The Longest 100 Days--Now What?

I'd be the last one to fault President Obama for overlooking one very important task, reshaping this nation's homelessness policies. He's had a few things to do since moving into Pennsylvania Avenue.

My Facebook page just served a rare purpose: giving me good news. My quick peruse of my friends' posts led me to the one from Timothy Harris about the pending resignation of Phil Mangano, who for the past 7 years led our nation's deteriorating homelessness policies as the head of the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

I have heard PM speak a few times. I've read some fairly negative stuff (though I can't argue the point), including this blog. I've spoken with city officials who had to deal with him, much to their dismay. I've heard from providers who decry (privately, as not to jeopardize their funding) the Continuum of Care and Point-in-Time count, and the way they have to shift their focus to fit HUD's demands.

But the clincher was last summer when my video partner, Laura Vazquez, and I tried to interview him for our documentary about homeless families. This pre-arranged interview was in Springfield, IL. We shared our purpose and questions, so as not to "Michael Moore" him.

And, after he blew off our morning appointment, we had to follow him around all day. Finally, 13 hours after our initial time, having listened to way more PM than I would ever choose, we got him for a few minutes. As I wired him and he was sitting down, he said, "I sure hope you're not going to ask me about those kids..." or something very much to that effect.

Laura was much better than I could have been. "Yes, Mr. Mangano, that's exactly what we're here for, just as we had told your 'people' as we arranged this..." or something like that.

The interview as I remember was just a waste of time.

Me, I seethed as I stood behind the camera that was too expensive to toss his way. I couldn't quite control myself when, after the interview, he made a remark that insinuated that communities wanting to serve homeless families and teens could do so if they chose. I disagreed, knowing a bit how HUD funds programs, or not, depending on compliance with policies and priorities, stated and implied.

Then Laura disagreed with a remark he made about statistics. Between the 2 of us, we probably ruined his night. He stormed off, shouting at us as he crossed the hall to leave. We stood there, not really knowing what to make about the show of anger that far exceeded a typical disagreement.

It gave us plenty to talk about on the 3-hour ride back to DeKalb. It's given me plenty of food for thought, to the point when President Obama was elected and his Change.gov site was opened for people wanting to work for his administration, I submitted my application for Executive Director of the Interagency Council.

It wasn't that I don't like what I'm doing with HEAR US. Quite the contrary. But after seeing the mess that this country has made of trying to address homelessness and poverty I couldn't hold back if I felt I'd be able to do a better job. That's how I've gotten many of my jobs in the past--complaining about a wrong but being willing to do something about it.

The person being considered (or perhaps already decided) reportedly is someone tied to the "chronic homelessness" crowd that has been opposing our campaign to expand the definition of homelessness. Described by one of my colleagues as "Phil-lite," it's hard to imagine that this person would take a drastic step away from the current direction of addressing "chronic" homelessness of single adults. He's a big city guy...so his knowledge of rural and non-urban homelessness may be limited.

But the biggest reason for concern at this point is that whoever gets the job needs to expand this nation's focus on homelessness to include the millions of invisible families and teens. It's a big job.

Seems to me that our window of opportunity has at least 4 years (minus 100 days). Time's a-wasting, especially in the eyes of the children who have no place to call home.

baby crying photo courtesy of Pat Van Doren

Incredible Efforts in the Trenches

Fire departments can be all-volunteer or funded by municipalities. Every community has some form of fire protection. Every public school district has homeless liaisons. Dedicated fire-fighters and McKinney-Vento homeless education liaisons have similarities--both do amazing work despite incredible odds. This blog offers both a tribute and opportunity for these liaisons.

One bonus of my travels is that I often get to spend quality time hanging out with McK-V liaisons.

They are often the unsung s-heroes and heroes of a school community--going to places many wouldn't even know exist; finding, assisting and keeping track of invisible kids who otherwise would not get into school; fighting ravages of poverty and homelessness threatening to swamp families/youth; butting heads with clueless educators or administrators; wrestling with budget issues and bad attitudes; providing life-sustaining assistance and moral support to their students; training district personnel in McK-V policies; and always going above and beyond to make sure kids have the best chance to succeed in school and life. (This list is by NO MEANS inclusive....)

Another perk of my HEAR US job is to get to talk to kids who have experienced homelessness. If you haven't seen "My Own Four Walls," the first documentary I filmed featuring all kids talking about their experiences of homelessness and education, it's worth getting (I guarantee it!). One thing all these spokespersons had in common--they loved their homeless liaisons!

Sadly, another common trait is that McK-V programs and staff are often grossly unappreciated and under-supported. They're the ones locating the families after the fire, eviction, or domestic violence, trying to figure out how to help the families or teens patch things together again, at least enough to preserve the educational haven for the students.

We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Commonly caused by lack of knowledge or sensitivity to homeless students, I've seen McK-V disregard at the district level show up as:

• Program focus gets shifted (weakened), too often without discussion, by administrators who may be trying to do the right thing....or not.
• Personnel gets shifted to non-McK-V programs if they are perceived as "too effective" or troublesome to non-compliant administrators.
• Little or no time gets made in professional development schedules to inform district personnel about McK-V issues.
• Funding gets, um, redirected by administrators, knowing that McK-V staff can't cause a stink.
• Superintendents name themselves as liaisons, or appoint someone who either has no time or desire to perform the task.
  
• Violations of McK-V are overlooked by district or state bureaucrats, especially if the offender is a "respected" administrator.

It's hard to find a safe place to voice frustrations of McK-V work. But this blog allows anonymous comments and I'd be interested to hear what's going on out in McK-V land across the country. Good or bad. If a district or administrator has done exemplary, let's give voice to that too!

I'll start...what's with apparent blatant disregard of McK-V that seems to be overlooked, if not sanctioned, by McK-V authorities? If families broke the law like some districts do they'd be behind bars.

Seems to me that if we have a law it should be followed. What will it take to ensure the protection of educational rights of homeless kids? Maybe I'm opening a can of worms, but it's a discussion that needs to happen with hope for improvement on the local, state and federal level. Let's hear from others....

Times are Tough--Too Bad!

Even people living under a rock have figured out times are tough. Well, not everyone. It appears that the powers-that-be in West Aurora (IL) School District 129 have decided to crack down on residency scofflaws, including what I'd bet my lunch money are homeless kids.

Seems like the relatively new superintendent wants to impress voters with his fiscal responsibility. So he's ordered a review of suspicious residency claims. OK so far.

But an indication of probable trouble appeared in the Aurora Beacon News last August in a story about a mom and her 2 kids who moved in with her parents after marital trouble. (Read my blog from last August detailing this story.)

Now the district has announced on their website a "residency tip line" to weed out non-residents. I understand the theory, and as a previous taxpayer in that district before I sold my home to pursue my HEAR US mission, I feel I can speak about this.

When untrained, and sometimes even trained, observers view a family's unconventional lifestyle, e.g. moving in with a family or friends, but sometimes popping in at their previous residence, it may appear that the family is up to something, especially if school-age kids are in the picture. And they may be trying to send kids to a better district.

Or they may be homeless, often times as a result of domestic violence, or severe marital problems. Typically, one parent and kids leave the hardship situation and move in with someone because they cannot afford their own place. Or they move into a motel, or combination of motels and doubling up. I won't even go into the immigration issue which would send out vigilante posses faster than announcing free beer at a softball game.

So the district encourages anonymous reports of residency law violations. I've talked with many "professional" residency investigators who are absolutely clueless--or care less--about laws governing homeless students access to school, and who fail to make a good-faith attempt to rule out homelessness as they toss out the kids. I can't even imagine the possibility for trouble with non-professionals, neighbors with an ax to grind??

I've talked to kids who reported being yanked from class in front of their peers, humiliated as they were forced to clear out their lockers in crowded hallways, and escorted off the property. And in every case I was involved in--hundreds--we were able to vindicate the family and restore their right to attend that school because of homelessness.

Many of these cases were "investigated" and others were results of anonymous reports. School officials need to learn a lesson--about homelessness, a subject not taught in college nor typically covered in professional development. At the risk of sounding self-serving, HEAR US has several tools to raise awareness of homelessness. I do presentations to guide educators in the aspects of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act. And I offered my services to the West Aurora District, being told "we're handling it."

Seems to me that handling could be viewed as mauling, depending on what side of the desk you're on. That's a lesson that will stick with all who have to experience it.

Enough Tents? Better Be!

Tent City, Aurora, IL 2002

"Tent City" has become the frequent topic in news stories. And comments on these stories range from concerned to condemning (most often of the people living there). People seem more critical of homeless persons than they do of Madoff and other schemers.

As one of the unwilling founders of the first authorized Tent City in this country, back in 1990, I feel the need to weigh in on this topic.

Tent cities are abysmal (in most cases) responses to homelessness. The growing number of TCs in this country certainly reflects the growing level of homelessness, along with the decline of housing dollars spent by our government. Too often, stories show adults, sometimes not the most sympathetic characters (for many people). But what about the children?

As "mayor" of our TC in Aurora, my rule, or standard, was NO CHILDREN. I knew what might go on in the mostly self-ruled nylon-walled community behind our shelter. Most TC residents didn't want the responsibility of families in what might occasionally be an unsavory environment. I ended up bending the rule when faced with no other options.

For the record, as difficult as life was for the "campers" in our commune, most were more than exemplary. We all strove to make it as humane as possible, and once in awhile we received visitors, including folks from Seattle, who wanted to learn about how to start their own TC.

Recent national news stories focused on the growth of homelessness among children. I predict it will be a matter of a short time that we'll be (hopefully) disturbed by images of families living in these Third World-like campgrounds. Why?

Ask anyone who pays bills about the rise in utility bill rates. Most households gulp and pay. But families in public housing who have little to no income don't have that luxury. If they can't gulp and pay, they get evicted. I'm not talking "deadbeat" families, if we should classify impoverished families in this manner given the poor example set by some rich slime buckets, but I digress....

Households in HUD-subsidized housing face eviction if they fall behind on their utility bills and get shut off. Let's understand the reality here:

• Utility bills have skyrocketed since the global economy was deliberately manipulated by greedy power-brokers.
• Poverty has skyrocketed, with foreclosures, evictions, businesses shutting their doors, causing widespread fiscal devastation everywhere.
• People relying on subsidized housing in most cases, their limited income status not withstanding, must pay skyrocketing utility bills.
• If they can't pay, they get evicted, often becoming homeless, adding to the skyrocketing number of families on the streets.
• Homelessness, in addition to the harm it causes families, also causes costs for local communities to skyrocket--education, health care, emergency services, and public safety (to name a few).

My outrage is skyrocketing, as people like Jim Cramer (CNBC financial "guru") admit to their "shenanigans" that have caused global meltdown. SHENANIGANS??? Tell that to this family, mom with her 3 girls, who spent over 6 months living in a tent on the edge of an Oregon town.

Seems to me that family Tent Cities need to be set up in front of the homes of the "shenanigan" perpetrators. And, in the meantime, HUD needs to declare a moratorium on evictions until Cramer and Company can pay the utility bills of the families facing eviction. It might be a good time to buy stock in tent manufacturers.

If you are sufficiently outraged, please take a few moments to join in the HEAR US Piggies' Project, aimed at changing the way Congress lets HUD deal with homelessness.

Tim's Temptations Are COOL!

Leave it to Tim Harris to teach this old dog new tricks! Perusing his always interesting and eclectic blog, Apesma's Lament, he had a wordle. I didn't know what it was, but got curious and then, after wrestling with Java stuff, created a few, including the above, representing the kids and states included in My Own Four Walls (and those kids who didn't make the documentary but are still very much a part of the HEAR US project.

Seems to me it's an indication of our being absolutely overwhelmed by the disastrous state of affairs that we let ourselves get distracted by creativity. But isn't it cool??!!!

Tim-how did you make your wordle so large?

A Familiar Cough--A Bleak Reminder

Too often as the director of a busy Illinois suburban homeless shelter I heard that cough that served as living proof of a lack of health care and a brutal lifestyle.

This morning, at the state park I'm calling home for the weekend, my neighbor barked regularly as he struggled under the hood with a malfunctioning engine of a very old SUV.

While he worked wordlessly, his 5-year-old daughter gingerly skirted their campsite, where their very old camper was parked. She looked like she just got home from church, but the family hadn't left their spot. Her blue dress and pretty shoes with white socks belied their camping experience.

Is this family homeless? I'd bet my lunch money they are. If so, they are among the countless others in this southern New Mexico area who are forced to make due because no safety net exists to speak of--no family shelter, very limited other assistance.

I met with the local mayor this week. A nice enough man, newly elected, he seemed unaware of the nature of homelessness among his community's families. I'm sure his agenda is overflowing with critical issues.

Seems to me we need to make the well-being of families critical issues. They've been ignored far too long. It's just like this dad's cough--it doesn't go away, it gets worse and is more expensive and painful to treat. Left untreated, it can lead to dire consequences.

Those concerned about the well-being of homeless families and teens can do something about it. HEAR US is urging people to participate in our Piggies' Campaign, a way to let Congress know that these invisible homeless families and teens are out here, coughing, wheezing, and struggling to get by each day.

How Does Family Homelessness Happen? An Example...

People often ask me, "How do families become homeless?" My usual response: they get hit with a succession of hardships when they're on the edge, and it surrounds them, finally taking them down.

Let me try to illustrate by sharing the details of a real-life, currently unfolding, incident, with names and specific details changed/omitted to protect those involved.

"Phyllis," a life-hardened mid-30s mom of 3 kids, including a child with special needs, has spent much of her adult life homeless or at risk of homelessness. Scrappy and headstrong, she and her family always got by, and the kids, much loved, were not neglected or abused. This single parent, who is due thousands in child support, has worked a variety of jobs, met a ton of challenges, and managed to, despite everything thrown at her, recently graduated with honors from college.

About a year ago, she was hired by a group that advocates for homeless people. This, in many ways, was a match made in heaven, because Phyllis is a tremendous advocate, with lots of direct experience and knowledge of her area's scant resources.

As nonprofit organizations tend to be, this is somewhat dysfunctional. Her well-intentioned and capable boss seems to lack personnel management skills, though is well-regarded, even by Phyllis, for his other talents. The board appears confused, as boards often do.

A misunderstanding has erupted between Phyllis and her boss, simultaneous to the agency's financial woes. Employees' paychecks and mileage reimbursements were recently delayed, never a good sign, especially when the employees weren't told of the paycheck delay. In this day of automatic deposit/withdrawal, that could be disastrous. For Phyllis, it would have been had they not gotten paid the Monday following the pay-less Friday.

Money pressures, teenagers with all their normal insanity-inducing qualities, a high-maintenance special needs child, and a stressful job on good days, all that would be enough on anyone's plate. Add a boss-employee clash, and it's enough to put someone over the edge. Phyllis is almost there.

The issues between boss/employee are important, but not the point. They're solvable. But in the push-shove world, when an employer is faced with financial woes, it doesn't take much to look at the roster and make cuts, typically to the person who is the lowest on the totem pole, or to the person causing the most consternation to the boss.

Any time you have a showdown between boss and employee, watch out if you're the employee, no matter how right you are. But this is/should be a little different.

Aside from the facts that the boss has seemed to act unreasonably heavy-handed, writing Phyllis up as a father would do to an errant child, piling one write-up on top of the other, before the time limit specified for rectifying the issue at hand, and then verbally suspending her when she admittedly "pitched a fit" (not a major one from what I could tell) at the last confrontation, he's made a few mistakes along the way.

He's seems quick to point to the Employee Manual when it is suits him, and ignores good management practices, like having a deliberate fair approach, designed to solve the problem before it gets too bad. Preventive supervision if you will. He apparently overlooked the fact that he had okayed Phyllis' nontraditional work arrangements--both in writing in an email and by approving logs that also verified her actions. Accusing someone of deceit with that evidence probably isn't smart.

What, in my mind, makes this worse, to the point of inexcusable, is that if you hire someone who has never worked for a nonprofit, and that person is formerly homeless, despite astounding accomplishments, unless the employee is guilty of a flagrant violation, the employer of the homelessness advocacy group would do well to nurture the employee, not neglect her to the point of crisis.

And someone on the board should be overseeing personnel issues--performance of the boss and employees--to make sure things aren't heading toward disaster.

As someone who has been a boss and has worked at nonprofits for decades, knowing financial pressures, among other things, I know that human nature turns ugly at those times. A "kick-the-dog" mentality can unknowingly creep in, causing bad things to happen.

So Phyllis is faced with fighting for the job she loves with a boss who's faced with no money in the bank. I'd bet my lunch money on who will win, and who will lose.

Homelessness, that ugly dark cloud looming on the horizon, inches closer. This homelessness-inducing economy, ruthless as it is, offers little hope that Phyllis will land on her feet quick enough to prevent disaster, despite her best efforts. She has a very frayed safety net. Car note and insurance are due monthly or else. And when that "one more thing" happens, as it always does, then this family is truly on the edge of homelessness, again.

Seems to me that nonprofits need to do what some are expecting the banks to do with foreclosures--call a moratorium. Creating more family homelessness is never a good idea. Causing one of your own employees and her family to become homeless is a damn shame.