| It's not yet 1929 nor 1933; however, for tens of | | | | of families on the streets has dramatically increased." |
| thousands of people it sure feels like it is. For the | | | | In Massachusetts, a record number of homeless |
| economic homeless, the American ideal that | | | | families need emergency shelter, says Robyn Frost, |
| education and hard work lead to a comfortable | | | | executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for |
| middle-class life has slipped out of reach. They're | | | | the Homeless. In mid-April, there were 2,763 families |
| packing into motels, parking lots and tent cities, | | | | in shelters, including 655 in motels because the |
| alternately distressed and hopeful, searching for work | | | | shelters were full, an increase of 36% since July, she |
| and praying their fortunes will change. | | | | says. |
| The unemployment rate keeps rising and tent cities | | | | In Reno officials shut down a tent city in October |
| keep growing. | | | | after making more shelter space available, but new |
| Tent cities and shelters from California to | | | | encampments are popping up along the Truckee |
| Massachusetts report growing demand from the | | | | River and elsewhere, says Kelly Marschall of the Reno |
| newly homeless. The National Alliance to End | | | | Area Alliance for the Homeless. |
| Homelessness predicted in January that the recession | | | | In Santa Barbara, Calif., 84 men and women sleep in |
| would force 1.5 million more people into homelessness | | | | their cars, trucks or recreational vehicles in 17 parking |
| over the next two years. Already, "tens of | | | | lots around the city, says Jason Johnson with the |
| thousands" have lost their homes, Alliance President | | | | New Beginnings Counseling Center, which runs the RV |
| Nan Roman says. | | | | Safe Parking Program. The city, which allows the use |
| The $1.5 billion in new federal stimulus funds for | | | | of three municipal lots at night, supports the program, |
| homelessness prevention will help people pay rent, | | | | says city parking superintendent Victor Garza. Last |
| utility bills, moving costs or security deposits, she | | | | May, there were 58 participants and no waiting list. |
| says, but it won't be enough. "We're hearing from | | | | Now 40 people are waiting. |
| shelter providers that the shelters are overflowing, | | | | If you have a home and a job you are blessed: a |
| filled to capacity," says Ellen Bassuk, president of the | | | | thought that not too long ago would have been |
| National Center on Family Homelessness. "The number | | | | taken for granted. |