Hey, everyone. Welcome to the show. Glad to be
here. So think about this for a second. Working
your fingers to the bone, playing by all the
rules society sets out, and still, maybe tonight,
you don't have a safe place to actually sleep.
Yeah, it's a really tough thought. And it's not
some dystopian fantasy. It's the quiet, often
unseen reality for, well, a growing number of
people right here in America. What's particularly
unsettling, I think, is how this struggle is
happening in our own communities, often hidden
right in plain sight. It really forces us to
rethink what we thought we knew about who experiences
homelessness and why. Absolutely. And this deep
dive into Brian Goldstone's There's No Place
for Us, it actually comes as a direct request
from our friend Celestial Circle Dance over on
YouTube. So shout out to you. Oh, cool. Yeah,
it's a great suggestion. It really is. This book,
it's a powerful piece of contemporary social
commentary, really ethical journalism. It dives
deep into those hidden realities of working homelessness
in America. And hey. If this topic sparks your
interest, if it resonates, please hit that like
button and subscribe for more in -depth analyses
like this one. We'd really appreciate it. Goldstone
has definitely crafted something impactful here.
Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove mentions in the foreword,
you know, that it's a book really poised to shift
the national conversation. Yeah, I felt that,
too. And you can find a link to grab your own
copy of There Is No Place For Us on Amazon. It's
right there in the description below. Good. What's
so compelling, I think, about Goldstone's work
is how it peels back the layers of the stories
we tell ourselves, you know, about work, about
housing. It pushes us to really examine what
homelessness even means today. Exactly. We'll
be pulling directly from his. compelling journalistic
accounts and his insightful analysis, looking
at individuals and families grappling with housing
insecurity, with homelessness. And Rachel Aviv
notes this in her forward, too, how his approach
embodies this really deeply empathetic and ethical
way of bearing witness to these struggles. It's
not just about the numbers. Not at all. And the
way Goldstone structured the book is also quite
telling, I found. The progression through those
sections. equilibrium storm possibility rupture
and then the new american homeless it really
guides you through understanding how these seemingly
stable situations can just unravel right how
you get from equilibrium to well rupture. Precisely
how people end up in such precarious circumstances.
Exactly. So our goal, our mission in this deep
dive is to really get under the skin of this
issue of working homelessness, just as Goldstone
presents it. OK. We want to unpack those underlying
systemic factors at play and maybe most importantly,
bring to the forefront the very human stories
that so often get lost behind the statistics.
OK, let's really get into this then. The core
argument that just jumps out from Goldstone's
work is this significant and growing number of
individuals and families who are actively working
but still find themselves without a stable home.
This isn't about a lack of effort or, you know,
some detachment from the world of work. It's
different. That's such a crucial point, isn't
it? Goldstone is really challenging that older,
maybe outdated understanding of homelessness.
You know, that Peter Rossi model from the late
80s, which often framed it as something separate
from work. Right. Unconnected. Yeah. But what
we're seeing now, what Goldstone documents, it
paints a very different picture. And what makes
this even more jarring is where this rise in
working homelessness is concentrated. It's in
many of our wealthiest and most rapidly developing
cities. Yeah. Places like New York, D .C., Seattle,
Austin, Phoenix, Denver, Nashville. These are
booning economies, right? Low unemployment, lots
of corporate growth. It creates this really disturbing
paradox. Totally. It completely flips the script.
You'd expect that in areas with such economic
vitality, people would be, well, thriving or
at least secure. But Goldstone makes a powerful
paste that it's often these very forces of prosperity
that are pushing people out. It's less about
them falling into homelessness and more about
being actively displaced. Exactly. It really
forces us to confront the widening chasm between
what people are actually earning and the truly
exorbitant cost of housing in these so -called
thriving areas. And the numbers Goldstone lays
out are just. Staggering. I mean, consider this.
There is not a single state, not one metropolitan
area, not even a single county anywhere in the
U .S. where someone working full time at the
local minimum wage can afford a basic two bedroom
apartment. Wow. Let that sink in. Just. Yeah.
What does that say about the fundamental relationship
between work and survival in our country? It
really highlights the sheer depth of this unaffordability
crisis. And then you have the term Goldstone
uses severely cost burdened households. Right.
He points out that over 11 .4 million low income
households are in this situation. That means
more than 78 percent of their entire income is
going just to keep a roof over their heads. 78
percent. Yeah. What kind of. stability or opportunity
can possibly exist when that's the reality. You're
just constantly on the brink. And it's not like
incomes have kept pace with this, right? I mean,
since 1985, rent prices across the nation have
just skyrocketed. They've outpaced income growth
by an unbelievable 325 percent. 325 percent.
It's like trying to climb a ladder that's constantly
getting taller while the rungs stay the same
distance apart. It feels impossible. It really
compels us to ask some tough questions about
the sustainability of our economic models, doesn't
it? Definitely. Goldstone highlights that nearly
half of American workers earn a median hourly
wage of just $10 .22. And 22. Which, to put that
in perspective, that's below the federal poverty
line for a family of three. How can we expect
people to maintain housing security on wages
like that? You can't. And for individuals on
fixed incomes, like folks receiving supplemental
security income, SSI, it's even more bleak. Goldstone
points out that the average rent now consumes
about 142 % of their already meager monthly income
of $943. 142%. It's literally impossible. It's
a mathematical impossibility to secure stable
housing under those circumstances. There's just
no way. And the specific examples Goldstone provides,
they really bring the weight of these statistics
to life. This concept of a housing wage, the
hourly wage needed to afford basic rent. That
was striking. It's particularly telling. In Atlanta,
he says it's nearly $30 an hour. Meanwhile, the
state minimum wage is still hovering around $7
.25. $30 versus $7 .25. Right. And the sheer
number of hours someone in Boston or San Francisco
would have to work at minimum wage, he calculates
141 and 160 hours per week, respectively, just
to afford a modest two -bedroom apartment. Per
week. That's more than full -time. That's like...
Multiple full -time jobs. It paints a picture
of utter exhaustion and relentless struggle.
It really makes you wonder about the value we
place on people's time and well -being, you know?
Absolutely. And what makes There Is No Place
for us so powerful, I think, is that it doesn't
just present these overwhelming numbers. Goldstone
masterfully weaves in the human element. He chronicles
the experiences of various families right there
in metro Atlanta. And he does it in a way that,
you know, respects their privacy, avoids unnecessary
detail, but still conveys the profound precariousness
of their lives. What struck me was how Goldstone
illustrated the razor thin margins these families
are operating on. Yeah. He shares the story of
a mother, right? Someone who had dedicated her
life. to caring for others through her work yeah
now facing homelessness with her own children
and her just bewildered question how does that
even happen it speaks volumes about the erosion
of the social safety net it really does and the
imagery paints of working families forced to
live in their cars seeking just a sliver of security
in designated safe parking lots It's just heartbreaking.
Then you have the fact that over half of the
individuals seeking assistance from homeless
shelters are actually employed, often in low
wage jobs, but employed nonetheless. It completely
shatters that old stereotype of who experiences
homelessness. Goldstone really underscores how
a minor, unexpected setback, something. many
of us might just consider a temporary inconvenience,
like a car repair or a child needing extra care.
Yeah, just life happening. Exactly. How that
can become a complete catastrophe when you're
already teetering on the edge because of these
outrageous housing costs. It just highlights
the lack of any real financial buffer for so
many working families. We get these brief but
really impactful glimpses into the lives of individuals
like Britt and her mother Cass. It underscored
these multi -generational cycles of hardship
and the crucial role that community support networks
play. Often they're the only lifeline these folks
have. And Carr's experience is trying to juggle
the immense responsibilities of work and motherhood
under the constant cloud of housing insecurity.
That really brings home how these pressures don't
just deplete financial resources. They deplete
those absolutely vital emotional resources like
patience, affection, the ability to nurture.
That's such a good point. The invisible toll.
Yeah, it makes you think about that invisible
toll this takes on families, on kids. Then there
are stories like Maurice and Natalia's, a couple
who might seem stable from the outside, you know,
but their vulnerability to the volatile housing
market just shows how widespread this crisis
can be. It's not confined to one specific demographic
or situation. No, it cuts across different lines.
And Michelle's ongoing struggle trying to maintain
housing while dealing with the everyday challenges
of work and personal life, it just further reinforces
that these aren't isolated incidents. Right.
They are symptoms of a much larger, deeply ingrained
problem. It's so important to recognize, as Goldstone
emphasizes, that these aren't just unfortunate
anomalies. They are representative of a significant
and growing trend across the country. And this
naturally leads us to look at the deeper systemic
issues and, well, the policy failures that are
fueling this crisis. Exactly. Goldstone doesn't
shy away from examining the inadequacy of current.
tenant protections, which leaves so many working
families incredibly vulnerable to eviction with
very little recourse and the impact of gentrification.
While it's often framed as a sign of economic
progress, it clearly has a devastating effect
on long -term residents and the availability
of genuinely affordable housing options. pushing
people out. He uses these really stark examples
of the overwhelming demand for housing assistance.
You see these events in places like East Point,
Georgia or Dallas. Thousands of people lining
up, sometimes overnight. Just for a chance. Just
for the slim chance to apply for a limited number
of housing vouchers. It's such a powerful visual
representation of the immense unmet need out
there. And when we think about urban redevelopment,
the story of Techwood's demolition and the creation
of Centennial Place in Atlanta is particularly
instructive, isn't it? It really is. Because
while it brought significant pride and investment,
the number of original residents who were actually
able to return was incredibly small. It forces
us to question who truly benefits from this kind
of so -called revitalization. Yeah, who is the
progress for? Then there's the complex issue
of the low -income housing tax credit properties,
the LIHTC ones. Right, LIHTC. While these are
crucial for creating affordable housing, Goldstone
points out a significant challenge. The affordability
of these units is often temporary, usually for
about a 30 -year period. Okay. And as many of
these properties reach that milestone, there's
this looming crisis where these units could just
revert to market rate rents, which would further
shrink the already limited affordable housing
stock. Wow. So the problem could actually get
worse soon? Exactly. And Atlanta's projections
in this area are particularly concerning, according
to the book. What's also critical to understand,
and he touches on this, is how the very definition
of homeless used by many agencies can inadvertently
exclude families. So? Well, families living in
really precarious situations, like extended stay
hotels or maybe doubled up with other families
in overcrowded conditions. they might not fit
the strict definition. Ah, so they fall through
the cracks. Exactly. This definitional barrier
can prevent them from accessing crucial aid and
support services they desperately need. And Goldstone
also sheds light on the role that private equity
firms and large corporate landlords play in making
this crisis worse. Yeah, that was eye opening.
Their business model often involves acquiring
properties and aggressively increasing rents,
essentially treating housing as just a purely
profit driven commodity rather than, you know,
a fundamental human need. Right. It shifts the
dynamic completely. Amidst all these significant
challenges, though, Goldstone also makes sure
to highlight the inspiring examples of community
support and resilience that he witnessed. Which
is important. Yeah, it is. We see instances like
Britt, who we mentioned earlier, offering shelter
to friends in need. It demonstrates that powerful
spirit of mutual aid that often emerges in times
of crisis. And the emergence of tenant advocacy
groups like the Housing Justice League he mentions.
It shows that people aren't just passive victims
of these systemic forces. They're fighting back.
They're organizing. They're fighting for their
rights. Even though Goldstone's focus in this
book is maybe more on documenting the individual
experiences than the organizing itself. Right.
And individuals like Laquana L .A. Pink Alexander,
who work tirelessly on the ground providing direct
support and advocacy for those experiencing homelessness,
they really embody the crucial role of community
-based solutions, people helping people. Definitely.
So as we begin to bring this deep dive to a close,
the key takeaways from Brian Goldstone's There
Is No Place For Us are Well, they're undeniably
clear, I think. We are facing a significant and
often healing crisis of working homelessness.
It's driven by these deeply rooted systemic issues
that are making housing increasingly unaffordable
for a large and growing segment of our population.
And it's vital that we remember the profound
human impact. Right. So powerfully conveyed through
the individual stories. Goldstone shares. These
aren't just abstract data points. They are real
people, families, communities facing incredibly
difficult and often destabilized. circumstances
every single day. Ultimately, there is no place
for us serves as a powerful challenge to our
assumptions about homelessness. It compels us
to confront a reality that often remains unseen,
but has these huge far reaching consequences
for individuals and really for the very fabric
of our society. This leaves us with a really
important question for you, the listener, to
consider. After taking this deep dive into these
realities. What does the concept of home truly
signify in America today? And what fundamental
shifts in our thinking and maybe in our policies
are truly necessary to ensure that a safe and
stable home is a possibility for everyone who
contributes their labor to our communities? Yeah.
It really makes you reflect on the ethics of
economic growth when its benefits aren't shared
equitably. And our collective responsibility
to assure basic human needs are met. That's a
powerful thought to end on. For those of you
who want to delve much deeper into these critical
issues and the incredibly moving individual stories
within, we strongly encourage you to purchase
Brian Goldstone's There Is No Place For Us. Highly
recommend it. Yeah, absolutely. You'll find that
Amazon link conveniently located in the description
below. And we also urge you to maybe seek out
and support local organizations in your own communities
that are working on the front lines of addressing
housing insecurity. Yeah. See what's happening
locally. You might be surprised by the opportunities
to get involved and make a difference, even in
small ways. Thanks for joining us on this deep
dive. Thanks, everyone.