Tent Slums Spring Up in America

Concentrations of homeless people are nothing new in America, but recent BBC and Los Angeles Times reports depict a rising trend of shanty slums, such as a "city" of newly homeless people living in tents near the Ontario airport in Los Angeles.

If you recall your Steinbeck, the residents of the 20c Hoovervilles were largely tenant farmers thrown off their farms by the owners, who in turn tried mechanized farming to bring down costs and break even. These displaced farmers migrated West where they became agricultural day laborers and settled into shanty camps.

The California tent slum depicted in the BBC report is quite different, because they are not migrant workers, so much as locals who have lost their homes. It is hard to tell if the newly dispossessed are all the victims of the subprime market. More likely, the tent slum population is a mix of new and old homelessness -- perhaps with a few migrant workers in the mix.

(video credit: BBC)

I do not know if there is a technical point at which a tent city becomes a slum -- a boundary of some sort that gets crossed in terms of population density or length of time in existence or total acreage. But the Los Angeles Times reports that the police are handing out wrist bands to make sure that only locals take up residence in the tent camp by the airport. Non locals have to get out. Passing out armbands to make sure only locals get into the camp has to be crossing a boundary of some kind. And it is not a good one to cross.

Whatever the actual demographics, the images and the stories are heartbreaking. If ever there was a reason to let go of market orthodoxy, and to re-embrace the American spirit of making things better by the most pragmatic means possible -- this is it. Make it work better, period. No ideology; no grand theories about freedom from government; just come together to help people before we lose a generation to this mounting economic tragedy.

Crossposted from Frameshop)

Comments

[freesoulsinger]

Tent Cities springing up huh?
Nephew cant find work?
Medical insurance tripling every 2 years?
STILL LOOKS LIKE BUSHWORLD TO ME!
check out what I have to say about it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKNP9kWj4uw&eurl=http://www.twine.com/item/11rzwgrby-1m0/youtube-bushworld&feature=player_embedded

[interventor]

The same homeless problem in Paris in 2006

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5612453

And, in 2007.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0701/S00176.htm

http://www.relfe.com/07/homeless_solution_France_red_tents.html

In the 12th arrondissement

http://www.humaniteinenglish.com/spip.php?article1087

So much, for the humane socialist treatment of the homeless in Europe.

For the record, I’ve spent the last 14 months living in the 14th arrondissement, so I see this regularly. Will be returning to the States in about 2

[interventor]

As I've said, homelessness is a problem in the UK and Europe, as well!

In UK:
Older homeless

http://www.olderhomelessness.org.uk/

75,000 to 80,000 young people homeless in UK

http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/youth-homelessness-uk

former military homeless in UK

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/PeopleInDefence/HopeForUksHomelessHeroes.htm

[interventor]

The tent cities are not new. LA had one for years before Bush and still does. Similar could be found before and after Bush. Until the last year of the Bush's administration, the number of homeless dropped considerable due to new policies of developing one room housing for many of them.

Its much the same in Europe. Caravans (small trailers) camps for homeless in the UK. Pop up tents dot Paris and other French cities for the homeless. I've seen slums in France equal to that of the favelas of Brazil. The banlieue Stalinesque suburban ghettoes are now no-go zones for the police and most government entities.

[Gerald Shields]

I'm not so sure this is new. There have been tent cities propping up in Seattle for years and the mayor is a Democrat. Homelessness was around even when the economy was fine. However, it sadly takes a recession to start us thinking about it.

[freesoulsinger]

the tent cities coming up quick will dwarf the puny camps we have endured the last 50 years

[themodernleader]

With or without prudent policies, tent cities were bound to burgeon everywhere in our forsaken land. ironically, as people see this Administration throwing borrowed money after bad, and as inflation grabs headlines caused by a 24 hour printing press, these tent cities will sooner or later be recognized as Obama tents and Obama cities.
Our wealth is being squandered on a gilded, criminal cabal while bread crumbs in the form of welfare is being scattered around for our unemployed and homeless. Where are the plans for a massive public works program to employ millions?

[Chicagofan1]

Scary scary pictures. I feel so hopeless when I see that and if that is not "face' of a depression I do not know what is.

[esquire07]

Well at least a Million plus Americans are not dead becuase of Bush/Cheney lies, like in Iraq.

Rather live in a Tent than live in Bush's Iraq.

America is getting what America asked for when it put Bush in power.

[DeeDeeDaGumby]

Bush cheated to get put in office..then did only what he does best...messed everything...to say America is getting what America asked for is just pure B. S. at best.....

[freedomisabsolute]

Maybe he cheated the first time. Explain the second and explain why he didn't get impeached for his multitude of crimes against Americans and the rest of the world. I don't blame him for everything but... esquire has a point.

[freesoulsinger]

true enough

[GrahamInCanada]

Tent City Recipe: George Bush Rabbit

a hit around the fire!

Stale, discarded bread, dry not moldy, any type. Enough for eight. Toast over fire.

Discarded cheese and cheese ends. In general, the mold will not hurt you, but if you got enough, get rid of it. Sliver the cheese with whatever. About a pound of cheese, slivered, any sort, the more the merrier.

Leftover beer dregs, flat, about 3/4 cup.

Two packages of salt from MickyDs.

One quarter of a pack of mustard from MickyDs.

In whatever container you have, pour the beer, salt and mustard. Melt the cheese in. Serve immediately over the toast.

If you have any Tent City Recipes, why not share?

[OrganOfThought]

Awesome isn't it? S h r u b ' s legacy.

This BBC report has been seen all over the world. It is h o r r i b l e for the homeless and embarrassing for the rest of us.

I hope we all understand now what the Dixie Chicks meant when they said they are embarrassed that the crum was representing their state and our nation. They were pre-apologizing for this and instead they got p u n i s h e d for being the messenger.

We can argue all day about 2000, but 2004 has no argument. Everyone that voted for him in 04 should be a s h a m e d of themselves.

[mairs]

2004 was stolen too, that and calling Kerry a French windsurfer. Nothing worse to the hicks.

[cironius]

It's high time that the "public" should have a voice in the decision making of the FED through a public-advocate (elected by the people) where they will have a seat and a vote on the Federal Reserve Board.
It's high time that "we" have a voice at the FED. The Board only care's about bailing out Wall Street & the Bank's.Not the thousands of American familie with children, the elderly and pets that will be left homeless due to foreclosure of their primary-homes. The FED should be deep-sixed for giving AIG public money to do as they please with it. What is sad about all this is to watch the mother of an American soldier fromNY who died in combat in Afghanistan beg in public for help and being mistreated by the bank, collection agencies as her home was going into foreclosure, and this coward of a President does not have the guts (let alone go fight in a war) to do what he must do and tell the gods of capitalism Like AIG) to go to gehenna and help his people who helped him achieve his dream keep their dream & set up a Tent City for the families of AIG etc.,preferably out in the middle of a desert. In my opinion, he is a puppet for wall Street, the Bank's & AIG. Anytime I he the man of "Change We Could Believe In" speak.
I think of the song
"It's Howdy Duty Time"

[GrahamInCanada]

Ahem, ever single Governor of the Fed is appointed by the President of the United States.

Is it high time you elected a people's advocate to vote above the Supreme Court?

Even if you are a sworn enemy of the Fed, and believe arguments that are at the extreme of the political spectrum, not every sin of the world is created by the Fed, what is the Fed in your mind, an evil deity?

Really, you'd think Wall Street and the Bush brigade had nothing to do with it, the way you go on...

[DeeDeeDaGumby]

fight in a war... oh you must mean like Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Rush , like those guys who fought so bravely for our country..

[drumz]

Well the republicant party brought us the first tent cities known as Hooverville and now they are producing the modern version - Bushville!

[sail]

I prefer, Trickle Down Towns.

[sail]

Trickle Down Towns -- the newest American trend. Expect to see one in your vicinity soon!

[zola77]

The US tent cities have been around for a while now...I know the article is saying that these ones are new, but i thought it was important to point out that they have been around since the economy started taking just over a year ago. There are videos on youtube and articles online if you are interested.

[mrgoodbar]

true I already saw this video months ago

[DeeDeeDaGumby]

Oprah did a show on it not to long ago...I normally do not watch her , but I did that day..it was one of the most terrifying thing to watch.. Not crying was not an option while viewing this show....

[cautionbug]

So first there were Hoovervilles... might we dub these Bushburgs?