Mom forced to live in car with dogs

Mom forced to live in car with dogs

www.cnn.com

SANTA BARBARA, California (CNN) -- Barbara Harvey climbs into the back of her small Honda sport utility vehicle and snuggles with her two golden retrievers, her head nestled on a pillow propped against the driver's seat.

A former loan processor, the 67-year-old mother of three grown children said she never thought she'd spend her golden years sleeping in her car in a parking lot.

"This is my bed, my dogs," she said. "This is my life in this car right now."

Harvey was forced into homelessness earlier this year after being laid off. She said that three-quarters of her income went to paying rent in Santa Barbara, where the median house in the scenic, oceanfront city costs more than $1 million. She lost her condo two months ago and had little savings as backup.

"It went to hell in a handbasket," she said. "I didn't think this would happen to me. It's just something that I don't think that people think is going to happen to them is what it amounts to. It happens very quickly, too."

Harvey now works part time for $8 an hour, and she draws Social Security to help make ends meet. But she still cannot afford an apartment, and so every night she pulls into a gated parking lot to sleep in her car, along with other women who find themselves in a similar predicament.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Wow, this is getting really bad.


What gets me, is that if you read the comments, there are some seriously idiotic contributers. It blows my mind how someone who says "Oh this is her own fault" thinks they are being conservative, when the real conservative realizes that too many homeless equals a serious increase in crime.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well this is kind of her own fault. I'm only 17 almost 18 and I have a job that pays 8.00 an hour, and I have a small apartment, and a small car. I refuse to use a credit card except for an emergency. I always put atleast one third of my paycheck into savings. I guess it makes it easier that my college is paid for, but if a 17 year old can live on his own and not go into debt and still save money than anybody else can. And if your in debt, yes it is your own fault.

I do have to say that I learned from my parents experiences. My dad is 50 and he will never get out of his debt in his lifetime. I guess I just wanted to not end up like that.

[edit on 20-5-2008 by theendisnear69]

reply to post by theendisnear69



I think for an 18 yo you have a lot to learn. The issue here isn't "who's fault is it" The issue is "how many people is this happening to?".

If it were one person or two, no big deal, society won't be impacted greatly, and the chance they can pick themselves up is also pretty high. This particular woman has a positive attitude about it.

The problem is that it is happening en masse.

Do you not see that at all?


Could someone explain to me why the initial thought goes to "Who is to blame?", instead of "What does this mean?"

Any critical thinkers in the house? Or are we all so self loathing that we need to place blame when we hear about these things?

[edit on 20-5-2008 by Quazga]

[edit on 20-5-2008 by Quazga]






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[edit on 21/5/08 by JAK]

She should move somewhere besides Santa Barbara. That's one of the most expensive places to live in the world.

You can't live there on $8 per hour.

She needs to relocate.

I watched this story on the news the other day, and can't get it out of my mind. This is disgusting that in the richest country in the world we are letting this kind of thing happen. It's the middle class that is being squeezed. I only wish I could do something to help.
According to the news story, there were at least 20 women forced to use their car as home... What is wrong with this country that we can't help our own

oh my bleeding heart might fail me!
paleeease!

1. she doesn't have to live in Santa Barbara, she can move (wouldn't take much from the sound of it) to a state where the cost of living is less.
2. she has 3 GROWN children, I am sure one of them can help her
3 she doesn't have to keep the dogs and wory about feeding them also.
4. she could go back to school and get financial aid/grants that would pay for her living expenses as well, plus go on welfare and get food stamps whilst she goes to school.

that is an easy fix.

reply to post by Wildbob77




yes... she does, that went through my mind as well... but forget about her


Did you read how this is a huge occurance now? Entire parking lots dedicated to this kind of thing?

What effect do you think that is going to have on society?







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[edit on 21/5/08 by JAK]

Originally posted by starwatcher1
What is wrong with this country that we can't help our own

this country helps those that help themselves. see my post above to see how.

And we hear from another shallow thinker...


This is *NOT* about her, acting as such distracts from the real issue. This is not about bleeding hearts. It is about the security of society.

How safe is your neighbor hood if the homelessness rises 20%?

What does this do the crime rate? I have lots of *stuff* and help the homeless because I don't want them stealing my *stuff* or worse, getting violent out of a sense of desperation and malnurishment.

When will we learn that this has nothing to do with compassion, and everything to do with security?



[edit on 20-5-2008 by Quazga]






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[edit on 21/5/08 by JAK]

This is where Ophra's fat billions can help and she can put her money where her big mouth is.
One measly milion donated from Ophra could help these people back on their feet fast. and the big O wouldn't even feel it.

reply to post by theendisnear69


Let me get this straight:

You live alone in an apartment (at 17)
You have a Job making $8.00 an hour
You put 1/3 of your checks away
You are in college


So if you work 40 hours a week (which is generous considering your in college and a teenager) You would make $1280 a month (before taxes) you put a third of that away leaving you $853 a month.

So your claiming you pay Rent, Utilities, Insurance, Gas, Food, and whatever else on $853 a month.

Thats pretty impossible in todays society....care to enlighten us on your methods?

Originally posted by blimpseeker

Originally posted by starwatcher1
What is wrong with this country that we can't help our own

this country helps those that help themselves. see my post above to see how.

If I had money, I'd buy up campgrounds and open them to people like her and get people helping each other get by.

But I wonder why the people who have money do no such thing. They just get richer and richer and the poor get poorer and poorer.

And Washington DC love this way of handling things. I don't get it.

Are they crazy?

reply to post by blimpseeker





MODs I think we have a troll here.


Please keep in mind, this is not about the evils of capitalism, it's not about the need to be a welfare state. It is all about the security of our society.


As a conservative, I am very concerened about what a astronomically rising homeless rate means for the security of my stuff!




Mod Edit: Full post quote removed. Reply To function used - Jak

[edit on 21/5/08 by JAK]

reply to post by sarcastic


That's actually a great idea. If you could get advertisers to put up ads in the place, you could actually make a profit too!






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[edit on 21/5/08 by JAK]

This is people's own fault. I don't care what you're situation is. If you end up like this then it's you're fault. And I do realize that this is happening alot more. That's because everyone thinks they need to live like kings and queens. I gaurantee you if she was not living in such an expensive area that she would be fine right now. Oh lets just put it on our credit card. We really do need that huge SUV and that really nice tv. Don't forget our huge house that we can't afford either.

This is the people's fault. If we just took a little more responsibility for our actions we would not be where we are now.

It's ok though I got me a credit card. Why not buy it if I don't have to pay for it until next month right?

reply to post by ATruGod


Well, in his defense, it depends a LOT on where you live.

For instance, in this small Michigan town, my rent for a small but nice apartment is $250/mo which includes all utilities. Sure I have to put up with pollution from nearby factories, and there are not many jobs in the area (Im lucky to have the one I do) but I survive while living below my means so that I can pay back the outrageous amount of debt that I accrued during college.

Food costs, on the other hand, are outrageous and only going up. My girlfriend can barely feed her two kids. She doesn't know what is going to happen when gas goes to $5.

reply to post by Quazga


Ok, she is 67 three grown kids, why are they not taking her in?

Why is everyone so rude to people?

reply to post by theendisnear69





Uhm... Yet another SHALLOW THINKER... we are up to 4 now folks! And the list keeps growing... Evidently people don't read before posting.


Who cares whose fault it is? What matters is not that it happened once, but that it's happening lots. And although I care about these people, I care more for what a drastic increase in homeless people means for my own security.

When homelessness increases, so does crime.

Once again, it *really* doesn't matter who is at fault. What matters is that we take notice and do something before those of us who have homes, become the enemy.

[edit on 20-5-2008 by Quazga]






Mod Edit: Full post quote removed. Reply To function used - Jak

[edit on 21/5/08 by JAK]

reply to post by ATruGod


I take night classes so yeah I work 40 hours a week, plus weekends whenever I can.

Rent is only 200 and insurance is 120. I don't have health or dental insurance. I walk and take the bus whenever I can. If I do have to drive my car gets 32 miles to the gallon(96 ford escort). I don't have a cell phone. I don't have some huge tv and all the latest gaming consoles. My utilities is about 250 each month.
And my main course of food is ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese.

My college is allready paid for so I don't have to worry about that. It helps alot. I would say my life is pretty good. I am out of the house at 17 because I dropped out and got my GED at 16. So I am just finishing my freshman year of college.

It's not that hard really. It gets tiring but hey i'm out on my own.