New York Charges Rent to Working Homeless

Just seems to me that this is counter-productive to making people self sufficant
They will never rise above their dependance of the system

Originally posted by Seany


Just seems to me that this is counter-productive to making people self sufficant
They will never rise above their dependance of the system

The government does not want people to be self sufficient.

Take the woman in this article who makes $800/month for an example. Anyone who knows anything about NYC knows $800/month in NYC is nothing. She has a baby that needs childcare. There are often long waiting lists for childcare assistance.

The way welfare benefits are figured, they look at gross income. With one child, the benefit is may $200 or around that amount. They take out $30 per $100 that someone earns from the cash benefit, so 8 times 30 would be $240 deducted. Therefore, even at that low amount, she makes too much money to receive cash welfare benefits. She might receive a small amount in food stamps, but that's about it. Without receiving cash benefits, someone goes to the bottom of the waiting list for childcare assistance. Therefore, she's highly unlikely to receive any assistance unless she loses her job. Just quitting a job to receive benefits will make you ineligible. You have to have a very good reason, and they are very strict about what makes a good reason, to quit a job. She'd also be on a very long list to get government housing, especially in NYC. The waiting lists can take several years. So no, the government is unlikely to even help her. Because she is actually working a job and trying to get ahead, the government snubs her. Others snub her because she's poor and don't help her. Now she's being charged an enormous amount to stay in a homeless shelter.

People are often very blind as to what welfare reform really did to people. Those on welfare are actually impeded from seeking independence while those with any independence are turned away from receiving help. Those that have a little independence left often lose it without help and thus are now eligible for benefits. Once you get on the cycle, it's near impossible to break it. But then the five years of eligibilty run out faster than you think, and you're tossed to the curb. The government does not help people find jobs or anything like they claim to the public. It's all a facade. And the government becomes wealthy off the lives of the poor that depend upon it at taxpayer expense. About the only thing welfare reform did was help them go to college, but with the jobs in such short demand, that degree now makes them "overqualified" to work fast food and they actually have a harder time finding a job much of the time. The government has no interest in actually helping someone to become independent.

Yet, those who thumb their noses at those on welfare like to badmouth them. They're just trying to survive just like everyone else. Not everyone has the same opportunity in life. And those who criticize welfare recipients often spew these lies about them. They have no clue. For example, people say that welfare recipients are unwilling to work (aka lazy). There are a small amount that may be unwilling to work, yes, just like there are some employed to do jobs that refuse to do their work. However, many on welfare are required to work a certain number of hours each week.

Oh, and the education that the states encourage the welfare recipients to get is quite interesting how they treat that. When I was majoring in some subjects, they were okay with that. After I switched my major to something that was government based, they were definitely upset and tried to get me to change my major to something not directly government related. Why was that? After I refused to back down, they eventually got tired of hassling me about it, but many of those in the welfare to work program with me started harassing me due to my major. I think the directors had gossiped about me to them and these people hated the government so they saw me as an enemy. The government tries to manipulate which degree program you do. Why would they want to keep the poor from studying about the government?

I was homeless in New York State, and went to the Red Cross (AWESOME people they are!). I was not charged for my stay while I sought services from the Department of Social Services (DSS).

I did get services... I now get $200 a month for food, and another $354 that goes to rent (util. incl.) and the remainder I can have in cash. ($325 rent + $29 a month for ALL things not food...like TP, tissues, toothpaste, female products, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bathing soap, laundry soap, dish soap, shampoo, and any other odds that come up.)

For this glorious life, I have been mandated to work 17 hours a week as "work experience" and, get this...

18 hours mandated "community service." Like my crumbling life makes me a petty criminal!

I work these 35 hours a week for the DSS itself! Doing things that if they hired someone they would pay $15 to $30 an hour for! (I work with floor plans in Visio.)

Why do they only assign me 17 hours as "work experience" and put the other 18 under "community service?" Easy. Taking my benefits and dividing them by 17 gives about the minimum wage.

But really... They are paying me about $3.65 an hour. (And in 1964 dollars, per the thread here that discusses the minimum wage comparison where an equal minimum wage from 1964 would be $17.50 an hour in 2009 dollars, I am making about 60 cents.)

Basically... I am an indentured slave being treated as a petty criminal.

Gotta love New York, eh?

[edit on 5/13/2009 by Amaterasu]

Originally posted by Jessicamsa

The government does not want people to be self sufficient.

I agree with everything you said in your post above. It's a trap. Many people do not understand it until they've lived it.

And, before some simpleton comes along and says "Stop having babies," you need to realize there are many different reason and different people in bad situations, most notably the recent economic situation.

For me, my ex-husband left me and two kids to move in with his girlfriend. He canceled the lease on our apartment. He left me with all the bills (many in my name). I had 30 days to move. No job. No car (cause he took that, too). I was lucky to have family to help me for two months to get on my feet, and then I had to have gov assistance.





[edit on 13-5-2009 by Pamie]

Originally posted by Pamie


For me, my ex-husband left me and two kids to move in with his girlfriend. He canceled the lease on our apartment. He left me with all the bills (many in my name). I had 30 days to move. No job. No car (cause he took that, too). I was lucky to have family to help me for two months to get on my feet, and then I had to have gov assistance.





[edit on 13-5-2009 by Pamie]

Sorry to hear that Pamie, I realize you got caught ina situation of someone else's doing, hope you get the support you need to start anew

After reading my previous post it occurred to me that I forgot to mention that now I do not have internet access during 35 hours a week. Whereas I was applying to about 100 jobs a week, I am now down to 15ish.

I do try to promote my book, in which I am certain I present the path to a better world for every one of the 7 billion of us, with the time I have online, but then, when I had those 35 hours, I could apply to a mighty number of jobs and still promote my book.

And I will not allow my calling to go unheeded.

My book, which is my gift to you, is here:

files.abovetopsecret.com...

As to the topic here... It is another example of the squeeze they're putting on the slaves.

If one entertains the possibility of the Lizard Hearted, who see us as slaves...

Well, this just falls right into place.

Thank you to the OP and I hope I will be forgiven for my shameless promotion here.