Shelter |
Imperial Courts in Watts was once considered one of the most dangerous parts of L.A. ERIKA AGUILAR/KPCC
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Shelter is one of the big three, WATER-FOOD-SHELTER, without which we do not survive.
Have you ever asked the question: How is it we, as a people, have let the core necessities for our life to become the basis of profit for a few?
No, it is the question we ask ourselves every day here at Resilient Ecosystems. It is not a pointless question, it is a question that can open the door to understanding where our cultural framework went wrong. Our thinking of these things as commodities and profit centers to be mined for short term gain, with no concern for long term consequences, shows just how far we have gone away from our core humancentric focus. We do not even think about it, we do not ask these questions, we cannot see it, and when it is in our face like homelessness, we avert our eyes, feel sorry and ashamed or demand the authorities fix it or hide it. This is the hardest section to write about, partly because it has so many emotional landmines, fear responses and for us, shame, that it is hard to focus on creating a better outcome.
REAL ESTATE
In 2018, real estate construction contributed $1.15 trillion to the nation's economic output. That's 6.2% of U.S. gross domestic product. It's more than the $1.13 trillion in 2017, but still less than the 2006 peak of $1.19 trillion. At that time, real estate construction was a hefty 8.9% component of GDP. (Google search)
The higher the value of the home, the larger the commission. The larger the interest (profit), the better construction companies do, the more reliable revenue to municipalities. You can clearly see the chain of support and benefit in the process. It also creates a comparable downside; reliable revenue for municipalities is getting rarer with State and Federal funding cutbacks and tax limitations. This makes it harder (impossible) for the development and upkeep of aging and inefficient infrastructure. The need for higher pricing to feed the chain vastly reduces the ability to develop and provide affordable housing. Low and midlevel workers in cities like Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc., commute enormous distances for low paying jobs. Adding to this is the lack of public transportation options available outside of the city centers. Though many cities have worked to amend this, it is still a challenge that needs addressing.
A Little Math
At $20 per hour, a person working 40 hours per week makes $3,466 per month (pre-tax) and takes home about $2,850. The national average rent for a 1 bedroom is around $1,600 per month, leaving approximately $1,250 to live on, paying utilities, buying groceries, car payment or transportation, including gas, insurance, clothing, healthcare, etc.. The national minimum wage is still $7.25 per hour, with cities and states pushing $15 per hour, you see the problem yet?
A Little More Math (just getting by)
In 2019, approximately 38.4% of people living in the U.S. are at or below $49,000 according to the Census. Another 17.4% live at less that $75,000, putting them solidly in an 'at risk' category. That means that around 55.8% (over half) of U.S. residents can either not afford to live here, or are at risk of not living without debt. So much for the American Dream, maybe it is time to get a new dream based on reality and our humanity.
"Although housing is a basic human need, affordable housing is increasingly difficult to attain for many Americans. Housing is considered “affordable” if it consumes less than 30% of a household’s total income. Nearly half of the 43 million renter households in the U.S. are housing cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Severe cost-burdened renters are spending over half of their income on housing."( Forbes, Sept. 2021)
And we are back to the slippery slope of profit, cost of maintaining infrastructure and the lies we tell ourselves to believe there is nothing to be done.
The "Traditional" Approach to Affordable and Low Income Housing
Political will vs. real will; the longevity of political will is based on electability, sound bites and appearances, the longevity of the will of the people is how things get done and last. Why is this? Because the people drive the political will when the people are united. The "Projects", most major cities have them, most all are failed when they were politically motivated and largely ignored after completed. Today, low income and affordable housing only happens when it is politically expedient and forgotten as soon as it is politically expedient. Why? Because real estate is a $1.15 trillion dollar industry. For balanced information on this subject, there are two points of view below.
We Need Solutions
Tiny Houses
Tiny houses seem to be a good starting point for people transitioning from homelessness and to develop the skills and outlook to integrate into the larger community. That said, most of the approaches we have seen are, by necessity, patchwork projects. This is largely due to the lack of will and vision of the governing bodies. What is needed is a clear vision, strategy and plan. What is not needed is a vision, strategy and plan that includes reintegration into the failed system that created the problem.
Affordable Housing
It seems that "Affordable Housing" is a conundrum that is better addressed by outreach, education and grassroots than political will. The issue is the disempowerment and propaganda the media and political machines use to disenfranchise the ones who would benefit the most. Who would benefit the most? About 50% of the people in the United States, so how has this not gotten the will of the people behind it? See the statement about disenfranchisement (above).
Physical Elements, Efficiency, and Safety
This is the juice, creating efficient, safe, and livable spaces. Below are some areas we have identified for exploration:
Tiny House
The Total Package
Fulfilling the promises we were made, and creating a humancentric community.
First and foremost this cannot be a political statement for it will fail. It needs to be driven by the people who have remained voiceless, unempowered, and disenfranchised. Sound like a hopeless effort? Then lets provide some hope, education and direction. This is where the influencers, educators, and policy folks come into play.
***Disclaimer, we are not trying to create a utopia, control peoples actions, get them to vote, pray, follow any leader, or anything that would affect their freedoms, or choices. What we are attempting to do is to get people to engage with each other, and us, in a process of determining and creating a better quality of life, greater security, and a more humancentric future.***
Our goal begins at the neighborhood and expands out to the community, the area, town, city, county, and region. One person at a time, reaching out, having discussions, listening to each other and building networks of shared experience with common goals based on our shared humanity. The ultimate goal is to rewrite the current social contract that is our cultural framework, into a more humancentric framework. For more information on this you can download the End Of Year Update for 2021 here: UPDATE!
Parts of the total package:
We don't know what we don't know, maybe you do?
Have you ever asked the question: How is it we, as a people, have let the core necessities for our life to become the basis of profit for a few?
No, it is the question we ask ourselves every day here at Resilient Ecosystems. It is not a pointless question, it is a question that can open the door to understanding where our cultural framework went wrong. Our thinking of these things as commodities and profit centers to be mined for short term gain, with no concern for long term consequences, shows just how far we have gone away from our core humancentric focus. We do not even think about it, we do not ask these questions, we cannot see it, and when it is in our face like homelessness, we avert our eyes, feel sorry and ashamed or demand the authorities fix it or hide it. This is the hardest section to write about, partly because it has so many emotional landmines, fear responses and for us, shame, that it is hard to focus on creating a better outcome.
REAL ESTATE
In 2018, real estate construction contributed $1.15 trillion to the nation's economic output. That's 6.2% of U.S. gross domestic product. It's more than the $1.13 trillion in 2017, but still less than the 2006 peak of $1.19 trillion. At that time, real estate construction was a hefty 8.9% component of GDP. (Google search)
The higher the value of the home, the larger the commission. The larger the interest (profit), the better construction companies do, the more reliable revenue to municipalities. You can clearly see the chain of support and benefit in the process. It also creates a comparable downside; reliable revenue for municipalities is getting rarer with State and Federal funding cutbacks and tax limitations. This makes it harder (impossible) for the development and upkeep of aging and inefficient infrastructure. The need for higher pricing to feed the chain vastly reduces the ability to develop and provide affordable housing. Low and midlevel workers in cities like Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc., commute enormous distances for low paying jobs. Adding to this is the lack of public transportation options available outside of the city centers. Though many cities have worked to amend this, it is still a challenge that needs addressing.
A Little Math
At $20 per hour, a person working 40 hours per week makes $3,466 per month (pre-tax) and takes home about $2,850. The national average rent for a 1 bedroom is around $1,600 per month, leaving approximately $1,250 to live on, paying utilities, buying groceries, car payment or transportation, including gas, insurance, clothing, healthcare, etc.. The national minimum wage is still $7.25 per hour, with cities and states pushing $15 per hour, you see the problem yet?
A Little More Math (just getting by)
- Rent: $1,400
- Groceries: $350
- Transportation: $400
- Utilities: $200
- Health Insurance: $500
- Phone, Internet: $100
- Savings: $150
- Misc.: $200
In 2019, approximately 38.4% of people living in the U.S. are at or below $49,000 according to the Census. Another 17.4% live at less that $75,000, putting them solidly in an 'at risk' category. That means that around 55.8% (over half) of U.S. residents can either not afford to live here, or are at risk of not living without debt. So much for the American Dream, maybe it is time to get a new dream based on reality and our humanity.
"Although housing is a basic human need, affordable housing is increasingly difficult to attain for many Americans. Housing is considered “affordable” if it consumes less than 30% of a household’s total income. Nearly half of the 43 million renter households in the U.S. are housing cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Severe cost-burdened renters are spending over half of their income on housing."( Forbes, Sept. 2021)
And we are back to the slippery slope of profit, cost of maintaining infrastructure and the lies we tell ourselves to believe there is nothing to be done.
The "Traditional" Approach to Affordable and Low Income Housing
Political will vs. real will; the longevity of political will is based on electability, sound bites and appearances, the longevity of the will of the people is how things get done and last. Why is this? Because the people drive the political will when the people are united. The "Projects", most major cities have them, most all are failed when they were politically motivated and largely ignored after completed. Today, low income and affordable housing only happens when it is politically expedient and forgotten as soon as it is politically expedient. Why? Because real estate is a $1.15 trillion dollar industry. For balanced information on this subject, there are two points of view below.
We Need Solutions
Tiny Houses
Tiny houses seem to be a good starting point for people transitioning from homelessness and to develop the skills and outlook to integrate into the larger community. That said, most of the approaches we have seen are, by necessity, patchwork projects. This is largely due to the lack of will and vision of the governing bodies. What is needed is a clear vision, strategy and plan. What is not needed is a vision, strategy and plan that includes reintegration into the failed system that created the problem.
- WA State Department of Labor and Industries: Tiny Houses, a perfect example of how government is passive and demands that you figure it our for yourself, then may or may not approve, while charging $819.80 for plan review and insignia. We will notify you if we need more information or when your plans are approved.
- We need a replicable plan to build tiny home communities with communal kitchens, dinning, bathroom, and washing facilities. It needs to have a public transportation hub, and be part of an integrated services, like education. We understand that municipalities do not look at long term investment in human capital as an asset, but it is a potential reality if done with human capacity at the core.
- We the people can provide the political will that has been missing to address this issue, we just need to get on the same page via a comprehensive vision and work together.
Affordable Housing
It seems that "Affordable Housing" is a conundrum that is better addressed by outreach, education and grassroots than political will. The issue is the disempowerment and propaganda the media and political machines use to disenfranchise the ones who would benefit the most. Who would benefit the most? About 50% of the people in the United States, so how has this not gotten the will of the people behind it? See the statement about disenfranchisement (above).
Physical Elements, Efficiency, and Safety
This is the juice, creating efficient, safe, and livable spaces. Below are some areas we have identified for exploration:
Tiny House
- Insulation
- Renewable energy
- Hideaway toilet/sink
- Floor storage
- Murphy bed with storage
- Emergency communication systems with easy button for emergencies
- Communal kitchen, dinning, washing, w/heat, shelter, utility tables
- Community gardens
- Storage solutions
- Community gathering space and greenbelts
- Insulation and other efficiencies
- Renewable energy/ microgrids and storage
- Greywater processing, local waste processing
- Composting
- Community gardens
- Training center
- Community emergency management and preparedness storage
- Community council with rotating membership to maximize perspective
The Total Package
Fulfilling the promises we were made, and creating a humancentric community.
First and foremost this cannot be a political statement for it will fail. It needs to be driven by the people who have remained voiceless, unempowered, and disenfranchised. Sound like a hopeless effort? Then lets provide some hope, education and direction. This is where the influencers, educators, and policy folks come into play.
***Disclaimer, we are not trying to create a utopia, control peoples actions, get them to vote, pray, follow any leader, or anything that would affect their freedoms, or choices. What we are attempting to do is to get people to engage with each other, and us, in a process of determining and creating a better quality of life, greater security, and a more humancentric future.***
Our goal begins at the neighborhood and expands out to the community, the area, town, city, county, and region. One person at a time, reaching out, having discussions, listening to each other and building networks of shared experience with common goals based on our shared humanity. The ultimate goal is to rewrite the current social contract that is our cultural framework, into a more humancentric framework. For more information on this you can download the End Of Year Update for 2021 here: UPDATE!
Parts of the total package:
- Transportation
- Groceries
- Internet
- Healthcare
- Education
- Employment
- Communication
- Support services
- Oversight
We don't know what we don't know, maybe you do?
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." ~ Albert Einstein
Dominos and Dots
- THE SECRET SHAME OF MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS
- Millions of working Americans still can’t afford food and rent
- Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2017
- A Wharton Business School professor says her students think the average American makes six figures, and one thought $800,000 was an average salary
- Foreclosure to Homelessness: The Forgotten Victims of the Subprime Crisis
- The Roots of the Crisis
- Subprime crisis: US foreclosures bring homelessness to the middle class
- There Is No Easy Fix For The Affordable Housing Crisis
- How public housing was destined to fail
- The Unequal Burden of Crime and Incarceration on America’s Poor
- Myths and Realities about Public Housing
- Criminalization of Poverty as a Driver of Poverty in the United States
- Nearly half of Americans say rising cost of living is the greatest threat to financial security
- Gas, electricity, food: Cost of living skyrockets in California
- State of Homelessness: 2021 Edition
- Millions of Americans Are One Missed Paycheck Away From Poverty, Report Says
- One in three families are a month's pay from losing homes, says study
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