Jumping the Line

Homelessness for Stupid People

The foibles of the most pampered homeless population in the Bay Area...

I worked today. Did a job for Butch, a guy who goes to our church, tying down a floor that creaked in a new office he's setting up. Made a little cash, got tired. Good, honest labour. I love it. Anyone afraid to do a little hard work is afraid of life.

I worked yesterday as well, though I wouldn't exactly call it work. I played gopher for Master Craftsman Bob Adams. That in and of itself is a treat. When I say Bob is a master craftsman, I mean you probably won't find someone able to produce more beautiful works of art in wood as him in the Valley. I'm fond of telling people how his daughter would pull pages out of a catalogue or magazine of some fancy piece of oddly shaped furniture, hand it to Bob and say “Daddy, can you make this for me?” And he DOES! At the end of the day Butch asked me if I wanted to work on the floor, and I yes... so there I was...

Anyway, today also happens to be Wednesday, and that means showers over at Asbury Church on East Avenue. That's great, I expected to be done by three, and make it there with plenty of time to get my shower. That was the plan anyway.

Unfortunately, the plan is never the plan. God always has other plans, and today was no different. The single battery I had for the screw gun ran out at exactly 11am. Crap! I was two thirds done, having worked on it about two and a half hours. I had no idea how long it would take to charge, but I was not optimistic. It was an el-cheapo craftsman job and I expected it would take a while. So I called Butch, left him a message that I was going to high tail it over to Asbury, get a shower, come back and finish the job. I was still pretty confident I'd get it done before three.

So, the place is on Murrietta and Holmes, I high tail it down Fourth Street and East Avenue and arrive there about twenty past eleven. (oh, and just so everyone knows, the Holmes family and the Holm family: NOT the same family!)

I get there and my buddy Nick runs up to me and tells me Adam Parris is there! YAY! Flipped my phone open, made the call... and the man slinks away and back under whatever rock he's been hiding... Gotta love having Police Dispatch on Speed Dial...

As Donna McKenzie peaked out the door, which was still locked, I ran up and told her I was on a deadline to get back and needed to be at the head of the line.

Well, Shower Nazi Doug was going to be running the showers for Johnny DeLaRosa (who'd be a little late), and he was NOT happy with me.

“You pull anything like that at Vineyard and I'll bounce you to the back of the line!”

I love Doug. He has a very well defined sense of right and wrong. Gotta love a guy who knows about these things.

I did try to explain to him that I would never do such a thing without his permission, but that I truly needed to get back not later than one, and if I had to wait for a shower, I probably wouldn't get one today.

Just an aside, this is one of the reasons I want so much to talk to the folks at Saffron Strand. One of the things with showers for the homeless is this: if you have a job, forget it! You're S.O.L. And have to fend for yourself. Showers are 7-11am Mondays, Noon to 6pm Wednesdays, and 9-11am Fridays. That's it. If you have a day job... buy a membership at 24 hour fitness. Nevermind that they no longer have one that can be got to without a car. I really want to know how Saffron Strand deals with these things. I can't imagine a bunch of homeless people working in their offices that stink to high heaven...

Anyway, I did get my shower, got back to the job site, finished the job, and walked away satisfied I'd done it well (though there's still some creaking in one spot I just couldn't seem to fix...) Oh well... nobody's perfect... especially not me...  

The Strangest Thing

You know the bit about “Be Careful what you wish for... you might get it...”

I had that in mind today as I left Vineyard Christian Fellowship. I had just finished speaking with Anglemarie Duncan, who has been commenting on this blog. Nice lady. She told me her story and we discussed what I was trying to do here for about an hour, I suppose. It was a very nice visit, and I think she has quite a bit to contribute.

I, however, was in torment the whole time. I came to Vineyard this morning late (later than 7:30, which is when I usually get there). I missed my 6:30 daily appointment, which was embarrassing, because I overslept. That sucks. I hate oversleeping. It's not only dangerous, it can become a very bad habit. My excuse is that someone trapesed by me about 4:30 in the morning, scraping their feet on the pavement enough to wake me (you have to be a light sleeper out here, to not be can get you killed). Took me a while to get back to sleep. I didn't see who it was, but I'm kinda hoping it was one of Livermore's finest out doing rounds or something. I'm not fond of the idea of being approached by some teenager or some gang banger when I'm unconscious. I'd much rather it be the cops.

But I digress.

The reason I was in torment is this: Everyone was on their best behaviour! Not one thing happened!

When I arrived, there were five boxes of donuts. Apparently Cornerstone forgot all the teenagers were off on some retreat or camp or something when they ordered the usual amount. We certainly couldn't finish them. It's pretty amazing how many teens can consume.

No screaming, no alcohol, no drugs found, no nothing. Shower Nazi Doug had day as smooth as his muscular legs as he walked around in his four inch heels and painted on jeans marshalling everyone to the showers. Mike and Tina showered just before me and they were both courteous enough to spray Clorox on the shower floor after they left it. People sat around and chatted about this and that calmly. There were minor chuckles with people telling off-colour jokes in low tones. Rick and Mickey Kundert (the couple in charge) both had some very personal stories to tell today, but those are for them to tell. There was a sort of calm... is there a storm coming?

Well, we did sing “Happy Birthday” to the Potentate (that's Dean... he runs the Bible Study with an iron fist and an iron will and charges exorbitant fees to attend... yes that's a joke, he'll get it if nobody else does). No candles on the cake, of course. That would have been a major fire hazzard and the LPFD would undoubtedly would have shown up.

Dean's wife, Johnette showed up for the first time in a long time. Johnette's recipe for Biscuits and Gravy is probably the best I've ever tasted. Pretty sure that's the one the volunteers use when they make it, but we all miss her terribly and it was nice to see her again today.

Just an aside: Dean was the guy who God used to make me a Christian. That's a very personal story, but I'll say this: the bible I carry with me is signed by Dean and Johnnette. It was a gift from them and my single most valuable possession.

I opted not to go to Richmond to this conference being held by Saffron Strand (last blog). The reason I opted not to go is mostly because I had nobody specific to speak with. Not being a professional journalist with credentials, I felt it would be wiser to wait for a more one on one conversation. I still do intend to follow that up, but I'll give those folks time to finish their conference first before I make further inquiries.

There was simply nobody doing anything BAD this morning! Even Miss Judy was on her best behaviour. I don't understand... I'm beginning to think people are violating my privacy by reading these thoughts of mine...

It's the strangest thing. It's frightening...

Baton Rogue and Saffron Strand

Homelessness for Stupid People

The foibles of the most pampered homeless population in the Bay Area...

I've been doing quite a bit of searching on the net for news stories concerning how other cities are dealing with the homeless, and I found a couple of interesting items. One was from Baton Rogue, Louisiana, and the other from just up the road in Richmond.

The story out of Louisiana, published today, was written by Edward Pratt of The Advocate (a Louisiana news site). http://theadvocate.com/columnists/6254059-55/our-voices-bus-ticket-not

What I found interesting about the story was that Mr. Pratt failed to see what exactly the problem was with homeless flooding down town Baton Rogue. Mr. Pratt's op-ed detailed his opposition to a program designed to give bus tickets to the homeless, shipping them elsewhere. That, in and of itself is fine. Shipping your problems out of town instead of dealing with them directly is never a solution, especially for the town receiving them.

But back to my original point: why is it that a lot of these folks who are “homeless advocates” fail so miserably to see why people at large object to the homeless? Do I have to spell it out?
I don't think so. Not here. Not in Livermore. Most people with common sense (aka, Livermorons) know that when a man is homeless, if he doesn't stink, if he is reasonably clean, and doesn't impinge on their lives by costing them money or being loud or being some other kind of nuisance, he's not a problem.

There's a reason this town is pretty much a paradise for the Homeless. It's because of the character of the town! Don't lose that, Livermorons, you are America at it's best. Livermore's character forces the homeless here to behave better than homeless elsewhere. Elsewhere (such as San Francisco) the homeless have rights! They have the right to smell up your place and chase away your customers. They have the right to be loud and obnoxious and annoying. Miss Judy would fit right in! Livermore's homeless have been described as “Gentile”... not because they want to be, but because they have to be!

What else I found appears, on the surface, to be something of a gem growing in the muck. The CoCo Times today profiled a conference being held Monday and Tuesday just up the road in Richmond.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/west-county-times/ci_23462382/richmond-based-homeless-organization-draws-high-profile-speaker

Richmond is a well known basket case of a town. It was there, in 2009 that an infamous gang-rape occurred at a Richmond High School Dance. People watched and did nothing. Richmond's reputation as a cesspool of crime is well established.

The group is Saffron Strand. And they do not appear to be your typical group serving the homeless. What impresses me about the group is their stated objective:

The objective of Saffron Strand is to reduce homelessness in Contra Costa County, especially in the West County area. Through Saffron Strand, we focus exclusively on providing new opportunities for homeless people to build job and social skills (behaviour, anyone?) so they can achieve and sustain gainful employment and economic independence. We accept homeless persons as members whose volunteer work is required for operation of the organization. We offer membership without charge to homeless people of every origin and background to realize their individual potential. We maintain professional quality office space for members, a place of respect where they can participate with dignity during the work day to expand their work skills, develop their individual talents, seek and find outside employment, and increase their capacity for cooperation and community involvement.http://www.saffronstrand.org/case-statement-2012/

My question for Saffron Strand is: how are you achieving those goals, and are you seeing success?

On the surface, the group appears to be focussed entirely on what a true advocacy group should be focussed on, but I have a lot of questions for them. As time progresses, and assuming they'll talk to me, I'll try and get all of us some answers. Interesting what you find when you go looking...

Service Animals

Homelessness for Stupid People

The foibles of the most pampered homeless population in the Bay Area...

It is quarter to five, Friday afternoon and Judy just walked into the Livermore Public Library with her overweight Black Labrador Retriever named Shane. Judy Claudio likes to pass Shane off as a service animal, and, knowing the law the way she does, she's well aware that the Librarians at the Livermore Public Library have been, in the past, forbidden to ask if the animal is a service animal.

Yes, this is the same Judy who made up the whole bit about Mr. and Mrs. C. The very same one who went off on me last Monday. I'm watching this and I'm just wondering: how far is she going to take this?

Yes, folks, this bothers me.

That the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits business owners and Librarians from asking for a service animal's credentials has always been a problem. Why that was written into the law is beyond me. People like Judy know full well that this is the case.

However, the law has been changed quite recently. The only type of service animal that is always allowed is a dog. It must be a trained dog. And the Business Owner or Librarian may ask what the service animal is trained for. If it is NOT trained, it is NOT a service animal.

Cockatoos, Opossums, Rats, Lions, Tigers and Bears: NOT Protected under the ADA Service Animal provisions. So if you have one of those, and you're trying to pass it off as a service animal, you have a rude awakening coming.

Now, what is the Livermore Public Library in-house policy on Service Animals or animals being passed off as Service Animals? As the Library staff, I have no idea.

But, Judy, just so you know, Shane is not a service animal, never has been a service animal and will never be a service animal.

The California Code makes it very clear what the laws are today:

Californa Civil Code Section: 54.2.(b) Individuals who are blind or otherwise visually impaired and persons licensed to train guide dogs for individuals who are blind or visually impaired pursuant to Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 7200) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or as defined in regulations implementing Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–336), and individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired and persons authorized to train signal dogs for individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired, and individuals with a disability and persons who are authorized to train service dogs for the individuals with a disability may take dogs, for the purpose of training them as guide dogs, signal dogs, or service dogs in any of the places specified in Section 54.1 without being required to pay an extra charge or security deposit for the guide dog, signal dog, or service dog. However, the person shall be liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by his or her dog. These persons shall ensure the dog is on a leash and tagged as a guide dog, signal dog, or service dog by an identification tag issued by the county clerk, animal control department, or other agency, as authorized by Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 30850) of Title 14 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

http://www2.courtinfo.ca.gov/protem/courses/ada/stats/cc.htm#54_2

Looks clear enough to me...

The guidelines for the Service Animal protections by the ADA can be found on the U.S. Government ADA Website: http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

Money From Cars

Homelessness for Stupid People

The foibles of the most pampered homeless population in the Bay Area...

The Oakland Athletics went 18 Innings against the Yankees yesterday, but they won! Rookie Nate Frieman comes off the bench and plays hero! The A's are now tied for first place in the AL and tied for second place in all of baseball! Couldn't ask for more from my A's... I was listening to this game as I read a comment by some joker who's handle is JJR accusing me of inviting homeless people to come to Livermore. I had to laugh when I saw that. JJR, you don't know me very well, obviously. But my invitation for you to come down to Tommie's Café and get to know me stands... any time you want.

What is true is that the homeless are being invited into Livermore. Not by me. Not by the various volunteer services. It's those of you who hand money to people flying signs.

“Need Help” is often what you'll see on a cardboard sign outside Safeway, or Walmart or Grocery Outlet. I saw Scott flying one outside the Walmart in Pleasanton yesterday on the way to and from court. I know Scott only by sight. But having never talked with him, he instantly lost my respect when I saw him flying a sign. I saw a car stop to hand him cash both times. (By the way, there are no homeless in Pleasanton! The city government sez so, so it must be true! So, keep this under your hat!) Anyone can fly a sign. But you have to look the part. I don't look the part, so if I flew a sign out there, you probably would think me insane for holding one. I'd have to quit shaving for a while, and wear the same clothing for at least a month so it becomes ragged and dirty... uh... no... sorry, not playing that.

I've heard people bragging about scoring two hundred or so odd dollars a day flying a sign.

Think about that for a moment. $200.00 For a day of sitting around holding a piece of cardboard. That's equivalent to $22.50 an hour for eight hours of work, and that's tax free! Seriously, you think people flying signs pay taxes? A lot of them not only don't pay taxes, but also are on food stamps and get general assistance.

I am proud to say, I'm not one of those, either. I was, however, up until November of 2011 for about two years. The day I went into the multi-service centre and cut my card in half was a very happy day, but enough about me... I did my pathetic self indulgent bit last entry...

The main issue with handing money to random homeless people is that it not only perpetuates that person's bad habits, but is also an open invitation to others from elsewhere. I've met folks who come in from all over the place to fly signs in Livermore.

At the edge of the parking lot of the 1st and P Street Safeway I met a guy from Richmond just the other day. His sign said something like “Please Help Make a Difference for the Homeless” or some such nonsense. He was talking about the 501c3 he was planning to start to house and feed all the homeless people he knew! He was going to get this massive grant from the Federal Government, build this incredible facility make everyone's life easy. I was remembering this guy when my friend Lynn talked about how it seemed like a lot of the homeless had an angle... (see my KINDERGARTEN blog post).

I've never once seen this guy show up at Open Heart, or Monday Morning Showers, or anywhere else the Livermore homeless go. Who the heck told this guy to fly a sign in Livermore? Wasn't me!

But word does get around about where people are giving away money. If there's money to be had doing some activity, people will do that activity. It's simple economics.

In Street Guide: Tips for the Newly Homeless in Livermore (my second blog posting) I detail how to get food, showers, clothing and support in Livermore. You do not need money in Livermore to survive if you are homeless! You need money to get out of being homeless, true. But I guarantee you, those who are flying signs are not getting out of being homeless. The money is way too good.

The problem is not the homeless people flying signs, much as I despise them.

The problem is you folks who hand them money. JJR, if you really want to dis-invite out of town homeless from coming here, stand next to one flying a sign that says: “This person does NOT need your money!”

I would, but I'm too busy with following my Athletics...

Hollow Victory

Homelessness for Stupid People

The foibles of the most pampered homeless population in the Bay Area...

I'm on my way home having just won a major victory. I get off the Number 10 bus on my way to catch the Rapid doing what I normally do when I'm melancholy, daydreaming of Miss Linsky, the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. You'd think I'd be psyched that I won... but I'm not. I see a throng of people wearing Oakland Athletics Baseball hats and jerseys are making their way into the East Dublin BART Station on their way to watch the A's and the Skankies face off in the last game of a three game series. The Athletics will be looking for a sweep against the team sensible Americans love to hate. I haven't been to a game this season, and there's no way I could afford to see this one. A's – Yankees games are premium games... they're always sold out and with the Athletics as red-hot as they are right now... well, getting a seat would be a bear anyway... At least the Athetics last several victories have been meaningful. This victory of mine, big as it is seems... hollow.

Adam Parris is notorious amongst the homeless in Livermore. Two different women claim he raped them, but will not come forward and file charges. He has been arrested for attempted rape. That story made the San Jose Mercury News. He's attacked volunteers, was ejected from the Livermore Homeless Refuge two years in a row for violent behaviour and has taken a particular liking to yours truly.

In the restraining order he had me served with a couple of weeks ago, he claimed we were friends... which I thought rather amusing after I recovered from the shock of having received it. Certainly the members of the Livermore Police Department I shared it with were amused. I haven't yet met one of Livermore's finest that haven't had contact with Adam Parris in connection with some incident he supposedly perpetrated.

And, it seemed, everyone had an Adam Parris story, very often involving violence, or his forcing his way into some place he wasn't welcome.

More recently, Adam Parris assaulted a man I know in the Computer Room of the Livermore Public Library. A few days later, I called the police to report his location having found him at Trinity Church on Olivina. It was simply more of the same from Adam. In the days that followed the delivery of that restraining order it seemed to everyone around me that defeating this restraining order was a slam-dunk.

I could never be completely optimistic. Initially, I thought it certain I'd have to leave Tommie's and never come back.

It was here, on a Sunday afternoon, Adam claimed I spat in his face and threatened to beat him to death. That didn't happen, but an accusation carries weight, and never having stood accused of anything criminal in my life, I had no idea what I was facing. I assumed the worst.

It is, of course, entirely my fault that any of this happened. I simply do not take kindly to the likes of Adam Parris being anywhere near those I care about, and in case you haven't noticed, I care very much about those who come here to Tommie's and not a few that walk into the Livermore Public Library. Making myself Adam's target to get him off people more vulnerable was a high priority of mine for several months. I knew I'd achieved that goal when he slashed the tires of my bicycle in late March of this year. I had to replace the inner tubes, but till a friend helped me get new tires, I managed to shore up the gashes in the old ones with Duct Tape (just so you know, it does work!)

I arrived with statements in hand and one witness to Superior Court in Pleasanton promptly just before 9AM, sat down in the jam, packed court room and listened for an hour and a half to some of the most interesting, if ridiculous requests for Restraining Orders I could imagine. Judge Roesch made it quite clear in the beginning that this was not the Jerry Springer show, and he'd not be tolerating any theatrics. Adam Parris took his place three rows behind me, all the way in back where, for me, he was out of sight, out of mind. I was able to enjoy the drama of other people's problems for a while.

I was interested to hear that Darryl Parker had a restraining order granted against him. The man was not in court today, but this is yet another name known to folks around here. We haven't seen Darryl for a while at this end of South Livermore Avenue, and that's a good thing. I'm pretty sure this was the only petition I saw Judge Roesch grant. The rest were so frivolous and ridiculous that I wondered how hard the Judge had to fight to contain his laughter. One involved what amounted to a series of girl-fights. The petitioner, it seemed, and I think the Judge agreed, was as guilty as the petitioned. RO denied. Another one had a Vietnamese lady asking for an RO on her boyfriend's father. It was her boyfriend beating her, and she had the photos to prove it, but it was the father she issued her petition against. When the judge questioned the father and asked why he was involved, the father told him he was just off the boat from Vietnam and in his culture... “Welcome to America!” said the Judge... if it had not been a courtroom, I think the rest of us would have applauded.

When the judge finally called Parris vs. Holm, I was suddenly in a cold sweat. I listened to Adam's declaration that his accusations were true to the best of his knowledge. I told the judge I had never once sought Adam out, and turned in my documents. Those, with my witness, who had been present when Adam claimed I threatened him had Judge Roesch deny Adam's petition in very short order. It was, effectively, the slam-dunk everyone said it was.

But Adam is still out there. Under penalty of perjury, this man who is on probation made false accusations is still walking free to abuse his next victim. Yes, folks, the victory feels very, very hollow. But I will, every time I lay eyes on Adam, report his location to the LPD... that he can be sure of.

It's the bottom of he 8^th inning, and the score is 2-2. Hiroki Kuroda is still pitching but probably won't last much longer. So, I'll get back to the game... and once it's over, I'll go back to daydreaming of Miss Linsky... I need something pleasant to think about for a while...

BLEEDING HEARTS

Homelessness for Stupid People

The foibles of the most pampered homeless population in the Bay Area...

My friend David is no longer homeless. Out of sheer force of will he lifted himself up, got a decent job, made a lot of sacrifices, and has become one of the success stories. David is the exception, of course. Most homeless people have not the will or the life skills to do any such thing. When I knew David as a homeless man, he was the single most clean cut person in the room. He cared about his appearance, his manners, knew what he needed to do on any given morning, went out, and did it. He had some support, you bet, but no more than I or any other homeless person in Livermore has. Nobody got him out of being homeless other than himself. I spoke with him the other day, having connected with him again through this blog and had a nice chat about his hopes for the future and my own.

People have blasted me for using terms like “Bleeding Hearts” in the past. I'm not talking about Open Heart Kitchen, or the Livermore Homeless Refuge or Cornerstone's Serve the City Project. Those efforts by people who do make a difference. They actually save lives, and provide means by which people can function positively. Does everyone who uses these services function positively? No, but the few that do make them worth the effort, in my opinion, and, it seems, in the opinion of those who volunteer and do all the hard work. (And make no mistake, volunteering to help the homeless is HARD WORK!)

No, those are not the people I'm talking about. When I talk about “Bleeding Hearts” the best example I can give are found on this website: http://www.cohsf.org

The Coalition on Homelessness is a political advocacy outfit. If they do anything other than political advocacy, I can't seem to figure it out. Maybe someone can help me there. I'm not saying they do nothing at all other than political advocacy, but if they do, it's well hidden.

What the good folks at the Coalition on Homelessness seem to believe is that Government can solve everything. Let's write a law! Yes, folks, you property owners, you have to allow the homeless to camp on your doorstep. Yes, you have to create affordable housing, and pay the rent too. And you know what? Businesses that discriminate against you (because you are homeless) are evil!

Does it occur to these folks that discrimination against the homeless has more to do with personal hygiene and appearance than being homeless? If I can smell you ten feet away, I'm not going to be hanging around that coffee shop you sit in, sorry. The guy who's trying to run his business knows this.

Now, I'm pretty ignorant of what kinds of services are available to the homeless in San Francisco, where the Coalition on Homelessness is based. Being homeless in San Francisco sounds a little like hell to me. Why anyone would be homeless and stay in San Francisco is beyond my ken.

But if I were forced to be homeless in San Francisco, the very first thing I would ask is this: where's a bathroom I can use, does anyone let me take a shower, and where do people eat? Is there a way to wash my clothing?

If I go looking on the various bleeding heart sites that cater to the San Francisco Homeless I find little in the way of answers. St. Anthony's Dining Room provides food, as does Glide Memorial Church. Reverend Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial is a bit of a legend, you've probably heard that name. Glide Memorial figured prominently in the movie “The Pursuit of Happiness.”

Providing a place to sleep is great. Feeding the homeless is fabulous. Giving the homeless a place to take a shower is beyond generous. All these services are available here in Livermore, and much, much more.

But Political Advocacy?

Excuse me, but how is that going to change lives? What is that going to do for that guy down on the corner flying a sign, who, if you find in an encloses space attacks your sense of smell to the point that you don't want to breath?

What good does “Affordable Housing” do if you don't have money in the first place? Who's paying the bills? What good does it do to force businesses to accept people who will chase away their paying customers, except to decrease the tax base? And what, pray tell, do the Police having Tasers have to do with the homeless?

I keep talking about behaviour. I have to watch my own behaviour to make sure I don't have problems here in Livermore. Why? Because Livermorons have standards. Those that don't watch their behaviour are those who have all the problems.

You know what, Livemorons, I'll take those of you who hate my guts for being homeless any day of the week over these morons in the Coalition on Homeless.

To anyone connected to the Coalition on Homelessness, please name for me one person you've helped out of Homelessness, and how was this achieved?

And don't try to name my friend David... he did that on his own with no help from you're stupid marches...