 582 00:26:07,566 --> 00:26:09,733 are going to be in the project or not. 583 00:26:09,733 --> 00:26:12,866 - There were other comments from some of the neighbors 584 00:26:12,866 --> 00:26:15,533 around how they will no longer be able 585 00:26:15,533 --> 00:26:17,933 to let their grandchildren play outside anymore 586 00:26:17,933 --> 00:26:21,266 and they were going to be locking their houses. 587 00:26:21,266 --> 00:26:23,100 And what's really interesting to me 588 00:26:23,100 --> 00:26:25,200 is that that is NIMBYism, 589 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,866 that is judgment in advance 590 00:26:28,866 --> 00:26:31,866 of really getting to know a human being. 591 00:26:31,866 --> 00:26:33,933 Most of our clients are hardworking 592 00:26:33,933 --> 00:26:37,100 or wanna get back to having a job 593 00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:39,700 with a little extra education or help. 594 00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:42,933 I think we need to do a lot of education 595 00:26:42,933 --> 00:26:46,366 around the reality of hardworking human beings 596 00:26:46,366 --> 00:26:48,433 who are making minimum wage. 597 00:26:48,433 --> 00:26:50,533 - People have a right to be concerned 598 00:26:50,533 --> 00:26:52,266 about their neighborhood. 599 00:26:52,266 --> 00:26:55,000 I've lived for, I don't know, 600 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,333 40 years on the same street that has a Section 8, 601 00:26:58,333 --> 00:26:59,900 has a house with Section 8, 602 00:27:01,466 --> 00:27:04,066 let's see, 50 yards away just down the street, 603 00:27:04,066 --> 00:27:06,733 catty-cornered from our house. - And how's that been? 604 00:27:06,733 --> 00:27:08,300 - It's no big deal. 605 00:27:08,300 --> 00:27:10,466 I mean, it's never occurred to me that this was a problem. 606 00:27:10,466 --> 00:27:12,466 - And we owe it to our community 607 00:27:12,466 --> 00:27:15,400 to provide a space that's full of dignity 608 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:17,733 and respect for everyone. 609 00:27:17,733 --> 00:27:18,966 That's our ultimate goal 610 00:27:18,966 --> 00:27:21,300 is to get folks on a path to self-sufficiency. 611 00:27:21,300 --> 00:27:23,566 Whatever that self-sufficiency looks like. 612 00:27:23,566 --> 00:27:25,400 - The biggest problem we have in housing right now 613 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:26,966 is that there's not enough of it. 614 00:27:26,966 --> 00:27:29,566 And the one law that Congress can't repeal 615 00:27:29,566 --> 00:27:31,400 is the law of supply and demand. 616 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,566 If the supply is short and the demand is high, 617 00:27:34,566 --> 00:27:35,766 the price is gonna go up. 618 00:27:35,766 --> 00:27:37,500 And that's what's happened. 619 00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:40,766 So fundamentally, we need to also be talking 620 00:27:40,766 --> 00:27:42,766 about how to expand the supply. 621 00:27:42,766 --> 00:27:44,666 And that's what this bill is about. 622 00:27:44,666 --> 00:27:46,166 - The nature of affordable housing 623 00:27:46,166 --> 00:27:47,433 is it's, in economic terms, 624 00:27:47,433 --> 00:27:48,766 it's a market failure. 625 00:27:48,766 --> 00:27:50,666 And what that means in economic terms 626 00:27:50,666 --> 00:27:52,000 is the market won't provide it, 627 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,666 so there have to be all these programs 628 00:27:53,666 --> 00:27:55,500 and incentives to try to provide it, 629 00:27:55,500 --> 00:27:58,166 and none of them are nearly big enough. 630 00:27:58,166 --> 00:27:59,666 So it's a societal thing. 631 00:27:59,666 --> 00:28:02,333 And the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act 632 00:28:02,333 --> 00:28:04,066 is gonna be a boon to those of us 633 00:28:04,066 --> 00:28:06,400 who are in the business doing these projects. 634 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,500 But at the same time, 635 00:28:10,066 --> 00:28:11,400 it's not, you know, 636 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,900 it's not enough to fix the inequity in our society 637 00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:16,666 that we're trying to fight. 638 00:28:16,666 --> 00:28:18,200 - If you build units 639 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,066 that will house extremely low-income people, 640 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:25,633 the Maine State Housing Authority 641 00:28:25,633 --> 00:28:29,633 has these tax credits it can allocate to your project, 642 00:28:29,633 --> 00:28:31,800 which you can then sell, 643 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,533 which becomes part of the capital of the project. 644 00:28:34,533 --> 00:28:35,966 In other words, 645 00:28:35,966 --> 00:28:38,200 it lowers the amount of equity that you have to put in, 646 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,033 and therefore makes it a more attractive financial deal. 647 00:28:41,033 --> 00:28:44,533 - Maine has all sorts of revenue right now 648 00:28:44,533 --> 00:28:45,866 that they're putting into affordable housing. 649 00:28:45,866 --> 00:28:47,366 The governor, Governor Mills, 650 00:28:47,366 --> 00:28:49,633 has been great about directing a ton of resources. 651 00:28:49,633 --> 00:28:51,633 Federal resources have been coming in, 652 00:28:51,633 --> 00:28:54,200 and state resources toward affordable housing. 653 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,033 But the development capacity of the state, 654 00:28:56,033 --> 00:28:59,666 developers like me, bankers, contractors, architects, 655 00:28:59,666 --> 00:29:01,733 loan officers, everybody's redlining. 656 00:29:01,733 --> 00:29:03,733 Everyone's trying to develop as fast as they can, 657 00:29:03,733 --> 00:29:04,900 as much as they can, 658 00:29:04,900 --> 00:29:07,233 because of all the demand for the housing. 659 00:29:07,233 --> 00:29:08,800 And at a certain point, 660 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,900 you can only stuff so much money in the top of the funnel 661 00:29:11,900 --> 00:29:14,633 and spit out housing units the other end so fast. 662 00:29:14,633 --> 00:29:15,966 And to the extent 663 00:29:15,966 --> 00:29:18,633 that that is not increasing the velocity of housing, 664 00:29:18,633 --> 00:29:20,400 all it's doing is inflating the prices 665 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:21,566 and creating a bubble. 666 00:29:21,566 --> 00:29:23,733 - The rents from a low-income person 667 00:29:23,733 --> 00:29:28,566 can't possibly pay the cost of building an apartment 668 00:29:28,566 --> 00:29:29,733 or a house. 669 00:29:29,733 --> 00:29:31,733 We have to talk about housing costs, 670 00:29:31,733 --> 00:29:34,900 the cost of construction, the cost of building a house, 671 00:29:34,900 --> 00:29:38,300 and then talk about how do we make housing affordable. 672 00:29:38,300 --> 00:29:40,400 - My answer is sometimes you have to do something 673 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:44,600 that's a little less profitable and maybe a little harder, 674 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,600 but it's really better for all of us. 675 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,933 (gentle music) 676 00:29:50,933 --> 00:29:53,200 - What does it cost for one person to be on the streets? 677 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:57,366 Paramedics, police, courts, emergency rooms. 678 00:29:57,366 --> 00:30:00,766 And that added up to 20,000 for Utah, 679 00:30:00,766 --> 00:30:05,766 36,000 per person on the streets per year in Los Angeles. 680 00:30:05,766 --> 00:30:07,700 So Utah went to developers, and they said, 681 00:30:07,700 --> 00:30:09,100 "What would it cost us to house them? 682 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:11,266 Use the Housing First model, no questions asked. 683 00:30:11,266 --> 00:30:13,100 Can you do wraparound service?" 684 00:30:13,100 --> 00:30:14,766 That works, by the way. 685 00:30:14,766 --> 00:30:17,866 And they did it. They did it. 686 00:30:17,866 --> 00:30:21,766 And for five years, they reduced homelessness by 93%. 687 00:30:21,766 --> 00:30:24,733 They were on track to be the first state in the country 688 00:30:24,733 --> 00:30:27,800 where everyone has a pillow to lay their head on. 689 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:29,066 New leadership came in and said, 690 00:30:29,066 --> 00:30:30,400 "We're not gonna coddle them anymore. 691 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,066 They need to be self-sufficient." 692 00:30:32,066 --> 00:30:34,233 Took away the Housing First model, 693 00:30:34,233 --> 00:30:36,900 and now Utah is spending millions 694 00:30:37,966 --> 00:30:39,466 because people are on the streets. 695 00:30:39,466 --> 00:30:40,966 - The concept of Housing First 696 00:30:40,966 --> 00:30:43,633 is that everyone does well with housing 697 00:30:43,633 --> 00:30:45,133 and that no one does well without housing. 698 00:30:45,133 --> 00:30:46,466 And it doesn't make sense 699 00:30:46,466 --> 00:30:49,733 for anyone to have to be entirely well 700 00:30:49,733 --> 00:30:52,466 or, you know, healed of all their issues 701 00:30:52,466 --> 00:30:55,133 before we'd start thinking about getting into housing. 702 00:30:55,133 --> 00:30:57,133 When we move people right into housing, 703 00:30:57,133 --> 00:30:59,900 what happens is that we subtract all that stress, 704 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:02,366 and we watch people get well right in front of us 705 00:31:02,366 --> 00:31:03,800 just from having housing. 706 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:05,666 Now that doesn't do it alone. 707 00:31:05,666 --> 00:31:09,100 You still need support services. Absolutely. 708 00:31:09,100 --> 00:31:12,266 But the support services go a lot further 709 00:31:12,266 --> 00:31:16,266 when somebody is clear, and stable, and safe, 710 00:31:16,266 --> 00:31:19,933 and in the privacy and the dignity of their own home. 711 00:31:19,933 --> 00:31:22,600 (gentle music) 712 00:31:23,933 --> 00:31:25,433 - Look at the parking barn for you, 713 00:31:25,433 --> 00:31:26,833 but I can definitely get you a whole bunch of stuff. 714 00:31:26,833 --> 00:31:28,100 - Thank you for opening that for her. 715 00:31:28,100 --> 00:31:30,933 - Yeah. - What size shoe are you? 716 00:31:30,933 --> 00:31:34,766 - Usually between like six and a half and nine and a half. 717 00:31:36,266 --> 00:31:40,500 My ankles, I had them broken at 12, 718 00:31:40,500 --> 00:31:43,033 and I didn't get to go to the hospital for it, 719 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:47,866 mainly because we didn't have enough money to pay the bill. 720 00:31:47,866 --> 00:31:51,966 There was a time where I made myself go homeless, 721 00:31:51,966 --> 00:31:53,466 like on purpose. 722 00:31:53,466 --> 00:31:56,466 I went out, and I didn't wanna, 723 00:31:56,466 --> 00:31:58,033 didn't wanna go home 724 00:31:58,033 --> 00:32:00,633 'cause they didn't really want me there in the first place. 725 00:32:00,633 --> 00:32:04,266 So I was probably like 15, 16 when that happened. 726 00:32:04,266 --> 00:32:07,600 I would have little to no food. 727 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:11,100 You would go a few days where you're just really hungry 728 00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:14,200 until finally you're just not hungry anymore. 729 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:16,266 And sometimes, 730 00:32:16,266 --> 00:32:18,433 sometimes you'd get to a point of desperation 731 00:32:18,433 --> 00:32:21,433 where you're about to just cry. 732 00:32:21,433 --> 00:32:22,700 - So your friends were from here. 733 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:24,433 - [Shawn] I'd have to ask people for help. 734 00:32:24,433 --> 00:32:26,933 Sometimes they'd help, and sometimes they wouldn't. 735 00:32:26,933 --> 00:32:28,066 - Well, I lived in Bangor. 736 00:32:28,066 --> 00:32:31,233 - I've been here for about two months. 737 00:32:31,233 --> 00:32:32,666 It's been okay. 738 00:32:32,666 --> 00:32:35,000 I've been trying my best to find a place, 739 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:36,333 fill out paperwork. 740 00:32:36,333 --> 00:32:38,233 Sometimes all you can do is wait. 741 00:32:38,233 --> 00:32:42,833 So I lost my only male best friend that I've ever had 742 00:32:42,833 --> 00:32:45,500 due to an extensive period 743 00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:48,500 of being exposed to drugs over his life. 744 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:50,900 You know, it devastated me, 745 00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,366 because I never really wanted to be into that scene, 746 00:32:55,500 --> 00:32:56,666 and I just didn't realize 747 00:32:56,666 --> 00:32:59,066 how big of a problem it was for him. 748 00:32:59,066 --> 00:33:01,800 I mean, I've heard everything's good in moderation, 749 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:05,233 but I don't really think that's the case for everything. 750 00:33:05,233 --> 00:33:07,800 (gentle music) 751 00:33:08,933 --> 00:33:12,000 - Okay, I wanna welcome back Gordon Smith, 752 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:13,833 director of Opioid Response. 753 00:33:13,833 --> 00:33:15,266 Very thankful for you being here. 754 00:33:15,266 --> 00:33:18,500 If there's a positive comment I could make, 755 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:20,666 it is that based upon our own data, 756 00:33:20,666 --> 00:33:24,433 the percentage of people experiencing homelessness 757 00:33:24,433 --> 00:33:29,166 that fatally overdose has not increased 758 00:33:29,166 --> 00:33:32,266 as a percentage of our overall overdoses. 759 00:33:32,266 --> 00:33:34,766 The problem is that the number 760 00:33:34,766 --> 00:33:38,766 of overdose fatalities has increased substantially. 761 00:33:38,766 --> 00:33:40,166 The federal government has put out 762 00:33:40,166 --> 00:33:41,766 that information nationally 763 00:33:41,766 --> 00:33:44,766 that they think that fatal overdoses are plateauing 764 00:33:44,766 --> 00:33:47,400 because the increases are coming down. 765 00:33:48,766 --> 00:33:53,066 I'm not gonna say that because there're still increases, 766 00:33:53,066 --> 00:33:55,233 and people aren't stupid, in my opinion. 767 00:33:55,233 --> 00:33:57,900 They're gonna realize that if we have a 15% increase 768 00:33:57,900 --> 00:34:01,466 from 2021, that's 90 people, 769 00:34:01,466 --> 00:34:04,300 additional people who died. 770 00:34:04,300 --> 00:34:05,700 Katie. 771 00:34:05,700 --> 00:34:09,466 - There's some very brass-tacks things that we can do 772 00:34:09,466 --> 00:34:12,466 to start to arrest the number of people 773 00:34:12,466 --> 00:34:14,466 who are going to die. 774 00:34:14,466 --> 00:34:16,533 Everybody's CPR trained. 775 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:20,966 Every institution or agency has an AED machine. 776 00:34:20,966 --> 00:34:25,866 Every institution has access to Narcan, widely available. 777 00:34:25,866 --> 00:34:27,633 And we should be training not only our staff 778 00:34:27,633 --> 00:34:29,700 but also the other people in our community. 779 00:34:29,700 --> 00:34:32,733 - I really do think there are dynamics in place right now 780 00:34:32,733 --> 00:34:34,333 with this governor and the speaker 781 00:34:34,333 --> 00:34:36,733 and others that we've never had. 782 00:34:37,833 --> 00:34:40,000 And there's an opportunity to do more 783 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:41,833 than I think we've ever been able to do. 784 00:34:41,833 --> 00:34:43,233 - Six months from now, 785 00:34:43,233 --> 00:34:46,333 we are going to see changes and support from the legislature 786 00:34:46,333 --> 00:34:47,900 in terms of real resources, 787 00:34:47,900 --> 00:34:50,733 so we're able to end homelessness. 788 00:34:50,733 --> 00:34:54,000 So I remain very optimistic that we'll get there. 789 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,666 - You know, having personal experience 790 00:34:56,666 --> 00:34:59,566 around the challenges of staying in a home, 791 00:34:59,566 --> 00:35:02,900 personally knowing how difficult it is sometimes 792 00:35:02,900 --> 00:35:06,133 to afford healthcare and go to the doctor, 793 00:35:06,133 --> 00:35:07,633 personally knowing 794 00:35:07,633 --> 00:35:10,433 and having family members experience food insecurity. 795 00:35:11,733 --> 00:35:14,533 Trying to figure out if you're paying the utility bill, 796 00:35:15,866 --> 00:35:17,533 you know, or your rent. 797 00:35:17,533 --> 00:35:21,200 Even with a number of services available 798 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,533 and benefits through a safety net system, 799 00:35:25,433 --> 00:35:28,200 all of those things can fail 800 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:33,233 to address the cycle of homelessness if you do not connect 801 00:35:33,933 --> 00:35:35,766 and first have housing. 802 00:35:35,766 --> 00:35:38,266 There are three Housing First models in Portland, 803 00:35:39,366 --> 00:35:41,033 but we've also made room 804 00:35:41,033 --> 00:35:45,433 for small scattered sites throughout the state of Maine. 805 00:35:48,533 --> 00:35:51,433 - Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, Chris speaking. 806 00:35:51,433 --> 00:35:54,766 We had a bed available. Are you able to come in? 807 00:35:54,766 --> 00:35:58,233 Like a young man this morning came here, 808 00:35:58,233 --> 00:36:00,466 utilized our warming center last night, 809 00:36:01,366 --> 00:36:02,800 but he had family in Arkansas 810 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,533 that was willing to have him come back and stay with them 811 00:36:05,533 --> 00:36:07,200 and help him get on his feet. 812 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,366 So we were able to purchase a bus ticket 813 00:36:09,366 --> 00:36:11,866 and have him go all the way to Arkansas today. 814 00:36:11,866 --> 00:36:13,800 - Let's see it. - So with the warming center, 815 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,866 folks, when they walk in off the street, 816 00:36:16,866 --> 00:36:19,033 we're not asking for their mental health history. 817 00:36:19,033 --> 00:36:20,200 We're really asking, you know, 818 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:21,533 are you safe to be in community? 819 00:36:21,533 --> 00:36:22,800 Come on in. 820 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,133 We have a growing crisis across the state. 821 00:36:25,133 --> 00:36:27,466 It used to be restricted to Portland and Bangor. 822 00:36:27,466 --> 00:36:29,300 We call them long-term stayers, 823 00:36:29,300 --> 00:36:32,866 people who are in shelter for longer than 180 days. 824 00:36:32,866 --> 00:36:36,700 Our average length of stay is currently just over 70 days 825 00:36:36,700 --> 00:36:39,666 for a lot of folks to get rehoused. 826 00:36:39,666 --> 00:36:41,500 All shelters throughout the state operate 827 00:36:41,500 --> 00:36:43,100 on a prioritization systems. 828 00:36:43,100 --> 00:36:45,433 We prioritize veterans, 829 00:36:45,433 --> 00:36:48,600 people escaping domestic violence, for example. 830 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:52,433 We also prioritize youth and families with children. 831 00:36:52,433 --> 00:36:54,433 - You haven't received the Social Security card yet for- 832 00:36:54,433 --> 00:36:55,333 - No, I have not. - Okay. 833 00:36:55,333 --> 00:36:57,266 - I've been waiting. 834 00:36:57,266 --> 00:36:59,100 - If we don't get it by the end of next week, 835 00:36:59,100 --> 00:37:01,400 we should call over to Social Security 836 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:03,000 and have them look into it. - Okay. 837 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,833 - 'Cause you do need to get her hooked up on services, 838 00:37:05,833 --> 00:37:07,000 so you don't have any trouble 839 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:08,166 with the medical bills or anything. 840 00:37:08,166 --> 00:37:09,333 - Yeah. 841 00:37:09,333 --> 00:37:10,500 - The Youth Empowerment Supports, 842 00:37:10,500 --> 00:37:12,566 it's permanent supportive housing, 843 00:37:12,566 --> 00:37:16,333 which means that every one of our tenants, our young people, 844 00:37:16,333 --> 00:37:17,900 has a voucher, 845 00:37:17,900 --> 00:37:21,700 and the supports come in the form of their caseworker. 846 00:37:21,700 --> 00:37:23,766 - [Cathy] So how's the apartment hunt going? 847 00:37:23,766 --> 00:37:25,533 - Not so good. 848 00:37:25,533 --> 00:37:26,766 - The rent's 1,000. 849 00:37:26,766 --> 00:37:28,700 They want you to make over $3,000 a month. 850 00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:30,033 - Yeah. 851 00:37:30,033 --> 00:37:31,366 - You wouldn't have a voucher probably 852 00:37:31,366 --> 00:37:33,033 if you were making over $3,000 a month. 853 00:37:33,033 --> 00:37:35,866 - Yeah, so we'll find places that are cheap, 854 00:37:35,866 --> 00:37:37,766 but they don't accept vouchers. 855 00:37:37,766 --> 00:37:40,033 - The market is just- - Terrible. 856 00:37:40,033 --> 00:37:41,433 - It is. 857 00:37:41,433 --> 00:37:43,533 It's really, it's sad right now what's going on. 858 00:37:43,533 --> 00:37:44,700 - We've seen the rate 859 00:37:44,700 --> 00:37:47,533 of rehousing folks drop off precipitously. 860 00:37:47,533 --> 00:37:49,600 We used to rehouse 30 households a month. 861 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:52,933 Now we're lucky if we rehouse two households a month. 862 00:37:52,933 --> 00:37:54,366 - [Interviewer] Why? 863 00:37:54,366 --> 00:37:56,866 - There's just not enough affordable housing. 864 00:37:56,866 --> 00:37:58,533 The housing market was hot, 865 00:37:58,533 --> 00:38:00,700 and a lot of those properties were purchased 866 00:38:00,700 --> 00:38:04,066 by corporate landlords who just raise the rents. 867 00:38:04,066 --> 00:38:07,133 So we've got this perfect storm of housing has disappeared 868 00:38:07,133 --> 00:38:08,900 or become more expensive, 869 00:38:08,900 --> 00:38:11,400 and more people are unstable in their housing. 870 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:12,733 What's great about our program 871 00:38:12,733 --> 00:38:15,133 is that they can keep Cathy, our case manager, 872 00:38:15,133 --> 00:38:16,800 she can follow them out into the community 873 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,633 and continue to case manage and help them stay stable. 874 00:38:20,633 --> 00:38:22,733 Nobody should get left behind, right? 875 00:38:22,733 --> 00:38:24,900 And there are people who have major mental illness 876 00:38:24,900 --> 00:38:26,733 and have some really extreme behaviors, 877 00:38:26,733 --> 00:38:29,100 and they still deserve housing. 878 00:38:30,466 --> 00:38:32,633 Returning citizens, people who are living incarceration, 879 00:38:32,633 --> 00:38:33,966 they've paid their debt to society, 880 00:38:33,966 --> 00:38:35,566 but they have no place to go to 881 00:38:35,566 --> 00:38:37,800 once they're released from prison. 882 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:40,566 And people with addiction, it's an illness. 883 00:38:40,566 --> 00:38:42,666 And we know that when you have a roof over your head, 884 00:38:42,666 --> 00:38:45,266 you're much more capable of dealing with those issues 885 00:38:45,266 --> 00:38:47,000 than if you're unsheltered. 886 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,833 Low barrier is the gold standard. 887 00:38:48,833 --> 00:38:50,100 We have animal guests. 888 00:38:50,100 --> 00:38:52,766 We've had dogs, cats, Guinea pigs. 889 00:38:52,766 --> 00:38:55,433 - These are her emotional support animals. 890 00:38:55,433 --> 00:38:57,333 - You wanna hold one? - Yes. 891 00:38:57,333 --> 00:39:00,900 - They help with my mental health, with my depression. 892 00:39:00,900 --> 00:39:02,566 I used to self-harm. 893 00:39:02,566 --> 00:39:05,066 And with them, they prevent that. 894 00:39:05,066 --> 00:39:06,233 - Folks need those animals 895 00:39:06,233 --> 00:39:07,900 for a whole host of therapeutic reasons. 896 00:39:07,900 --> 00:39:10,900 And if they have a disability 897 00:39:10,900 --> 00:39:13,333 and they have a clinician sign off, 898 00:39:13,333 --> 00:39:16,233 then we are required to try to accommodate that guest. 899 00:39:16,233 --> 00:39:17,400 Providing low-barrier shelter, 900 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:20,566 our basic philosophy is we have one rule, 901 00:39:20,566 --> 00:39:22,166 one core rule for everybody, 902 00:39:22,166 --> 00:39:24,966 whether you're an animal or a human guest in our shelter. 903 00:39:24,966 --> 00:39:27,033 And that's we want everybody to be safe 904 00:39:27,033 --> 00:39:28,366 in a congregate community. 905 00:39:28,366 --> 00:39:30,366 Rapid rehousing is another program. 906 00:39:30,366 --> 00:39:31,966 It's been running in other parts of the state. 907 00:39:31,966 --> 00:39:34,033 Their experience of homelessness is triggered 908 00:39:34,033 --> 00:39:36,533 by some sort of structural issue, right? 909 00:39:36,533 --> 00:39:37,800 The landlord has sold, 910 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:39,800 and the new owner wants vacant possession. 911 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:41,866 We can work with that household, right? 912 00:39:41,866 --> 00:39:44,966 They've got income, they've got jobs, 913 00:39:44,966 --> 00:39:46,200 they have got everything in place, 914 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:48,033 they just haven't been able to find a unit. 915 00:39:48,033 --> 00:39:50,200 And what rapid rehousing does 916 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:52,700 is offer some landlord incentives. 917 00:39:52,700 --> 00:39:54,700 Landlord incentives can include everything 918 00:39:54,700 --> 00:39:57,533 from enhanced security deposits, 919 00:39:58,700 --> 00:40:01,133 help with getting units up to code. 920 00:40:01,133 --> 00:40:03,866 We know from the data that an experience of homelessness 921 00:40:03,866 --> 00:40:05,366 is what is considered an ACE, 922 00:40:05,366 --> 00:40:06,900 an adverse childhood experience. 923 00:40:06,900 --> 00:40:09,666 It's a traumatic destabilizing experience. 924 00:40:09,666 --> 00:40:12,000 And the likelihood of a child 925 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:13,833 who's experienced homelessness, 926 00:40:13,833 --> 00:40:16,000 repeating that experience as an adult 927 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:17,566 is significantly higher. 928 00:40:17,566 --> 00:40:20,833 So when we can divert a household with children 929 00:40:20,833 --> 00:40:22,400 from coming into shelter, 930 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:25,000 we're having a two-generation impact. 931 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:26,733 ACEs can add up, right? 932 00:40:26,733 --> 00:40:30,233 So an experience of homelessness 933 00:40:30,233 --> 00:40:33,666 combined with domestic violence, 934 00:40:33,666 --> 00:40:37,833 or a parent with poor health, or a history of incarceration, 935 00:40:39,333 --> 00:40:42,166 are much more likely to rely on systems as they get older 936 00:40:42,166 --> 00:40:43,400 rather than self-sufficiency. 937 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:45,166 So it is really critical 938 00:40:45,166 --> 00:40:47,666 that we keep kids out of homeless shelters. 939 00:40:47,666 --> 00:40:50,200 (gentle music) 940 00:40:55,866 --> 00:40:58,133 - What we're hearing more about, which I'm grateful for, 941 00:40:58,133 --> 00:40:59,366 is positive childhood experiences. 942 00:40:59,366 --> 00:41:00,800 And in many cases, 943 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:02,933 it's the lack of positive childhood experiences 944 00:41:02,933 --> 00:41:04,533 that are as detrimental, 945 00:41:04,533 --> 00:41:06,700 if not more than adverse childhood. 946 00:41:06,700 --> 00:41:08,533 So creating positive opportunities 947 00:41:08,533 --> 00:41:10,433 so that youth have positive experiences 948 00:41:10,433 --> 00:41:12,866 in their life to draw from, 949 00:41:12,866 --> 00:41:15,100 that builds resilience, that builds hope. 950 00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:16,600 The vast majority of youth that come here, 951 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,700 I think they come because they feel 952 00:41:18,700 --> 00:41:21,033 like it's a welcoming place where they can be themselves, 953 00:41:21,033 --> 00:41:23,533 where they know we're gonna be excited to see them. 954 00:41:23,533 --> 00:41:25,533 A lot of the youth, especially the younger ones, 955 00:41:25,533 --> 00:41:27,366 aren't necessarily homeless, 956 00:41:27,366 --> 00:41:29,633 but they have challenging home lives. 957 00:41:29,633 --> 00:41:31,900 In many cases, they're being raised by a single parent 958 00:41:31,900 --> 00:41:33,466 or a single grandmother. 959 00:41:33,466 --> 00:41:37,233 They have families who are experiencing incarceration 960 00:41:37,233 --> 00:41:38,900 and, in some cases, addiction. 961 00:41:38,900 --> 00:41:41,300 Youth walk in oftentimes 962 00:41:41,300 --> 00:41:43,566 where they are not having a good day, 963 00:41:43,566 --> 00:41:46,066 where they're escalated, where they're starting conflicts. 964 00:41:46,066 --> 00:41:48,633 And that's part of the work is to try to create a place 965 00:41:48,633 --> 00:41:52,566 where it gets back to all of us 966 00:41:52,566 --> 00:41:55,800 kind of being guided by what's respectful, what's kind. 967 00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:57,800 You know, a lot of our youth experience 968 00:41:57,800 --> 00:41:59,800 tremendous depression and anxiety 969 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:02,200 and, in some cases, suicidal ideation. 970 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:06,366 And, you know, it's an increasing amount of sadness 971 00:42:06,366 --> 00:42:07,533 and despair. 972 00:42:07,533 --> 00:42:09,633 So having those connections, 973 00:42:09,633 --> 00:42:13,000 having a sense of belonging is all part of, 974 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:15,666 part of the experience here at The Landing Place. 975 00:42:15,666 --> 00:42:18,833 You know, if we're treating young people with respect 976 00:42:18,833 --> 00:42:20,433 and providing for basic needs, 977 00:42:20,433 --> 00:42:23,500 more often than not, we're met with respect back. 978 00:42:23,500 --> 00:42:25,833 So when somebody's not able to live up 979 00:42:25,833 --> 00:42:28,600 to that basic level expectation, 980 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:30,000 then we work with that. 981 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:31,833 You know, we address the behavior. 982 00:42:31,833 --> 00:42:33,600 We don't shut down the individual. 983 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:35,766 We say, "You have to look at this behavior." 984 00:42:35,766 --> 00:42:38,266 I'm glad you're here at The Landing Place. 985 00:42:38,266 --> 00:42:40,666 And Melissa, I think I talked to Melissa the other day, 986 00:42:40,666 --> 00:42:42,000 so did she tell you a little bit 987 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:43,933 about all the stuff that we have here? 988 00:42:43,933 --> 00:42:45,500 - A little bit. - Okay, cool. 989 00:42:45,500 --> 00:42:47,500 Well, yeah, if you have any questions, just ask, all right? 990 00:42:47,500 --> 00:42:49,500 Do you wanna help us make some food and set up? 991 00:42:49,500 --> 00:42:50,833 - Sure. 992 00:42:50,833 --> 00:42:52,166 - Where'd you put the other box of brownies? 993 00:42:52,166 --> 00:42:53,466 - [Joseph] Oh, over here. I'll show you. 994 00:42:53,466 --> 00:42:54,800 - I'm either blind or you're just moving them. 995 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:57,133 - No, no, I might have put it back. 996 00:42:57,133 --> 00:42:57,966 Come on in. 997 00:42:57,966 --> 00:43:00,300 (gentle music continues) 998 00:43:00,300 --> 00:43:02,100 - Well, this young man is something. 999 00:43:02,100 --> 00:43:07,033 He's definitely one of our all-star rockstar regulars 1000 00:43:07,033 --> 00:43:08,033 at the drop-in. 1001 00:43:08,033 --> 00:43:09,866 And he, you know, 1002 00:43:09,866 --> 00:43:12,700 he just has one of these electric personalities that, 1003 00:43:12,700 --> 00:43:13,933 you know, when he walks in the door, 1004 00:43:13,933 --> 00:43:15,766 you always know that he's in the room, 1005 00:43:15,766 --> 00:43:19,366 and he's had his fair share of trouble at school 1006 00:43:19,366 --> 00:43:21,266 and with peer relationships. 1007 00:43:21,266 --> 00:43:23,100 And every now and then I'll bring out the guitars 1008 00:43:23,100 --> 00:43:24,600 and we'll play some music. 1009 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:27,100 And his first song lyric that he ever came up with, 1010 00:43:27,100 --> 00:43:29,200 "I Ain't Got No Self-Control." 1011 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:31,033 So this tells you a little bit about, 1012 00:43:31,033 --> 00:43:32,600 and we wrote a blues song about it. 1013 00:43:32,600 --> 00:43:35,566 ♪ Working on my self-control 1014 00:43:35,566 --> 00:43:38,566 ♪ Working on my self-control 1015 00:43:38,566 --> 00:43:39,833 ♪ And working on it 1016 00:43:39,833 --> 00:43:41,066 I just go with it, and we just, 1017 00:43:41,066 --> 00:43:42,166 you know, yell out the lyrics, 1018 00:43:42,166 --> 00:43:44,066 and every now and then he just, 1019 00:43:44,066 --> 00:43:45,833 it's like the best thing in the world for him. 1020 00:43:45,833 --> 00:43:47,666 I'm so proud of him. 1021 00:43:47,666 --> 00:43:49,233 He's on his way. 1022 00:43:49,233 --> 00:43:50,566 Why do I do this work? 1023 00:43:50,566 --> 00:43:53,233 (gentle music) 1024 00:43:58,233 --> 00:43:59,733 (Joseph exhales deeply) 1025 00:43:59,733 --> 00:44:02,800 If we could help young people not only survive their, 1026 00:44:06,466 --> 00:44:07,800 their teenage years, 1027 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:10,933 but to actually have hope for their adult years. 1028 00:44:12,633 --> 00:44:15,400 And we can do it as a team and as a community. 1029 00:44:15,400 --> 00:44:18,233 I can't think of a better way to live and to spend time. 1030 00:44:23,266 --> 00:44:24,600 - All right, Jane. 1031 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:25,766 This is the date that you signed your lease 1032 00:44:25,766 --> 00:44:27,266 and got your keys from your landlord. 1033 00:44:27,266 --> 00:44:28,333 - Yes. 1034 00:44:28,333 --> 00:44:29,766 - And that you're on Shelter Plus. 1035 00:44:29,766 --> 00:44:30,833 - Right. - Do you get food stamps? 1036 00:44:30,833 --> 00:44:32,000 - Yes. - And MaineCare? 1037 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:33,266 - Mm-hmm. - Okay. 1038 00:44:33,266 --> 00:44:36,100 And we had that you were in a shelter, correct? 1039 00:44:36,100 --> 00:44:37,166 - Yes. - All right. 1040 00:44:37,166 --> 00:44:39,000 So you were literally homeless. 1041 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:42,600 - They said that they had one coming up and it was mine. 1042 00:44:42,600 --> 00:44:43,933 - Oh wow. 1043 00:44:43,933 --> 00:44:45,833 - And we wasn't getting anywhere. 1044 00:44:45,833 --> 00:44:50,000 And I told Andrew, and Andrew took it over, and- 1045 00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:51,166 - Well, that was awesome. - Got me right in. 1046 00:44:51,166 --> 00:44:53,166 He's straightened it all out. 1047 00:44:53,166 --> 00:44:55,433 Yes, it's good to help a caseworker. 1048 00:44:55,433 --> 00:44:56,766 - [Sarah] It definitely is. 1049 00:44:58,566 --> 00:45:00,700 It's one of the traumas that people experience 1050 00:45:00,700 --> 00:45:02,466 when they lose their housing. 1051 00:45:02,466 --> 00:45:06,200 They have to surrender all of their possessions. 1052 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:07,700 You can get an apartment, 1053 00:45:07,700 --> 00:45:11,300 but when you move in, you don't have any furniture, 1054 00:45:11,300 --> 00:45:13,466 you don't have any dishes, 1055 00:45:13,466 --> 00:45:15,700 you don't have any sheets, you don't have a bed. 1056 00:45:15,700 --> 00:45:18,866 So all of those things very often have to be figured out. 1057 00:45:18,866 --> 00:45:21,200 - Oh, good to finally have a home. 1058 00:45:21,200 --> 00:45:24,866 - It's gonna be cozy, but I think we can make it work. 1059 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:28,633 We got the Christmas tree, 1060 00:45:28,633 --> 00:45:31,033 now we just need the bed frame and the ironing. 1061 00:45:34,300 --> 00:45:35,866 - There we go. 1062 00:45:35,866 --> 00:45:37,533 - You want the bed up against this window here? 1063 00:45:37,533 --> 00:45:38,900 - I don't know. Yes. 1064 00:45:40,166 --> 00:45:42,166 To go out and get some more sheets tomorrow. 1065 00:45:42,166 --> 00:45:45,333 - All right, talk tomorrow about getting the microwave. 1066 00:45:45,333 --> 00:45:46,566 - Yes. - Sounds good. 1067 00:45:46,566 --> 00:45:47,666 And you're staying here tonight, right? 1068 00:45:47,666 --> 00:45:49,000 - Yes. - Okay. 1069 00:45:49,000 --> 00:45:50,833 - All right. - I have a lot of work to do. 1070 00:45:50,833 --> 00:45:53,233 - Congratulations. - Thank you. 1071 00:45:53,233 --> 00:45:55,000 Where's my hug? 1072 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:57,666 (Andrew laughs) 1073 00:45:58,833 --> 00:46:02,066 I got the best case worker in the world. 1074 00:46:02,066 --> 00:46:03,966 (Andrew laughs) 1075 00:46:03,966 --> 00:46:05,733 - See ya. 1076 00:46:05,733 --> 00:46:09,800 - So Amelia just closed on her house Friday. 1077 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:13,733 - We're excited to finally start planting the seeds 1078 00:46:13,733 --> 00:46:16,733 and the herbs for my herbal apothecary business 1079 00:46:16,733 --> 00:46:19,900 that I can actually get back working into 1080 00:46:19,900 --> 00:46:24,866 and just making our life as calm and peaceful as possible. 1081 00:46:24,866 --> 00:46:26,933 And a lot of it was the support 1082 00:46:26,933 --> 00:46:29,933 of Knox County Homeless Coalition. 1083 00:46:29,933 --> 00:46:33,533 I've been employed for the last 10 years, 1084 00:46:33,533 --> 00:46:36,933 just proves that having multiple college degrees, 1085 00:46:36,933 --> 00:46:41,700 working full-time, raising a child, not on drugs, 1086 00:46:41,700 --> 00:46:44,866 and still ended up in this situation 1087 00:46:44,866 --> 00:46:48,866 that we can't possibly do without our community. 1088 00:46:49,866 --> 00:46:52,700 We just got dealt a raw hand. 1089 00:46:52,700 --> 00:46:55,900 And even though I work every day of the week, 1090 00:46:57,100 --> 00:47:00,433 still ended up on the streets. 1091 00:47:00,433 --> 00:47:03,300 - Just as we invented homelessness in the 1980s 1092 00:47:03,300 --> 00:47:06,366 by making a decision to allow our government 1093 00:47:06,366 --> 00:47:08,533 to cut its resources, its safety net, 1094 00:47:08,533 --> 00:47:13,633 the fabric of care for people who were really struggling. 1095 00:47:14,866 --> 00:47:18,033 And that allowed us to have homelessness. 1096 00:47:18,033 --> 00:47:19,800 I can tell you that as we start 1097 00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:22,533 to normalize stepping over people on the streets 1098 00:47:22,533 --> 00:47:25,800 and having people clog our sidewalks 1099 00:47:25,800 --> 00:47:27,966 with makeshift encampments 1100 00:47:27,966 --> 00:47:29,800 to try to survive out in the cold, 1101 00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:32,633 especially in colder climates where that doesn't work 1102 00:47:32,633 --> 00:47:34,033 and it leads to death, 1103 00:47:34,033 --> 00:47:37,866 we are really taking a step further away 1104 00:47:37,866 --> 00:47:39,633 from a civilized society. 1105 00:47:42,033 --> 00:47:43,466 How long altogether do you think 1106 00:47:43,466 --> 00:47:46,166 that you were living outdoors? 1107 00:47:46,166 --> 00:47:48,000 - Seven to eight years. 1108 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:50,000 It was scary for me. 1109 00:47:50,000 --> 00:47:52,266 I always had to look over my shoulder 1110 00:47:53,500 --> 00:47:57,100 and, you know, make sure no one's following me 1111 00:47:57,100 --> 00:47:59,833 or taking my stuff. 1112 00:47:59,833 --> 00:48:03,233 - At that point, I was so disillusioned 1113 00:48:03,233 --> 00:48:05,166 with everything that had been happening in my life 1114 00:48:05,166 --> 00:48:07,733 that I just gave up. 1115 00:48:07,733 --> 00:48:09,333 And when I first got to that shelter, 1116 00:48:09,333 --> 00:48:12,233 it was the scariest day of my life. 1117 00:48:12,233 --> 00:48:15,333 And so years of being outside in the winter, 1118 00:48:15,333 --> 00:48:17,733 sleeping in bus depots in the rainy weather, 1119 00:48:17,733 --> 00:48:19,000 and so on and so forth, 1120 00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:21,600 sleeping in Lincoln Park down there many times. 1121 00:48:22,900 --> 00:48:24,833 - You know, we're not on the street anymore 1122 00:48:24,833 --> 00:48:29,100 and we have each other and we got a home. 1123 00:48:29,100 --> 00:48:31,766 - I feel so good about being here 1124 00:48:31,766 --> 00:48:34,100 and being able to have a normal life again. 1125 00:48:36,533 --> 00:48:38,366 - To be able to have a roof over your head 1126 00:48:38,366 --> 00:48:39,600 is a really good thing. 1127 00:48:41,033 --> 00:48:42,700 Nobody really likes being out in the rain at night. 1128 00:48:42,700 --> 00:48:44,366 And if you're homeless, 1129 00:48:44,366 --> 00:48:46,366 you only really have what you're wearing 1130 00:48:46,366 --> 00:48:48,900 and maybe a few extra pairs, 1131 00:48:50,100 --> 00:48:51,733 so it can be really hard. 1132 00:48:52,866 --> 00:48:55,100 Second and final set of the four chairs. 1133 00:48:57,600 --> 00:49:01,833 Honestly, I'm really excited. 1134 00:49:01,833 --> 00:49:03,166 I can't wait. 1135 00:49:08,900 --> 00:49:09,900 Right this way. 1136 00:49:09,900 --> 00:49:11,900 Self-doubt really gets to you 1137 00:49:11,900 --> 00:49:15,066 'cause when you think everything is bad 1138 00:49:15,066 --> 00:49:18,633 and you don't feel like you can even trust yourself, 1139 00:49:18,633 --> 00:49:20,800 you perpetuate your own circumstance. 1140 00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:24,400 So it led me to believe that I wasn't good enough, 1141 00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:26,466 that people wouldn't believe me 1142 00:49:26,466 --> 00:49:28,733 even if I was telling the truth. 1143 00:49:28,733 --> 00:49:32,400 H.O.M.E. has given me a lot of opportunities 1144 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:35,800 for self-growth, being angry at myself 1145 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:38,900 and at life for dealing me the hand that I was dealt, 1146 00:49:39,966 --> 00:49:43,066 and just kind of started trying to work with it. 1147 00:49:43,066 --> 00:49:47,400 And I would recognize the times that I did try, 1148 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:50,933 and I did recognize that I had these failures, 1149 00:49:50,933 --> 00:49:54,000 these moments where I needed to do better. 1150 00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:56,266 And so I kind of worked on that. 1151 00:49:56,266 --> 00:49:59,600 - Part of being the navigator is also advocating for them, 1152 00:49:59,600 --> 00:50:02,500 you know, letting them know that regardless 1153 00:50:02,500 --> 00:50:05,100 of whether they have any rental history 1154 00:50:05,100 --> 00:50:06,833 or any references, 1155 00:50:06,833 --> 00:50:09,500 letting them know how well they did in the shelter, 1156 00:50:09,500 --> 00:50:12,600 how good they kept up their rooms and cleaned, 1157 00:50:12,600 --> 00:50:15,333 and how, you know, responsible they've shown us. 1158 00:50:15,333 --> 00:50:17,166 So it's basically just advocating for them 1159 00:50:17,166 --> 00:50:18,933 and letting them know that we believe 1160 00:50:18,933 --> 00:50:20,766 that they'd be a good fit for it. 1161 00:50:20,766 --> 00:50:22,666 Right now, where he doesn't have a job, 1162 00:50:22,666 --> 00:50:25,100 Maine State Housing is covering everything. 1163 00:50:25,100 --> 00:50:26,166 And then once he gets a job, 1164 00:50:26,166 --> 00:50:28,433 he will have to report it to us, 1165 00:50:28,433 --> 00:50:30,433 and we report it to Maine State Housing. 1166 00:50:30,433 --> 00:50:32,233 And then what they do is they calculate 1167 00:50:32,233 --> 00:50:34,133 how much he would make for a year, 1168 00:50:34,133 --> 00:50:36,133 and then it's 30% of his income, 1169 00:50:36,133 --> 00:50:39,066 and that would be his part that he would have to pay. 1170 00:50:39,066 --> 00:50:43,133 - I've been in contact with one of my old managers, 1171 00:50:43,133 --> 00:50:46,300 and they told me that the position at McDonald's right now 1172 00:50:46,300 --> 00:50:50,733 that I had before I came to the homeless shelter is open. 1173 00:50:50,733 --> 00:50:54,466 A new job will give you a new opportunity to learn 1174 00:50:54,466 --> 00:50:55,966 where I'm appreciated, 1175 00:50:57,133 --> 00:50:59,133 helps with how you feel about yourself. 1176 00:50:59,133 --> 00:51:01,366 It's kind of like a helping hand pushing you forward 1177 00:51:01,366 --> 00:51:03,200 into doing something better. 1178 00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:05,700 - Someone that's making it believed in me. 1179 00:51:05,700 --> 00:51:09,866 Someone taught me I wasn't stupid, someone didn't judge me. 1180 00:51:09,866 --> 00:51:11,800 They understood that the things I was doing 1181 00:51:11,800 --> 00:51:13,200 in the war zone of poverty 1182 00:51:13,200 --> 00:51:15,333 were what I needed to be doing to survive 1183 00:51:16,666 --> 00:51:20,833 and rebuilding my hope and rebuilding my confidence. 1184 00:51:20,833 --> 00:51:23,500 - Welcome to Chipotle. What can I do for you today? 1185 00:51:23,500 --> 00:51:26,333 - [Interviewer] How about a carne asada? 1186 00:51:26,333 --> 00:51:28,500 - Some people fell on hard times 1187 00:51:28,500 --> 00:51:30,666 and couldn't pay their rent for one month 1188 00:51:30,666 --> 00:51:32,166 and they get evicted. 1189 00:51:32,166 --> 00:51:34,500 A lot of people will say, "Well, they got no excuse. 1190 00:51:34,500 --> 00:51:38,500 They got, you know, why you can't pay your rent?" 1191 00:51:38,500 --> 00:51:41,533 If I'm making $12 an hour, 1192 00:51:42,666 --> 00:51:44,833 I'm working just to pay rent. 1193 00:51:44,833 --> 00:51:49,333 - There's not a single county in the United States 1194 00:51:49,333 --> 00:51:51,166 where a person making the minimum wage 1195 00:51:51,166 --> 00:51:53,666 can afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment. 1196 00:51:53,666 --> 00:51:55,300 Think of that for a minute. 1197 00:51:55,300 --> 00:51:56,466 When you have to pay more 1198 00:51:56,466 --> 00:51:58,466 than 50% of your income for housing, 1199 00:51:58,466 --> 00:52:00,700 that doesn't leave much for everything else. 1200 00:52:00,700 --> 00:52:02,266 - I didn't understand it when people say, 1201 00:52:02,266 --> 00:52:04,200 "Well, I have to make a choice. 1202 00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:08,766 To buy my insulin or to, you know, pay my rent." 1203 00:52:08,766 --> 00:52:10,366 But then I start seeing peoples who, 1204 00:52:10,366 --> 00:52:12,366 you know, were swelling up, their legs and stuff, 1205 00:52:12,366 --> 00:52:14,700 because they couldn't afford the insulin. 1206 00:52:14,700 --> 00:52:15,700 I looked at it like, 1207 00:52:15,700 --> 00:52:17,100 "Wow, y'all should give, you know, 1208 00:52:17,100 --> 00:52:18,533 homeless people a chance." 1209 00:52:18,533 --> 00:52:21,600 Because the wintertime was so harsh 1210 00:52:21,600 --> 00:52:25,933 and I was giving people blankets outta the shelter. 1211 00:52:25,933 --> 00:52:27,366 I'd go in there and get a blanket 1212 00:52:27,366 --> 00:52:28,766 and bring it back out there and give it to 'em 1213 00:52:28,766 --> 00:52:32,266 because I've seen the black toes 1214 00:52:32,266 --> 00:52:34,433 or the frostbitten fingers, 1215 00:52:34,433 --> 00:52:35,866 And I'd be like, "Oh my God." 1216 00:52:35,866 --> 00:52:39,800 Just to see how desensitized everybody was to, 1217 00:52:39,800 --> 00:52:41,233 you know, to the homeless. 1218 00:52:42,133 --> 00:52:43,566 And, like I said, I was too 1219 00:52:43,566 --> 00:52:45,300 because I was like, "Well, that's what they choose. 1220 00:52:45,300 --> 00:52:46,900 That's what they wanted, you know?" 1221 00:52:46,900 --> 00:52:49,633 but that's incorrect. 1222 00:52:49,633 --> 00:52:50,866 I did not choose it. 1223 00:52:51,900 --> 00:52:52,966 And it happened to me. 1224 00:52:54,300 --> 00:52:59,066 And I know I have never went six months without a job 1225 00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:03,966 in my whole life. 1226 00:53:03,966 --> 00:53:07,866 And I'm 33, I mean. (laughs) 1227 00:53:07,866 --> 00:53:09,033 - [Interviewer] That's funny, you don't look it. 1228 00:53:09,033 --> 00:53:13,033 (James laughs) (interviewer laughs) 1229 00:53:13,033 --> 00:53:15,533 63. Today my birthday, guys, by the way. 1230 00:53:15,533 --> 00:53:16,533 - Is it? - It is? 1231 00:53:16,533 --> 00:53:17,966 - Yeah. - Happy birthday. 1232 00:53:17,966 --> 00:53:20,166 - May 10th, May 10th. - Okay, we'll buy you dinner. 1233 00:53:20,166 --> 00:53:23,833 - Yeah, they had big cake in there at Chipotle for me. 1234 00:53:24,666 --> 00:53:25,933 I turned 63 today. 1235 00:53:25,933 --> 00:53:27,333 But I do. 1236 00:53:27,333 --> 00:53:29,333 I feel like I'm 33 years old again, 1237 00:53:29,333 --> 00:53:31,833 because to have hope 1238 00:53:31,833 --> 00:53:33,433 and to know that people's out there 1239 00:53:33,433 --> 00:53:34,766 that really care about yourself, 1240 00:53:34,766 --> 00:53:38,100 it give you, you know, super strength then. 1241 00:53:38,100 --> 00:53:41,000 You know, where you could get up every morning like me, 1242 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:42,266 and I'm like, "Oh, uh-uh." 1243 00:53:42,266 --> 00:53:44,000 I don't care if my leg hurting me, 1244 00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:47,100 my toes hurting me, or my back hurt. 1245 00:53:47,100 --> 00:53:51,166 Chipotle is my number one, you know, 1246 00:53:51,166 --> 00:53:54,000 because I know this right here is my livelihood now. 1247 00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:56,433 And this right here, we're going to keep me afloat. 1248 00:53:56,433 --> 00:53:58,333 - This is not a poor country. 1249 00:53:58,333 --> 00:54:00,933 We're spending billions on the symptoms of poverty. 1250 00:54:02,766 --> 00:54:06,266 We could invest in kids, we could invest in the adults, 1251 00:54:06,266 --> 00:54:08,200 and save money. 1252 00:54:08,200 --> 00:54:11,933 It's way more expensive to pay for the symptoms of poverty. 1253 00:54:11,933 --> 00:54:14,266 - I think the average person needs to get involved 1254 00:54:14,266 --> 00:54:16,266 and needs to speak up about all this 1255 00:54:16,266 --> 00:54:17,200 and needs to get, 1256 00:54:17,200 --> 00:54:18,700 and needs to get informed 1257 00:54:18,700 --> 00:54:21,200 and not just get angry that there are encampments 1258 00:54:21,200 --> 00:54:24,866 but get angry that we're in a society that that's okay. 1259 00:54:24,866 --> 00:54:28,200 We may not see everything we wanna see in our lifetime, 1260 00:54:28,200 --> 00:54:30,200 but we've got a responsibility 1261 00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:32,200 to keep pushing, pushing, pushing. 1262 00:54:33,866 --> 00:54:35,700 Hope springs eternal. 1263 00:54:35,700 --> 00:54:37,033 - I grew up at a time 1264 00:54:37,033 --> 00:54:40,100 where neighbors looked after neighbors, 1265 00:54:40,100 --> 00:54:45,066 and it was not at all odd for me to walk to school, 1266 00:54:46,500 --> 00:54:49,000 to walk home, and along that route. 1267 00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:52,566 And people would look out the window and look for me. 1268 00:54:52,566 --> 00:54:56,000 If I ever needed anything along that route, 1269 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:57,566 I could stop anywhere. 1270 00:54:57,566 --> 00:55:02,066 I believe we gotta get back to that time 1271 00:55:02,066 --> 00:55:05,300 where we are not afraid of one another. 1272 00:55:05,300 --> 00:55:08,400 We have to get back to being true neighbors to one another. 1273 00:55:09,633 --> 00:55:11,633 - There's nothing that matches making a difference 1274 00:55:11,633 --> 00:55:13,133 for your fellow human beings. 1275 00:55:13,133 --> 00:55:14,233 Nothing. 1276 00:55:14,233 --> 00:55:16,066 No piece of jewelry, no trip, no car. 1277 00:55:16,066 --> 00:55:20,300 Let me use what's in my hands, my wisdom, my expertise 1278 00:55:20,300 --> 00:55:23,066 to see if I can't leave you in a better place. 1279 00:55:24,100 --> 00:55:26,600 - Oh, good to finally have a home. 1280 00:55:26,600 --> 00:55:29,766 ♪ In these times 1281 00:55:29,766 --> 00:55:32,833 ♪ We must mindful of the gift 1282 00:55:32,833 --> 00:55:35,833 ♪ In these time 1283 00:55:35,833 --> 00:55:37,766 ♪ Use our hands and hearts 1284 00:55:37,766 --> 00:55:41,666 ♪ To lift the fallen spirits in this land ♪ 1285 00:55:41,666 --> 00:55:44,666 ♪ Growing gardens in the sand 1286 00:55:44,666 --> 00:55:48,333 ♪ Reaching out a helping hand 1287 00:55:48,333 --> 00:55:51,100 ♪ In these times