Let's Talk Tuesday: Joe continued

Joe
(continued)

Photo caption: If you saw the post from yesterday,

this is the dolly Joe was pushing in the back of my car.
Please don't judge the mess!

Welcome and welcome back. It's another amazing day in paradise. Thank you so much for being here. 

I did a short post about Joe yesterday and I'm going to continue today simply because his story is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking. I don't normally highlight other unhoused people because I meet so many of them. And I generally don't meet them at the beginning of their journey.

I met Joe probably a few days after he left the last place he lived, a house right around the corner from Jaycee Park. I noticed he had stuff locked up at the corner of the pavilion. The dolly in the video (shown above, now in my car), plus some other items. 

He left them there thinking the park was a safe place to leave them as he came and went. Sadly, he would come to find out that wasn't true. 

Joe had lived in the same place for 15 years. He was friends with his landlord. They would share a beer whenever he came around and Joe would occasionally doing some work for him on different jobs he had. When the man sold the house earlier this year Joe was right there when the former owner said, "Joe comes with the house". Joe thought he would die there.

What Joe didn't know is his former landlord was getting all his finances in order and would die "unexpectedly" according to his obituary. Joe found out the truth, a a day or so after the man's passing when the man's girlfriend revealed to Joe that he committed suicide. Joe received his 30 day notice to vacate the house just a few months later.

For an older man, on a fixed income, already receiving SNAP benefits, this was a challenging time. Where do you go? How do you start to process this incredible life change after 15 plus years of stability? Joe put most of his stuff in storage and landed in the park, only minutes from the house he used to live in.

When I saw his stuff, that was a red flag to me. People who are unhoused usually are discrete. Joe wasn't. He was trying to remain safe and seen. This was so smart to me. He also trusted that no one would bother his things. Unfortunately he has lost much more than he imagined!

He would also find out how unkind the neighbors were to see a man sleeping in their pavilion. The first time it was 7 in the morning and he was sleeping on the couch cushion/dog bed combo he fashioned for some level of comfort. 

I met the woman who called the cops on him as he slept because I pulled into the parking lot as she was taking pictures of him. She had never spoken one word to him yet had creating an imaginary scenario where Joe was at the center of all the things that were irritating her. Mind you, she took pictures of the stuff but didn't clean it up. 

Because of what I've seen first hand, I'm speaking out for Joe. Our elders don't deserve this. He's worked hard and long. He was comfortable. And now the home he thought he would die in will be redeveloped into a luxury home for someone else to rent or purchase at a much higher price, after it was purchased for $450K.

I know the new property owner never intended to let Joe stay there. The amount Joe would have been paying wouldn't cover the cost of the new mortgage. How do I know all this information? I know the address where Joe used to stay.

I looked up the property card, then looked for the deed to see when the property changed hands. 

I looked up the previous owner's name to Google him and found his obituary. 

I looked up the new property owner to see what else I could find. 

That house is one of three owned by the owner, a business. None of the properties were the mailing address of the owner so I looked up the mailing address to see if I could find the original owner. 

When I did I found a property card where the mailing address and the property address of the owner matched and that gave me the name of the business owner. He owns 3 properties under his business and 9 under his name.

And here's Joe out on the street with no where to go, being harassed by people who don't understand and trying to figure out what to do. Joe is one of the reasons why I am running for mayor. 

I went to the Affordable Housing Summit on Saturday and it was awesome. The City of Raleigh Housing and Neighborhoods Department under the guidance of their relatively new director, Emila Sutton, hosted a very thoughtful event. It was done in collaboration with Planning and Development.

The speakers were so insightful. My biggest takeaway is Raleigh needs to make every effort to get homelessness under control or it will end up like San Francisco, L.A, Detroit or Seattle. That was one of the messages I got from the author of the book "Homelessness is a Housing Problem", Greg Coburn, who was the first speaker. Or else there will be more Joes!

I mention this because God sat me in the perfect spot. When I was looking for a seat, I asked to sit next to this gentleman I'd never met before. When I had a moment to ask him why he was there, he told me he was with ACORNS, an initiative of the police department specifically created to help those without housing. I told him about Joe.

He went to see him yesterday. And this is the report I got back: 

As I typed this I got a notification of the City Council Work Session was live on YouTube. Council is back starting today. I stopped to listen as Emila recapped the Affordable Housing Summit and other plans the City is leading on. That's all great and wonderful. But... there's nothing that can help Joe today, right now. 

While it's wonderful to hear about all the City is working towards, there are no immediate solutions to homelessness but people. Last night besides panhandling I texted a few people to help me get Joe a couple of nights in a hotel. Two people came through which gave him 3 nights and some cash to get some needed items. 

Reality reminds me that in three days he'll be back on street. I'm working to help ensure he doesn't end up back outside. This is while attempting to keep me and Wisdom afloat as well. If you'd like to help please consider sending funds directly to me that can help me help Joe. 

And it's OK if you don't. 

Thanks again for being here. I hope there was something that spoke to you and makes your day better. Thanks in advance for being here the next time. Continued success. Enjoy the amazing day you're creating. Peace...