Homes With No People, People With No Homes

Homes With No People, People With No Homes

www.commondreams.org

MIAMI - Max Rameau delivers his sales pitch like a pro. "All tile floor!" he says during a recent showing. "And the living room, wow! It has great blinds."

Max Rameau says he's "matching homeless people with people-less homes." (By J. Pat Carter -- Associated Press)But in nearly every other respect, he is unlike any real estate agent you've ever met. He is unshaven, drives a beat-up car and wears grungy cut-off sweat pants. He also breaks into the homes he shows. And his clients don't have a dime for a down payment.

Rameau is an activist who has been executing a bailout plan of his own around Miami's empty streets: He is helping homeless people illegally move into foreclosed homes.

"We're matching homeless people with people-less homes," he said with a grin.

(visit the link for the full news article)

LOL! And in today's news you won't see on the corpomedia outlets...

My guess is that once the fraud profiteering bankers catch wind of this, they will be sending their enforcers after this guy to shut him down in short order.

But with the way things are going in certain areas, where literally half the homes are foreclosed on with bank repo signs on them, I can't say I am particularly offended by what this guy is doing. I'm sure I'll catch some heat for that though. Heh



www.commondreams.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

What good does it do to have homeless people squatting in abandoned homes with no power? It's only better than being under a bridge until the owner of the property has the police come and arrest the squatters.

Max Rameau is a criminal activity enabler who is telling these people it's within their rights to move right on in to someone else's property just because they have none of their own, allaying their fears about eviction with big talk of his 'lawyers'. Of course these people believe he's a savior - they're homeless and desperate. He's the one who should be prosecuted.

This is not a solution, it's a bandaid. A real solution would be non-usurious subprime loans which help people buy or rent a property of their own. Put homeless people with people-less homes in a legal and positive manner.

Good plan, now they can be arrested and then moved into a new home with excellent security free medical care and basic services along with three hot meals every day!

Only one step before he starts invading the homes of the middle and upper class...

After all, they have spare rooms which the homeless need to sleep in don't they?

Never mind that some people have been responsible enough to avoid fiscal ruin.

All property is theft right? All ownership is theft, right?

Blah. Thumbs down to this real estate Robin Hood.

If he were a productive member of society he would buy sub-prime homes that have been repossessed, renovate them or repair them and re-circulate them into the real estate market.

The market is never broken in the long run. How can house prices be falling insanely and yet there are homeless people. I mean a house sold for a dollar in Detroit a few months ago... A homeless guy could have bought a house instead of a cheeseburger from McDonalds... Clearly thats an exceptional case, but the underlying principle is true.

Sorry but this is BS. Many of the homeless have made a choice NOT to work, made a choice to get addicted to something and have their lives ruined by drugs or alcohol....in VERY few cases are homeless people actually homeless due to the fault of someone else.

I work my butt off to pay my morgage and live in a nice house...and somehow people think I am supposed to feel so sorry for others that they get a house for free by breaking in and taking it over...then when they get caught feel that they actually have the right to defend their actions and their "home"..which isn't even theirs...nor do they pay for.

Our tax dollars pay for shelters that many of the homeless WILL NOT go to because they can't get high their, can't get drunk their, and have to follow some rules. Well if times are that hard but your not willing to follow a few simple rules to have a warm bed and decent food then stick to the bridges. I know some on here will be pissed by my post...but having actually worked with and been around the homeless for a few years...I know from experiance why 99% of them are homeless...and sorry but your bad choices shouldn't give you a free ride to a place that others have to work hard to get to.

In a way I don't blame those homeless people entering the empty houses. With as much property empty, I wonder if the bridges, alleys, and other areas the homeless frequent aren't over saturated. Then there are the families that are scared to go around the homeless that have been on the streets for years already.

What I would find ironic, is that a recently homeless family moves back into their foreclosed home.

Right now these people do not have jobs, and the jobs are disappearing rapidly. I have just been reduced to one night a week, and right now it is my income that is keeping my family afloat. I'm scared that I won't be able to find anything else. My husband is having a hard time finding anything.

The credit is dried up. I'm sure that people with bad credit would find it impossible to get any type of credit even for a car let alone a home. Of course if they did get any type of loan, the interest on that loan would be highly outrageous. Think 10% or 15% is bad.

I wouldn't be surprised some loan companies tried to charge them 25%, 30%, or more because they are high risk. Why not charge that much, because many credit card companies are doing so left and right.

I'm not looking forward to next year at all. I don't like asking for money, and am almost ready to go out and beg even for a penny. Things are bad and getting worse. More factories and stores are closing. I don't see a way out. Maybe if this entire economic system completely changes. That will not happen, since it keeps everyone a slave to the lenders, and those who control the money supply.

Originally posted by Walkswithfish
Good plan, now they can be arrested and then moved into a new home with excellent security free medical care and basic services along with three hot meals every day!

lol, that's what I was thinking when I first read this. Either way, these folks will have a roof over their head. My guess is that this guy will likely be living in a cushy 8 X 8" soon. The ruling class can't have their newly aquired properties being occupied by folks not working 3 jobs to pay rent!

Any way you cut it, the housing market is a nightmare right now, and will be MUCH worse over the course of the next year. Weird times we're living in.

reply to post by rcwj75


Homeless shelters are not the answer. My husband use to be homeless. He said the shelters only will allow a person to reside there for a short period of time. Supposedly enough time to find a job and get back up on your feet.

The only job he could get, didn't pay enough for him to even rent anything. He was taken in by a relative, get a better job, and an apartment. To get the job, it took longer than the shelters allowed.

Also, a person needs an address and phone to get a job. An address to a shelter is a definite red flag to any employer looking to hire. With all the jobs being lost, there are more and more people looking for work. Any employer actually looking for work, will be hiring what they believe is the cream of the crop, not some homeless man in a shelter.

Many people are only one pay check away from the streets due to no fault of their own. I know this personally. I'm scared, but there is not much I can do right now, but wait and pray.

Not all homeless drink or do drugs. If I end up on the streets, I'll be one of those who do not have those vices. There are many people like myself that have already been forced on the streets due to the economy, and many more will be going on the streets in the future.

Don't think it can't happen to you and your family. Unless the economy turns around, it will only be a matter of time before it hits every business, every sector, and will affect everyone in one way or another. All you can do is hope and pray it will not be bad for you and your family.

There are a good number of homeless here where I live. What surprises me is that they are not your typical homeless. These are people in their 50's and up, have manners and I have talked to many of them who just ran into bad luck.

I wont say that there are no homeless who are drug or alcohol addicts, but a poster here needs to get off thier high and mighty all goodie goodie mind trip right now. Dispite you work your ass off, anything can happen even to you, and you loose your home just as fast as these folks did. If that happens, can we call you a drug or alcohol addict too?

Im sure you wouldnt like that at all!! So please spare us the preaching.

These folks are not social degrates. They are people who had outside circumstances overtake their capability to recover, and I know first hand, that it is not easy to recover when much of the system continues to hold you down. The reason why alot of these people do not want to go into shelters is because they would rather be free than to be locked up in some room or have to sit through hours of speeches about how and why they are in the situation they are in. They already know why. And much of the shelter system does not have any programs for the older homeless to get them back on their feet.

Just providing 3 meals, a place to sit and sleep, and a shower is not enough. I had one homeless fella do some yard work for me and he did a fantastic job too! I gave him 50 bucks and you know what he did with that 50 bucks. No he didnt go out and buy bottles of alcohol or drugs. He went and bought himself a heavy winter coat for the winter. I see him often now on the corners holding a sign that says "will work for food or money".

The guy is very talented in mechanics too. He used to work at a diesel engine rebuild shop for over 30 years. When the buisness closed back in 2003, there were no other companies willing to hire him because of his age. He lost his home, his credit, his stability, everything. He was not the cause of his demise..it was the system, the buisness closing, and the refusal of other companies who only want to hire the claymold younger workers who are more easily able to be found for cheaper wages and easier to get rid of if need be.

As to this fella in Florida breaking into unsold/forclosed homes for the homeless, I dont think thats the way to solve the problem. Perhaps instead of trying to be a robin hood in torn robes, he should focus more on trying to change the system at these shelters so that the homeless will have some kind of hope, not daily handouts.



Cheers!!!!

Originally posted by Mystery_Lady
Homeless shelters are not the answer. My husband use to be homeless. He said the shelters only will allow a person to reside there for a short period of time. Supposedly enough time to find a job and get back up on your feet.

Yes they are designed to be there until you can get back on your feet...of course they are not a permenant solution...I agree. But just like welfare, people get used to the EASY ride on everyone elses back so they aren't none to motivated to do much of anything when we are so willing to hand out. I always find it amazing when I deal with most homless people...they say they have nothing and no means to get anything..YET..they usually have a new pack of cigaretts, some drugs, or a bottle of alcohol...MONEY WELL SPENT!!

Now I do agree that NOT all are on the streets because of an addiction. I do believe though that many that are close to the streets these days are because of other poor desicions. We have had it good in the past. People buying huge houses, huge vehicles, expensive this, expensive that..trying to show off and prove they are of the HIGHER class citizens...because we all know that the more material crap we can show off then the more people will think we are cool..lol. Well it came back to bite them hard in the butt. That lifestyle many are used to is OVER..and guess what..they dont wanna give it up...so they struggle and struggle trying to pay for things they CANNOT afford...and then finally reality sets it...and they lose it all....whos fault is that?

Times are tough..so instead of being made homeless move out and rent for cheaper, trade in the SUV for a small car, stop buying needless things like cigaretts, alcohol, drugs, etc....and focus in on important stuff. I love it when I hear people cry about money and tough times yet have the cash to go to bars/clubs and smoke like a chimney...

Thats not directed towards you ML...I hope whatever is going on in your life right now gets better...just know that you and me both may or already have given up some things to make sure other things stay in tact!!

This man should be given a medal, why have homeless families and empty houses. Only an imbecile would have it the other way round. And when do people who have worked hard all their lives and who fall on hard times because of a corrupt banking system become drug users and alcoholics.

When a financial system is weighted against the borrower and in a banks favour its only going to be a question of time before it collapses. All these idiots stating its not the banks fault and its the homeowner, why is it. The homeowner did not ask to be put out of work , the home owner did not ask for high fuel prices and utility bills. Many have struggled to hang on and many more are trying to.

One thing there is no shortage of though is idiots with opinions who are no help to man or beast.

Much of the new homeless are those in their 50's and 60's who where the backbone of our economy and our manufacturing sector. Now that most of that has been moved to the pacific rim or South America they can no longer get the jobs needed to pay even basic bill let alone maintain an economy based on consumerism. They are facing rampant age discrimination in hireing and the fact the companies won't hire them because of the problems of health care that older Americans face should the provide benefits to their workers. This is getting to the point that people will start buring down theeir asets rather then let someone else take them away. If you've sen the burned down decrepid inner cities, thats what its going to start looking like in the suburbs soon unless something is done to protect American jobs andstart bringing back the manufacturing base this country needs to bail us out of the real depression that we are definatly in!

Zindo

reply to post by RFBurns


I agree this man should help rebuilt the purpose of the shelters...good point.

I also already stated that not all homeless are on the streets due to addictions or bad choices...some DO find their way there because of tough circumstances. Its not many...but yes it happens.

As for my preaching...I deal with about 200 homeless a week...the area I work in varies but it stays around the 200 mark. Out of that 200 I have had to deal with 99% of them who ARE there due to drugs, alcohol, or bad desicion making skills. These are NOT the old men that you speak of. These are the ones who REFUSE to work...they REFUSE to seek help...they want to get high, get drunk, bitch and moan how they have it so rough yet will do NOTHING ...yes NOTHING to try and better themselves. I have 6 of them right now who have the ability to move back in with relatives and get back on their feet...I can't type on this site their answer to that...but trust me..after hearing it..I have ZERO compasion for people not willing to do whatever it takes to make it work.

As one of them put it to me: "out here I am completly free, nobody can hold me down, nobody can tell me what to do, and I don't have to ever worry about waking up for a 9-5 job"................many of them want this life..but the thing that gribes my behind is...the guy who made that statement is the first one to bitch that noone is helping him out and that the rest of us like to watch him struggle....how ironic.

EDIT TO ADD: I havent seen many older homless folks...and those that are over 50 have been on the streets over 10 years. So not sure where this stat is coming from about older Americans becoming the homless. If it is true, then I agree, those people SHOULD be helped in any way we can muster. I am going by my personal experiance here in the city.



[edit on 12/8/2008 by rcwj75]

reply to post by sc2099


I am not sure how it is in Miami, but you don't need to prove you own the house to have power hooked up where I live. You just phone to get it hooked up and start paying the bills.
I remember hearing about a group of squatters in the UK who did just this. Found an old empty house, got the gas, water and electricity hooked up and away they went.

reply to post by WyrdeOne


Sorry but that is foolish.

That sort of thinking only leads back to the situation we are currently in. By that logic those with the biggest guns will have the homes so those who were originally homeless will be that way again. How easy would it be to “evict” someone staying in a home in a depression that is in a weaker situation than yourself? If it really comes to a depression most people will be for themselves and their family, anyone who gets in the way and is squatting on a piece of land they want will be taken and held by force.


You might be a big guy that can take care of yourself (though you have to sleep or go to the bathroom some time), but the woman or man next door might not be able too. What are you going to do if a large group comes? You are only one person. What if you have a family to protect and your neighbor is being evicted by a group, who are you going to try to defend first?

Sorry but I do not believe in taking being right. Someday someone that is stronger will come along and take from you the same way you took from someone else. Even if a depression hit that property is owned by someone I would say those who lived there prior to being kicked out by the bank or lender. Giving the property to someone else does nothing but take from another citizen when we should be fighting the corporations that brought this about. This will only lead to even more fighting amongst the people.


How long before these people and not the bank come to take your house? Just last week my brother-in-laws brother was attacked within his own home. They broke in while they were asleep. They were in the bedroom before anyone woke up. As soon as they (the owners) moved the husband got a knock upside the head. Before long the husband who was beaten down pretty badly was allowing the beating and the robbing of his house hold in order to keep his wife and daughter safe. After that one of the men took him to an ATM and the other kept the wife and daughter at the house. When it was all said and done the husband had a broken sinus cavity, eye socket, and nose just in head wounds. His wife and daughter somehow managed to not be raped or killed. All of this happened because he had to sleep at some point. No matter how bad you think you are someone else out there is even worse than you are.

I heard over 500.000 (that's more then five hundred thousand) people have lost their jobs in the USA last month alone due to the economic crisis.

Those people where doing all they where supposed to, jumping through all the right hoops, making their payments and getting by.

Now they are in a totally new ballgame, whatever pittance they get for wellfare can't ever pay the bills they where able to pay with their jobs so they lose. Everything.

Even people who have a 'full-time' (28 hour) job at Wallmart and slavefarms like it can't afford to pay the bills anymore, because the pay which was allready scandalously low stays the same while prices rise all the same. And if a new slavefarm opens up in a place near your family business, you might find yourself joining the homeless legion, as well.

There are hundreds of thousands people who are, or soon might find themselves effectively homeless. All drunks and addicts? Ah, I forgot, you retrospectively allowed for "some, not many though" who had fallen on hard times..

Hey, with just a little bad luck, it could also bé you.
I wonder how you would feel thén about wellfare. Allways easy to denounce having to pay for aiding someone when you do not need it yourself I guess.

I find it unbelievable how people who put up with their goverment robbing them blind will happily bash away at somebody because they are forced into a situation where they have to demean themselves in order to stay alive.

It's easier beating up on a homeless person for being homeless then it is beating up a banker because he's an organised criminal whose actions run a country in the ground..

I just hope the US has a lot of bridges.. ah well, at least there is the advantage of preservation of heat when you're packed like sardines under them to try and stay dry for the night.. just pray you won't be one of them.

reply to post by rcwj75


I agree about money and people. It is funny how people complain about money and needing more or how hard times are but they continue to spend on going to see movies and sports.
www.reuters.com...
www.engadgethd.com...
www.the-numbers.com...
www.movieweb.com...
The way people are spending on useless garbage you would think the economy was going smoothly. If movies are bringing in that kind of cash there are a lot of people who should not be complaining about lack of cash.

Though I doubt many homeless are going out and spending like this how many are on the verge of becoming homeless and spending like they are? Now that fuel prices are down how many have stopped car pooling and are driving more often?

If it comes down to it I can think of a lot of things I am getting rid of and not spending on stupid things. I am with you I think much of it has to do with choices that are made.

Raist

this happened in my town last week...

Police in Sandy are still looking for a transient who beat a code enforcement officer. That officer now is out of the hospital and is talking about what happened.

Rob Durfee has head, shoulder and elbow injuries after that attack. He thinks if it wasn't for his cell phone, his injuries could have been worse.

"You're used to, as a code enforcement officer, people yelling at you, but definitely not physically assaulting you," Dufree said.


A routine follow-up inspection on Tuesday at a foreclosed home near 9800 South and 400 East in Sandy ended with Durfee in the hospital. "It was unprovoked, and there was no need for it," he said.

Durfee went to the house yesterday morning to make sure the owner boarded a broken window. A transient was inside the house.

"I told him that I was Sandy City Code Enforcement and that he couldn't be on the property," Dufree explained.

As he called police to escort the man off the property, the man jumped out the window and punched Durfee in the face.

www.ksl.com...