FEBRUARY 24, 2023 DISABILITY GROUNDCOVER NEWS “How does someone live with no companionship or love in their lives?” Toledo Streets vendor Joe on homelessness, mental illness and work You may be asking yourself how the listed words in the title of this article fit together. Let me explain why I have grouped them together. The most recent count of homeless people I can find is 600 to 800 in Toledo. A good portion of them have a mental and/or physical disability. Which played a big part in their present situation. From not being able to hold a job to not being able to get a job because of a disability. Which in turn is a big factor in how homelessness starts. I have sat down with some of the homeless people that were willing to elaborate about their life and how they got where they are. I will not be using real names as they have requested of me. Some of their stories even overwhelmed me emotionally. As I listened, I felt the struggles and pain. It was almost too much to take in at times. Each person was unique, but somewhat the same, if that makes sense. Jane, as we will call her, was born with Epilepsy and Tourette’s. From the time she could remember her family was ashamed of her. To the point when they had company outside of family, they would lock her in her room or the basement like an unwanted animal. She remembers like it was yesterday. She was home-schooled so as not to embarrass her parents. Which makes it almost impossible to function in today’s society. When she turned 18 she was kicked out into the street with nothing but the JOE TAYLOR Toledo Streets vendor clothes on her back. Without a diploma and no job or social skills, it was almost impossible to survive. She tried a variety of workplaces, from fast food to the factory. Nothing was comfortable for her. Jane faced many challenges to the point she would only last a few days at each job. The end result being no income, except what she would make panhandling. Her emotional state was very distraught and hollow while talking with me. Despite her hesitation, Jane got help to get SSI benefits two years ago. As of six months ago she was approved. She tells me now she is so used to being homeless, she will live the rest of her life this way. I asked her if there was anything I could help with. Jane replied, “Love one another no matter what.” Jane is right, so many of us are fixated on appearance and material things. We forget to look past these things to see the true beauty of a person. Next, I spoke with John. John is a 44-year-old man who has been in and out of prison since the age of 22. He suffers from Bipolar II. He had loving parents who did everything they could to support him. Still, he was kicked out of school non-stop, from kindergarten to senior high school. John’s parents died in a car accident when he was 25. He explained that he gave up on life after they passed. He was convicted of crimes from robbery to attempted murder. He does not receive any government assistance at this time. Since the last time he was released from prison in 2017 he has been homeless. The way he talked about his disability is “a fight in your brain.” One side of his brain says yes and the other side says no. Which in his head creates confusion. “It is a war within your head that drives you to anger,” he said. Every job he held ended with him assaulting customers or nonstop arguments with bosses and co-workers to the point that it became physical. He gave up trying to be a productive member of society. Some of John’s everyday struggles are homelessness, hunger, loneliness, trust issues and getting into daily fights. Now he asks for spare change or food to survive. He made it clear he prefers to be homeless. This way he doesn’t have to worry about affection or dealing with people too much on a daily basis. The few times he has asked for help, he was admitted to different mental facilities, which seems to only make him madder. When I first approached him he was very standoffish with me. I was a little distrusting of his demeanor at the time I met him. I explained to him I just wanted to tell a story. He was kind of hesitant but decided to give me a chance. After talking with John, I felt a heaviness in my heart. How does someone live with no companionship or love in their lives? So many thoughts going through my head. I had to walk away from this story for a couple days. We take life for granted on a regular basis. I personally suffer from seizures and Bipolar I with self-destructive tendencies. I can relate to mental and physical disabilities. It is hard to hold a job and function daily. Which is a big part of selling street papers. They help me to grow constantly. We are a very judgmental world in many ways. I believe Lucas County, Ohio, needs more avenues for people with disabilities. More places to fit their needs in the work industry, so they can be productive in a positive way and feel somewhat normal. It is hard to function when it feels like you are destined to fail. Honestly, in my opinion, the system that is in place has failed many people. As a society we must learn to be more accepting of those with disabilities. Open your eyes to the people around us. Listen for a minute, you would be surprised by how much they have been through and are going through. Courtesy of Toledo Streets / International Network of Street Papers 7 How ability affects housing equality UNITED WAY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY Housing insecurity is an issue that disproportionately impacts people from various marginalized groups, one of which is people with disabilities. One cannot discuss housing insecurity without bringing disability into the conversation. The terms “unhoused” and “houselessness” were recently adopted and preferred by individuals coping with housing insecurity. Proponents of the updated terms say that houselessness does a better job capturing their situation. Home is more than the physical space. Home is composed community, memories and family, while the house is the actual structure that they’re living without. It is estimated that 25% of people who are unhoused are people with disabilities. Although there are laws in place to protect the rights of people with disabilities, discriminatory policies and housing practices still exist. An example of a discriminatory of housing practice is when property owners and property management companies require that applicants earn three times the monthly rent in order to be considered for housing. As a result of living on a fixed income, many people with disabilities don’t make enough to pay market rent rates and are left looking for affordable, and in some cases, accessible housing without success. Often the applicants are put on waiting lists that range between six months to eighteen months. When you add the need for accessibility to the equation, finding affordable housing is considerably more challenging. A recent report found that only 6% of homes nationwide are accessible while more than 15% of households include someone with a physical disability. Many shelters across the country are not accessible. This leaves people with physical disabilities with unstable and unsafe housing options. The lack of accessible and truly affordable housing around the country, coupled with attitudinal barriers, directly impacts people with disabilities. To address this situation people in positions of power need to adopt policies that prohibit discriminatory renting practices and be prepared to enforce these policies. Everyone, including people with disabilities, should have access to safe, affordable, and accessible housing. Originally published as part of United Way of Washtenaw County's Disabiltity Awareness Challenge in 2022.
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