Homeless people in Alaska? (Fairbanks, Tanana: income, taxes, live)

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by sskkc

How would a homeless person learn about this job? The sober ones, I mean? Not even here did you mention EXACTLY where to find this "work". What about if you don't have a van? What if you used the internet to find this site, but once you logged off, the slip of paper you wrote it down on got wet and illegible?

When I was young, I went through a short, homeless phase. I was not a drunk or doing drugs. I had a horrible, abusive childhood and couldn't catch a break. I also wasn't raised near poverty, so I had no idea where to go for social programs. The internet wasn't around.

I climbed out of it quicker than most. But now, when I hear someone say, "There are programs"... it annoys me. Those programs are for the biggest losers... people who are "trying" have a harder time. I remember one "helpful" volunteer at a shelter suggest pregnancy as a way "out" for me - without a baby, an address, a minority skin tone or an addiction, I didn't "qualify" for any programs. It didn't help that I was no longer being abused, believe it or not.

That said, in my early 20s, self supporting and doing well, I reached out to others. I had to stop... I couldn't find the ones like me and the ones I did find hurt me in many different ways. I had to move out of state to get away from them and their fellow homeless 'friends', as many knew where I lived. They would break in while I was at work and make themselves at home, steal my clothes and food, leave their filth and stink behind, make phone calls, crank my heat and leave the doors open when they left. I don't think any of them knew how to flush a toilet.

Wow... this post took a turn! But those are representative of MY experiences as and with homeless people.

Agencies can be a pain to negotiate through, however, take the person who lost their job, can't afford rent or house payment, has a family and falls through the cracks; or someone who becomes ill and can't work - home can be gone real quick. Not all those that are homeless is due to drugs/alcohol.

[blueflames50]

dang website didn't want to copy correctly...anyway alaskalist has 111 job posting one offers housing!! it is NOT a www website...this is the link

Alaskaslist.com

[rppearso]

Originally Posted by Alaskapat528

Agencies can be a pain to negotiate through, however, take the person who lost their job, can't afford rent or house payment, has a family and falls through the cracks; or someone who becomes ill and can't work - home can be gone real quick. Not all those that are homeless is due to drugs/alcohol.

Very true, skilled professionals can become homeless and the jobs they are looking for is not day labor for drunks who are drying out yet they are treated that way. They are skilled professionals and are likely looking for skilled professional jobs not day labor yet there are no services to get these people back on there feet and returned to an income level they had before.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

I don't feel sorry for people who bought $300,000 houses they can't afford. But, what I'm talking about is the fact that real wages have been declining since the 70's, and the disparity between median incomes and median wages is making it exceedingly difficult for people to save money and thrive. I do believe that the unemployed should take ANY job until they find something better. I've mowed lawns, I actually like it. I worked a $7.50 per hour job at one point THIS decade. I agree that there are many people who rode the gravy train of easy money as realtors, mortgage brokers, and the like, and who aren't ready to swallow their pride and take a step backwards. I'm not one of them.

This was in response to starlite's post.

It's like that all over, and I'd say it's worse in many places than Alaska. Come down to Vermont for a real eye opener...where $9 an hour at retail is considered a "good" job in a state that taxes everything to death and where out rich of staters have driven up real estate prices to where it's not affordable for residents to buy any property (then there's the taxes...). For about 200 years my family did good at farming in Vermont, never wealthy but definately a middle class level income for 150 years of that time (it showed in the old house and furnishings...). That farm had to be sold off many years ago now or it was just a matter of time until going under. Because of the costs, taxes, low prices of everything that was being raised and grown, free trade forcing competition with the third world...if it weren't for that I'd be sitting on over 100 acres (though admittedly it wasn't the greatest land for farming, rocky and hilly) in a beautiful farmhouse that my family settled before the American Revolution, next in line to own it after my parents...such is the disaster created by our politicians economically for many decades now...

But this has played out across the country really...we're almost all going to sink to third world level eventually if we don't turn things around in this country...

[NomadicBear]

My last post should have read: the disparity between median incomes and median home prices...

I enjoyed your post arctichomesteader. It sheds light on the rot that is destroying this country. Greed has driven the cost of shelter through the roof. Many of those who already own property rejoice at high prices, until they open their tax bill. High housing prices are good for nobody except for the top 1%. I've decided I want to buy an inexpensive piece of land and build a tiny cabin which they can't tax to death.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by rppearso

Very true, skilled professionals can become homeless and the jobs they are looking for is not day labor for drunks who are drying out yet they are treated that way. They are skilled professionals and are likely looking for skilled professional jobs not day labor yet there are no services to get these people back on there feet and returned to an income level they had before.

Obviously some expect others to do the 'work' to restore their income...guess degrees don't teach common sense, ambition to do for yourself and family even if you don't feel the job is worthy just to get by for a short time until something better comes along...Yeah..it's much easier to whine about how employers are selfish, drivers are rude, beer costs too much..someone will bail you out for sure

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

My last post should have read: the disparity between median incomes and median home prices...

I enjoyed your post arctichomesteader. It sheds light on the rot that is destroying this country. Greed has driven the cost of shelter through the roof. Many of those who already own property rejoice at high prices, until they open their tax bill. High housing prices are good for nobody except for the top 1%. I've decided I want to buy an inexpensive piece of land and build a tiny cabin which they can't tax to death.

That is another nice thing about Delta Jct, no property taxes. Although some did try to put forming a borough (like a county) to the vote but it was defeated.

[NomadicBear]

Originally Posted by gobrien

That is another nice thing about Delta Jct, no property taxes. Although some did try to put forming a borough (like a county) to the vote but it was defeated.

Wow, no property taxes would be awesome. I think I'd really like being near the ocean, though. That's one thing I love about western WA, and I don't want to give that up. That's why I'm partial to some place like the Kenai peninsula- it's not too far from the salt water. I like to be able to take the pup out to the beach for a walk, or just sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds. Of course, I have no idea what access is like, so that's a consideration, but there's got to be public access, right?

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by Grannysroost

Obviously some expect others to do the 'work' to restore their income...guess degrees don't teach common sense, ambition to do for yourself and family even if you don't feel the job is worthy just to get by for a short time until something better comes along...Yeah..it's much easier to whine about how employers are selfish, drivers are rude, beer costs too much..someone will bail you out for sure

I don't think this is the intent of this discussion. I personally would be glad to clean toilets all day and night if it would provide my family with enough to just meet basic living expenses. Sometimes people just end up in inexplicable situations due to a variety of factors.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by gobrien

I don't think this is the intent of this discussion. I personally would be glad to clean toilets all day and night if it would provide my family with enough to just meet basic living expenses. Sometimes people just end up in inexplicable situations due to a variety of factors.

So would I, but this person has been posting many negatives on what Alaska is not giving him, but when you look at some of the other things he posts around the internet including trying to dodge on his child support, dating site where he lies about having kids and is living with someone already, carrying on about how much pizza and beer cost in AK, etc...I think he expects someone else to fix his situation, I doubt he would clean a toilet because it does not bring him back to what he was making previously, this is an attitude that gets no one anywhere fast IMO, thus homeless...part of the cycle...