Being Conspicuous

Mobility is the best defence against problems. That's what I will tell anyone who has a fixed camp site. I know a few people who do have fixed camp sites and, invariably, they find themselves having to move. These folks are not always problem folks. But if a homeless person is camping consistently in one area, that man (or woman) is going to attract unwanted attention.

The worst kind of attention you, as a homeless person can get is the attention of other homeless people. They'll try and move in on you. The problem with this is two fold. First, it creates a colony, and more people means more attention. Colonies are conspicuous. Some of you reading this will remember the colony that existed next to In N Out Burgers on North Livermore Avenue. It was down in the creek. There were a lot of tents and a lot of squalor. The people there were there for months, and anyone who saw the encampment would comment on how nasty it was.

Eventually, the authorities broke up the camp. There was, of course, a lot of crying from those who had been there, but virtually no sympathy came from anyone who was not. Supposedly someone had permission to camp there, but I rather doubt that. While the colony was there, it seemed to grow, and grow, and grow.

My fiend Kenny experienced this not long ago as well. I was reminded of it after I received three very negative comments from Candace Rogers. Candace was one of those people who was out in that same area making a huge mess. She's a well known drug addict, and it shows on her once pretty face, which is a terrible shame. I had the pleasure of being informed by her that I used to be friends with Adam Parris (see “Hollow Victory”) because I used to do drugs with him. Thank you, Candace, I do appreciate that you know things about me that nobody remembers, including me... maybe you can further inform me where it was I supposedly did these things... and when!

In any event, Candace is exactly the type of person who, when she moves into your area, you move OUT! And you inform the police as soon as you are able.

The other type of attention nobody wants comes from residents. Once a resident with a real address finds out homeless person is camping out nearby, they tend to get a little nervous. Is this understandable? You bet! What measures residents will take can, however, be surprising.

Two years ago, a resident was seen tagging the old library on South Livermore and Dolores. Up until recently there was a homeless colony there. It's been cleared, of course. My friend John and I walked by there a couple of nights ago and I heard John say: “You know, it's nice to look over there and not see a mess!” John is also homeless, and we're on the same page with most things, I think.

But think about this: a resident goes and puts Graffiti on a wall next to the homeless encampment. That's a pretty desperate attempt to get the homeless out of there! Who knows what he tried before going there. People hate it that much. Creating squalor is bad behaviour. The more there is, the less it will be tolerated by your neighbours.

I was speaking with a friend of mine earlier, which got me thinking on this issue. He was talking to me about moving from where he was, and I told him: you've got to be mobile! Don't sleep in the same place three nights in a row, and never, ever, leave evidence you were there!

Being homeless does not mean you have to be a problem. Being homeless and conspicuous is always a problem.