First, create a shelter that has a domed roof away from prying eyes. Ideally, you can afford a domed tent. If not, bend branches in the middle and tie them with old plastic bags so that they stay curved. Cover with blankets. If you don’t have enough blankets, put mud and leaves and moss on the parts of the sticks that are sharp. You can gathering plastic from places that sell refrigerators or other large appliances that are packaged with large pieces of plastic. Start with your layer at the bottom, attach the plastic as best you can. Duct tape does not work in weather. I attach it with zip ties that are fairly cheap from an auto parts store. Then layer up to the next layer as if you are shingling a roof. When you get to the top, put a plastic cap on the whole thing. Water will run down, but not into your shelter. If you can, find a couple of pallets. See if you can beg an old yoga mat or camping mat from someone. Put the plastic over the mat because it will not be very waterproof. So, it should go: pallet, mat, then plastic. You can scrounge a sleeping bag from many homeless helping outlets.
Second, keep your boots or sneakers dry! If the weather is warm enough, try to wear some kind of all weather sandal so that your boots can stay dry for snow or really bad weather. Start collecting socks and undies from whoever is giving them away because you won’t have much opportunity to wash them. Try to invest in foot powder so that you can put powder in your boots every day. This will help keep your socks and feet dry. It goes without saying that you need a hat or secure hoodie plus gloves, scarf, or something to keep your neck warm, and a few layers for the bottom half of you and of course, some kind of winter coat. These can all be acquired by going around to various free food sources. They often have free clothes or some people just offer free clothes.
Third, when you are good and secure in your spot, take one day when your food is fairly secure or you have enough snacks in your pocket, and go down to the governor’s office located at the State Capitol. Request to see the governor. Or go down to the Mayor’s Office with the same plan in mind. You will be refused because you don’t have an appointment. Explain that you don’t have a phone and that you need to submit a request to the governor. Either have them give you a pen and paper or make an appointment if you feel you can make the visit one more time. Here is your spiel: Ask for housing first. Everything else you need can follow. Suggest that they set up some shipping container housing or emergency housing with incinerating toilets and a gray water system. And some solar panels. This has already been done in Nashville and it’s working very well as emergency housing that is very cheap. The other thing you could ask for is that the city and the state start buying old motels so that they can put people up at HUD rates. That means you won’t pay more than $25 a month until you can get on your feet and then just 30 percent of your income after that. A person should be allowed to stay for up to five years in this emergency housing so they can really get established. It usually takes you a year to just recover from homelessness. You might not believe me as you’re sitting on the street and thinking you’re gonna do all these great things when you get your apartment, but you’ll probably need a lot of sleep and a lot of medical care to start with.
Street Wise 101 for Women (The Fastest Growing Homeless Population)
- Snug fit shoes
- Lots of clean socks, panty liners
- Neck gator, hat, gloves
- Thick polyester hoodie
- Leggings and a skirt that you can run in
- Pepper spray
- Lotion and lip balm
- Body wipes
- Passport bag for I.D., money and phone when you have them. Always sleep with this on you!
- Avoid Fentanyl. Never accept an open container, even of water. Do not accept cigarettes, smokeables, inhalers or open food.
- Keep your pepper spray on a flexible wristband under the sleeve of your dominant hand.