Living Homeless in the Desert

LA County's housing crisis has gotten so severe that hundreds of people have felt they have no choice but to make camp in unincorporated areas of the Mojave Desert, where they will not be subject to police encounters.
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[@VICENews]

WATCH NEXT 👉Police Killed a Boy. His Friend Was Charged With Murder - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHfNd62baJ53mcU

[@fredtello]

I see a lot of young Able Body people who could get jobs they can go out get jobs and contribute to society... there's plenty of places hiring for lazy they just don't want to work and that's the end of it

[@bradforward850]

Dayum! Cop just lies right to our faces. You go there and harrass them, the people said it themselves. What a joke!

[@ronaldhall9701]

@@bradforward850 he wasn't laughing 😂

[@melcugonzaless7243]

American dream !

[@melcugonzaless7243]

Why they dont work ?

[@loub9293]

The craziest part is that those people have been there for 5-8 YEARS and the Deputies are saying they go out there all the time but have never met them. 🤦🏾‍♀️ telling on y’all’s self

[@hadynwills3677]

Just for the show if they have been going out there they'd know the people's name and how long they have been there.Sad fact all lies these feel good coproaches didn't know crappy city of Lancaster pushed them out into desert .

[@LamontLegacyGaming]

Facts lol

[@Jomskylark]

The fact that it's cops doing this is insane. Literally the same institution that caused them to be there in the first place... very few homeless are gonna open up to cops on ATVs

[@strayedarticle2838]

@@JM-gc8fn Either way those cops cost taxpayers a fortune. It would be cheaper to build an indestructible apartment complex with solar power amd house those people.

[@DennisFreitas-bn7nh]

Like a deputies around the world!

[@avenrivera3219]

He been there 8 years, and they never met him. That tells you everything you need to know.

[@Alpacabowl98]

what does that tell you, lol?

[@bob10647]

@@Alpacabowl98 that the cops did it for show. If they were already making efforts to help these people they would know all of those people by name. The cops didn't know anything about them.

[@LMG1985W]

Propaganda for those tyrants, only went to "check" on the "homeless" because the cameras were rolling. They were probably fishing to see if they can catch someone doing drugs, drinking, etc to enforce the narrative that they are criminals. Also, do they really need those UTVs ? Looks like a pickup truck would have sufficed. They can house and feed a few people for what those fucking toys cost them

[@OneshotMovement]

Yeah it was all show

[@Crismodin]

"We're out here everyday" = "Starting today"

[@bombaybeach208]

Better out in the middle of the desert than in our cities.

[@chriswaters1912]

If I lived out in the desert I would at least keep my area clean and not have random trash all over the place. These people are crazy.

[@Jelus1]

I was bad on Xanax for a part of my life and my drug use led me to have my girl and 2 daughters aged 4 and 2 to live in a VW Passat. My girl left me for another dude and it was the biggest eye opener of my life. Having to shower in sinks and parking in random places to crash, but the whole time making my daughters go thru it changed me. Now ten years later I'm able to take my girls to the movies out to eat and buy them a toy when we go to the store. Never lose hope in yourself and never depend on any one. You don't know how strong you are till you face this adversity.

[@Timnguyen_]

W story. Proud of you🤝

[@Farma_D]

Keep on the up man, at the end of the day family is all u got

[@MamasFunkyMonkey]

The difference is you are willing to do something about it

[@theboostedboogieman95]

Ik about the Xanax I had my first girl and going on my second to a boy I never went homeless I was able to work and do everything I would normally but on 6 green monsters a day you should know what I'm talking about. But it was bad my girl was ready to leave and I recall fighting with her all the time about stopping and I'd tell her when I'm ready to stop ill stop it was the drugs talking but it was the truth I changed when I wanted to there was more to it like my kids and ect I'm going on buying my second house well land and then building a house life is great but the point is the person has to want the change I smoke my weed at night when the kids are sleeping and that's it clean going on 6 years

[@mbr0916]

I’m beyond proud of you!!! Addiction is one a hard battle to fight, but we do recover! 🙌🏼

[@robchr]

You can tell the LA sheriff was just going out for the cameras because they didn't know any of the people out there or their story. The equipment was all new and the sent a lieutenant.

[@CleanupKrew7]

Exactly.

[@jeffreystorer4966]

No shortage of money for the little buggy n trailer to go somewhere the could of just driven the tow vehicle that's what is wrong with all Govt every problem is an excuse to waste money on toys from r themselves. I'd bet the dealer n Sherif are related

[@yzyz7779]

Yeah, like that black guy said trust is aready gone

[@tyenieshafrancis6184]

They didn't even offer these people any services

[@jeffreystorer4966]

@@tyenieshafrancis6184 Australia is heading the same way we have people struggling already but it's going to get ver bad here very quickly everyone who cares about poor are not helped by govt and the ones who do get resources basically rort the system to help only themselves

[@nomadman1196]

I'm currently living out of a cargo trailer in New Mexico. I can relate to what these people are going through. 😢

[@2sick4you68]

How is the winter in the place where you live in NM?

[@2sick4you68]

I can't imagine how so many us citienz have to leave in trailers in very cold places

[@fernandohenriquepereiracha9996]

if you are an american citizen some have prejudice, imagine blacks, asians

[@nomadman1196]

@@2sick4you68 very cold

[@TheMysteryMachine]

@@fernandohenriquepereiracha9996 NEW Mexico. NEW mexico. i live here too. i can't believe the number of people who miss that word "new". WE ARE AMERICANS jeeez

[@Florencecoxx]

not a single person in this world deserves to live like this. It is straight up horrible and unfair. I hope our world comes to a point it wakes up and see which problems to solve first!

[@Florencecoxx]

Most times it amazes me greatly how I moved from an average lifestyle to earning over $63k per month, Utter shock is the word. I have understood a lot in the past few years that there are lots of opportunities in the financial market. The only thing is to know where to invest.

[@izagdlife]

@@Florencecoxx I keep wondering how people earn money in financial markets, i tried trading bitcoin on my own made a huge loss and now I'm scared of investing more.

[@Florencecoxx]

@@izagdlife That won't bother you if you trade with a professional like *Mr Gary Mason Brooks* my coach, you may have come across him on interviews relating to bitcoin and stocks. He trades, manage trading account and offer mentorship program for clients who wish to become professional investors.

[@izagdlife]

@@Florencecoxx You allow people to trade for you? that's interesting, I would love to learn, hope it’s safe..?

[@thamad311]

@Queen OF Love This is the Fourth time I'm seeing someone talking about Mr Gary as there are lot of testimonies about him, do you know him ? if yes , did you invest with him?

[@smarie3874]

I have a disability. Without my family’s care and they’re ability to help support me, I could be one of these folks. So tragic.

[@PRIVATEJAY]

Same here.

[@John_Smith_86]

You can just willingly surrender to State authorities and they will make arrangements to take custody of you.

[@akinah3827]

Same

[@itspsychi]

Same here. This could be any of us.

[@dustinjacobs1835]

same here , i just dont have a disability im just a loser

[@StickybirdpooMusic]

I'm a dissabled veteran...I have severe mental and physical health issues. If not for my wife, who has patiently taken care of me and helped me with handling our finances, helping me to eat, and find housing...I would be living on the street alone...or dead. No, I don't do drugs , but without a loving family and any hope for the future...dayum. I think I'd drown in a bottle or die with needle in my arm to escape the he'll life can be. Everyone is at risk of homelessness, most people are just to ignorant to recognize there own fragility.

[@TylerBigHead]

100% its so sad, thank you for your service btw

[@dk-qr5xt]

Thank you for your service, sir. It's all too telling that the same country you fought for now gives nothing back for that in return, pretty appalling overall. Hope you're doing well, and God Bless.

[@igglybiggly6951]

Thank you for your service ! Our vets are too often forgotten

[@willstachowiak9150]

Thank you for your service and bless your wife for being such an angel to you. I hope you're well, always.

[@iblis2844]

Thank you for still being human. Seems rare sometimes.

[@motleyminded85]

As a former homeless person, I'm not afraid to say that the reason authorities get rid of homeless camps isn't because "it's a crime to be homeless." It's because homeless camps bring crime, drugs, filth, and other disturbances. It's not uncommon for homeless people to commit crimes to cope with their homelessness.

[@Maxthebass]

Lmfao homeless for what a day? Crime drugs and filth happen every where all of the time, authorities get rid of encampments because they’re paid to.

[@fernandohenriquepereiracha9996]

Blame is not just beggars, it's easy to point out crimes starts if people have no support, you should know very well prejudice is big... labeled as bums

[@PeterB9]

this observation is as old as politics is: right politics hold individuals accountable for their actions regardless of their background in order to strength the society as a whole while left politics try to look at the causes of someones ill-behaviour and hold social evils accountable. The US is therefore a far-right nation, which is neither bad not good. Personally I believe that the best way to evolve as a society is a way in between these two extremes.

[@sasa-ix9yd]

drugs is a big part of the issue...if they didnt need.the drugs they could eaaily live in a tent in the forest growing their own food

[@DaveBoswell-lz3kc]

The biggest issue is the rising cost of living.

[@user-xc5js3go4c]

this is crazy i was one of the homeless in Lancaster for over 7 year but I left Cali

[@kcsweatman6593]

My son was homeless in Los Angeles for over 3 years. He got his big break when he tried to kill himself and ended up in a mental hospital. A social worker took interest in him and got him into counseling and a halfway house. The state helped him get into barber school, and he landed a full-time job. He eventually received a HUD voucher so he could afford housing on his own. It's really sad to think he had to almost die to get noticed. My heart goes out to all the homeless in our country. Many of them just need the right person to care.

[@rcpilot179]

What is also very sad, is that we have veterans who are in the same situation. Homeless veterans have been camping in Los Angeles for months.

[@johnnyobigcatdaddy]

Amen 💜

[@stevengardner8986]

_y

[@culley8841]

So now he's leeching off tax payers?.....congratulations....I guess.

[@wendys390]

No, he had to almost die to realize he needed to take responsibility for providing for himself, which he then did. You're his mom---you cared. It wasn't the caring he lacked, it was the perspective of an adult, and what an adult must do to save himself from the abyss and live a good life. Sometimes they just need to hear the same thing from someone other than the parent, and it's like they never heard anything like that before...strange but true! He had to come to understand certain realities, and I'm glad he did and is now so much better. I'm so glad for you too, because I can imagine what you went through during certain times. God bless you.

[@mobiltec]

I was "homeless" living in my van with three dogs in 08 after the big housing crash. Second time I was homeless due to a recession which was self inflicted. Both times I got myself out of the problem by not giving up and finding work. I got myself off the streets. Now I own my own place and two vehicles. I'm not rich by any means and I will have to work in order to eat until the day I die. I never asked anyone for help. I did it all on my own. It wasn't easy but I didn't have a drug problem and I was determined not to live life on the streets. Here we are in 23, again suffering from a self inflicted recession which could easily turn into a major depression. If that happens I think more than 50 percent of the population will end up homeless. Listen for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for you.

[@quakkapoowa453]

Sad that there are no means of keeping the area clean and tidy.

[@kesayo]

We are no longer a society that allows people to just be somewhere without a purpose. I feel like once I leave my home, I can’t just stand or sit in one spot and do nothing without attracting suspicion. People start wondering what you’re doing and call the cops. It’s kind of unsettling to realize that.

[@quadeergreen7808]

Most diff coming form a black man with tatts on my face it’s very hard for me to find places to sleep

[@erikh9991]

You are correct. It is called loitering or trespassing. If you want to scare the kids and old people you can do it in the forest or desert.

[@kesayo]

@@erikh9991 Exactly. Even in a “free” country, it’s illegal to just exist in a public place.

[@jasonfennell1114]

Start doing yoga and breathing exercises and they’ll get really freaked out. Or they’ll clap and ask for advice. You’re either a good civilian or a sage. Not permitted to be anything in between.

[@cursedf7429]

Duh taxes and death

[@dailyplanet2]

I was homeless for 5 years in a smaller town (about one fifth the size of Lancaster's 174 thousand people) in Michigan. One winter it got as cold as 25 below zero at night for a spell of days and some poor guy froze to death sleeping in the back of a pickup truck. The first thing you have to realize is most people really don't care. Except for a blessed few most people are worried about their own problems and you are lucky if they don't see you as a threat. You have to help yourself. The most important thing is to stay away from drugs and alcohol. I suppose that is easy for me to say because I have been able to do it, but you have to want to stay clean. Being clean and sober is a good life no matter what else you are forced to deal with. Every day we are alive is a gift from God. Thank Him for it by living it with clear eyes and a clear brain. Fight your demons without the devils crutch and ask our creator sincerely for the help you need to deal with your cravings for escape. The second thing is get a job. Any job. And commit to staying employed no matter how much it sucks. You need that paycheck and open a bank account and save as much as you can. There will always be people who have more and people who have less. People respect you if you have a job and money in the bank. Find a way out. What do you need? A place to sleep where you won't get rousted in the middle of the night by the cops or worse yet some psychopath out wandering around. You need food, water, a place to take a shower once in awhile, some clean clothes. I was quite impressed with the Kensington campus. 300 rooms on 14 acres. Apparently some people in Lancaster do care and have the ability to get something done and make some progress. Maybe it is not for you but it is a blueprint for simple affordable living. A place to establish a community that is acceptable to the rest of society where you can build friendships and networks that will bring some stability. It could be a place that serves as a launch pad to maybe one day strike out and buy a couple acres in the desert, build a real house that's neat and legal and complies with zoning restrictions etc. Anyway this is my two cents worth. It's the plan I followed and I found out the more you help yourself the more other people will help you. I was eventually able to find a house that was cheap because it had been neglected for a long time by people with problems. It had finally been abandoned and was being vandalized and I bought it before it was torn down. I have been working on it ever since. It is nice to own a piece of land and call it home.

[@vm476]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Alex-tt1vp]

There is no god

[@JennyBeanCandles]

Thanks for sharing your story

[@222wheelsdown]

Amen sir and thank you for sharing.

[@Bex81]

Are you a member of a 12 step program?

[@Autistic_Pixel]

that cop playing it up for the camera then saying "See we gave them bottles of water, there is no tension now move along."

[@richardmorris7063]

What do you want him to do? They all got off track one way or another, getting it together in expensive California is not doable. They're much more permissive to it than most places & that is a problem. Don't do drugs kids,its a slippery slope.

[@Older4younger]

Not all homeless people are bad. But there are those who give us a bad name. My camp is clean and uncluttered. My last camp was raided. My stuff was stolen and my tent was ripped open. I'm retired but I work part time to eat. I fly a sign only when I have to. The homeless problem is not going to go away. But the rent situation is out of hand. The same apartment that I payed $450 a month for is now going for $1000 to $1200 a month. That's insane. I'd rather not be a part of society. I don't like where it's going. All the things going on in the world are shadows of things to come. Things are only going to get worse. I know y'all won't believe me but tribulation is coming. I don't know when it will start, but we don't have much longer.

[@kile1058]

Doubtful that outreach team goes out even monthly. I mean not knowing people who’ve been out there 5-8 years? Says a lot

[@wesleyrodda606]

As someone who was born and raised in Lancaster.. while also having a grandfather who was homeless this hit hard. I can’t thank Vice enough for shedding a light on this subject while other continue to cast shadows and turn a blind eye.

[@maxconing812]

Those officials are stuck up and never had a hardship in their life. It’s not bad to have hardships. If you think ab it people really only accept hardship when it’s out of their control or have no accountability for the hardship like if it was a consequence. Then it’s just called discipline which if inflicted on ones self is socially acceptable but in the form of a consequence it is viewed down upon and stigmas follow

[@BenBen-bt9to]

why not ask your grandfather to live together with you , you are just fake kind

[@dingdingdingdong713]

The truth

[@traviswilson36]

Gross. It's laziness.

[@Dr.Subhadipsarkar]

"Trust is taken long time ago"🙂 God bless this amazing people.

[@GrImReApPeR99]

"we go out there all the time" then proceeds to ask "how long you been here?" she is like "5 years" lmao 🤣

[@NoMoreCrumbs]

One time when I was walking around near downtown Lancaster, this homeless guy just walked out of the desert and asked for a meal. When I bought him some food, the staff of the McDonald's tried to chase him off. They thought he was stealing it from me

[@metalfuk69]

If you're talking about the guy in rosamond by the jack in the box. He wouldn't leave. I worked around the area and he camped out by the jack in the box for a few years, he was mentally ill. Finally since he wouldn't leave, after a confrontation with the police when someone complained about him, he was wacked by them. That's how they got rid of him.

[@tahoeclay]

That’s because workers are SICK of dealing with screeching wound picking meth heads in and around their places of business. If you can’t afford to live where you’re at, then hire a brain trust that’ll recommend you move.

[@benzepeda2926]

😂

[@ameryaser3987]

That's fucked up.

[@mani7263]

Man, that is screwed up

[@robertwitcher5113]

Over half of America is 1 week too 3 months of bad choices from being homeless… Sometimes your world falls apart and some don’t know how too rebuild it!! I pray for those people.

[@sloppyfloppy79]

Happened to me overnight. Lived with my brother and sister. My sister got indoctrinated by college and became very racist and sexist towards my brother and I. Her boyfriends caused serious issues as well. I ended up getting locked out of the house (she never paid rent, I covered her end while she went to school). I kicked the door in and spit right on her face when she started getting physical. It backed her up and I ran, just to run into my mom who was on the phone with the cops in the driveway. Long story short, I didnt get arrested or charged but I became homeless without a family within minutes. Not saying I was in the right, but I certainly was in a situation where my stress levels peaked and I lost my cool. The silver lining was my mom ended up covering the rent on the whole house for the remainder of the lease. I'll bet she regretted getting me kicked out the first month rent was due. Didnt talk to her for 4 years. She eventually found me and begged me to come back into her life. I'm living alone now and I haven't spoke with her in months. Family is worse than strangers

[@alinalemanska2029]

Earning a low salary that does not pay for your living expenses is not a bad choice. Someone needs to do those jobs for society to function. It's up to the government to come up with a fair arrangement for everyone. That coffee shop you go to is served by a person who does not make enough to pay for their regular living expenses. Same goes for that cash register person who checked you out at that store, or that nursing asistant that helped you when you were injured or sick. Or even a person who got injured or sick. I broke my leg and had to say in bed for months and then was forced to go to work with my leg still broken. I received no help at that time, the doctor claimed it was not broken, how wrong he was. It remained swolen triple it's size for six months with enormous pain. Sometimes you can't even proof that there is something wrong with your body. I knew it was broken because I felt the bone crack, and I saw the crack line on the X-ray but since it was not dislocated the doctor claimed it was not broken.I asked for a disable parking permint for few months buy he would not give it to me. He just gave me one for a month. I was too injured to go back to ask for another one and my work insurance ended after one month sick leave. If I had no other income I would have ended up on the street with a broken leg and the doctor thinking that it was not broken.

[@florenceshockley1260]

Sometimes it's not bad choices all a person who lives paycheck to paycheck needs to be homeless is to loose their job.

[@maddienat]

How horrible can you be to throw someone without a home out of somewhere they made a home….

[@jacobkean03]

It’s incredible how they paint these people as victims like they don’t commit the majority of violent crimes.

[@minab8777]

I seriously doubt that the majority of violent crimes are committed by homeless people.

[@jacobkean03]

@@minab8777 you’ve never been to LA or any other populated area.

[@n00dles79]

regular homeless outreach “nice to meet you”

[@anatomicallycorrectmuppets8180]

EXACTLY

[@auntymarushkafah]

More like "GTFOOH".

[@keypeng4164]

roll out in spotless ATVs lol

[@onetwo12onetwo526]

BOOM

[@richardharmon647]

About 2 years ago I lost my job I was able to get a couple others but then I became disabled. For a while I thought I was going to end up homeless but God blessed me and I got my va disability and a few other things that makes it so that I can be self-sufficient now. Prayers for for those who don't have the safety net I ended up having.

[@LouJNT]

Went through this experience at a really young age and never want to go back to it, you really don't know how hard u struggle to know where you're going to sleep that day unless you've gone through that, I remember having to spend days sitting on a park bench just thinking of what was gonna happen next, thankfully I'm doing fine now but when you've gone through that there's always that fear of becoming homeless again, it's always in the back of your mind, sometimes you just tear up thinking about how bad things were, anyways I just went on a tangent but my point is to just show some sympathy to these people because you don't know their situation or how they ended up there

[@tmad273]

I know exactly what you're talking about....My wife and I lost everything back in the days of the Housing Crash..had to sleep in the Truck for days on end...I remember my wife sleeping in the truck so uncomfortable and I would just look at her and cry as silent as I could as she would sleep...I felt like sh!t. I never want to go back to that...I've since left Cali, hell, I left the country all together...we now make close to six figures a year so things are good now...BUT we ALWAYS think of those bad times..It will never leave our heads.

[@LouJNT]

@@tmad273 Yeah you always carry that stuff with you if you've gone through it

[@amber76OH]

Yes, agreed all around, sympathy can go a long way 🖤✌️

[@HLBNZ]

@@tmad273 Me too. I left 16 years ago and haven't looked back . Americans are so controlled by the richest 1% that they don't realize that being a 1st world country and not having universal healthcare is oppression. Europe also has corruption but at least crony capitalism isn't #1 on their agenda. They value human life over money,unlike the USA where a middle class family can become homeless over a medical emergency

[@tmad273]

@@HLBNZ I agree 100%

[@Becca._E]

I live in Bakersfield, CA, Kern County. Not far from Lancaster. Fresno and Los Angeles give their homeless $500 and a 1 way bus ticket to Bakersfield. We have 1 shelter here with 130 beds, for a homeless population of 4000+. The homeless resources available here are a joke, at best. In order to get help, unless you are a mom with kids, a veteran, or have a terminal illness, you are the last on the list to get help. Oh, and the main honelessb outreach has to "find you", don't call and ask. Theres many families who live along the river. Until recently, code enforcement would give homeless people 72 hrs to clear camp and move. They passed a new thing recently, no 72 hours. Police show up, a bulldozer destroys their tents and belongings, leaving them with nothing and they have to move. To where??

[@allandario]

I am from Peru, came to New York with borrowed money in 2000, I have been working with homeless and substance use population since I graduated college in 2008. There is a lot to be done, however, this is still the greatest country on earth.

[@jimbocho660]

Lol Ever been to Holland or Germany?

[@user-wx7dd9gc6j]

​yes I have, great cities!!😊

[@allandario]

@@jimbocho660 not yet, but now I live in Pennsylvania in an area where most people are of German descent. New York also used to be called New Amsterdam, this could perhaps show you that the German and Dutch would rather live here, the freest country on earth.

[@citrused8571]

Hi thanks for your story, I agree we are a great country, not the best yet, as every country has their strengths. I know this country is going through a lot right now but I believe we can fix it. @@allandario

[@jetdude787]

People doesn’t realize how easy it is to go from having it all, to one day wake up and see that you lost it all. You need a lot of discipline and mental strength not to fall all the way down and be able to bounce back up….

[@jasminemarie5431]

even with discipline and mental strength you can become homeless. Homelessness is a systemic issue, someone having to pay medical bills of a dead relative that they cant afford, someone with a disability without family support, someone who doesn't have access to information about financial literacy, someone suffering from drug addiction. Homeless people are just like you and me, existing under a system that makes it impossible for them to get back on their feet.

[@jetdude787]

@@jasminemarie5431 every case it’s different, I would not blame, for example the system for my failures, but myself for failing. I lost everything after a big couple of events in my life, my own fault, I attribute my discipline and my mental togetherness to not haven’t fall to hard or too deep, I was homeless only about two months, and bounced back. Took me a decade to regain what I had lost, but got me a taste of how close to the bottom I got after having it all. Now, if the individual has drug/alcohol or other issues, mental problems etc. yes, definitely won’t be able to cope and put himself together to get back to normal, if there was any normal in their lives. What it is sad is that this is supposed to be the #1 country in the world, we go out of our ways to “go help the world”, but we cannot help, fir example our veteran homeless out of the streets…

[@B_Lane]

@@jasminemarie5431 not impossible jus improbable

[@charleshoang566]

That what I call personal responsibility, motivation, upward mobility.

[@williamyoung9401]

It's not just discipline, son! Most people have SOME sort of support network. Family, friends, former work associates...if you don't have that, it's even harder to bounce back. It's not just the individual. Not to mention personal upbringing and possible mental health issues as well.

[@gypsylips1950]

our society is morally bankrupt

[@oni-one574]

Nothing is stopping you from making money and sharing it with them.

[@WATCHMYCLIPSZ]

@@oni-one574 he can't. He's part of society. It is the yt comments after all.

[@whaletime69]

Remember that Regan caused this; shuttering the mental institutions forced vulnerable Americans into the streets. Zoning laws made making cheap homes hard and where homes are cheap there's no jobs to pay for them, this despair is easily solved but the men and women who run everything from small town halls to EPA officials manufactuer this hell

[@eksbocks9438]

Facts. A lot of people with empty heads. But a lot of arrogance. Of course nothing proactive would get done.

[@bpalpha]

@@oni-one574 Or you!

[@Sammybaan]

The most powerful and riichest nation on earth all politicians say proudly.

[@1omega]

all that glitters ain’t gold

[@jfrtbikgkdhjbeep9974]

greed, lots of greed

[@XenoRaptor-98765]

The true treasure of a nation is the people who live in it.

[@TheRealJaded]

Modern Americans work more hours than mid evil serfs did.

[@m1w]

America is an ethnic third world country. They should copy & paste a few things from first world countries like Germany. Free Healthcare for example. But that won't happen in the United Shitshow of America.

[@joeknowme7968]

Before I ended up living in the streets I contacted a trucking corporation and they trained me to get my CDL I don’t have a home but I live in my truck and earn money in 3 years I’m planning to buy a house for now i live in this comfortable truck.

[@lifeisshort-makeitsweet869]

Watching this and having inside contacts I will confirm the homeless in Lancaster are regarded as less than human by the sheriff’s department and community. It’s so sad. Kudos to the young lady standing her ground. Our country needs to stop thinking out of sight resolves the problem.

[@hunter.5625]

The democrats make it worse. Most of these people don’t want help but it needs to be there for the ones who do

[@fernandohenriquepereiracha9996]

​@@hunter.5625prejudiced politicians, no one wants to live in these conditions, but life is not fair even for those who fight daily

[@kevinadams9468]

For me it does.

[@Lilililizzy]

This hurt. I've been homeless. Only for 6 months and I've not even had to sleep on the streets, but just the sheer fact of waking up and not knowing where you'll sleep at night is extremely debilitating. It's hard to survive and take care of your daily needs. There's hardly room to invest in a future. I cannot imagine also having to fight an opposing force; a government that is supposed to help you. Then to also be vilified by people that are just one paycheck away from being you. Absolute madness. These people in the desert have all my respect and then some.

[@Acidlib]

I know, I find it extremely sad, but also strangely funny, when a certain type of suburban property owner refuses to allow any services that would help the homeless and help prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place, then they wonder why encampments start popping up and tons of people are sleeping in their cars on the side of the road. It’s because you refused to help them, so they decided to help themselves, yet even when they do that, you find something else to be mad about.

[@clydecash5659]

I know how you feel. It’s like you just can’t be left alone.

[@growmiezhomiez8760]

Ya it’s really hard to get back up out of the gutter after your down and out in the streets. No where to shower, or eat or anything…

[@khiem1939]

@@Acidlib Most if not all end up in these situations for NOT thinking ahead, yes they just want to live the good life, do drugs, no worry about a JOB, the "Government" will take care of you! Reality is that the Government cannot even take care of itself and they will not take care of you! I have been poor and I've had money, nobody gave me a thing, I worked for everything I have today and have found that, having money in your wallet, having food in your stomach is better than the alternatives! The SECRET is PLANNING ahead, not for a day, not for a month, but for your entire LIFE! Again, Government is NOT the solution since it's obvious that our Government can't even "take care" of itself and the USA is slowly morphing into a Third World Country!

[@Acidlib]

@@khiem1939 you obviously have no idea what real life is like for most people, take care and maybe try having conversations with some of the people you hate because of your misconceptions.

[@Oracol]

I live in Palmdale, which is directly south of Lancaster. The summers here are BRUTAL and the winters can get into the teens and even single digits. It doesn’t snow every year, but every now and then we’ll get decent snow. I can’t imagine living in this area in the summer without AC or in the winter without proper heating

[@williamyoung9401]

"You didn't see any tension between us, did you? Right, that's because there is no tension." If you have to ask about Tension, there's probably more than Tension. (9:53) The cops are just doing their jobs. It's the policy makers that don't want to spend money on services for these Americans.

[@Oracol]

@PC DETAIL *you're. Is this a competition? Have you been to Death Valley? That makes Mesa child's play. So what? 120°+ is pretty brutal when you're homeless and don't have AC. It's always hilarious when you mention the weather, there's always some ahole that chimes in as if it was a competition... Sheesh

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

And the wind can be desicating, hot or cold.

[@crystaln6988]

yup. im in littlerock, right next to palmdale. i have central heating/air but cant afford to use it. the elements out here are harsh and worse if you have health issues.

[@dmtdreamz7706]

It’s early dawn in the desert. The sky is starting to glow with light but the sun is still yet to rise. You’re standing there, looking at an ordinary desert bush. You’re struck by its geometric beauty, the mathematical precision of its fractally-arranged leaves. You feel an impulse to reach out. You run your fingers through its little green leaves. They feel spikey and alive.

[@Coyoteyiphowl]

Living on public land is one thing. Trashing it with garbage is another and unacceptable!!!

[@throwball2248]

I was homeless in San Diego didn’t know a single soul , the shelter was full and I slept on the sidewalk, one thing the shelters did was give you some resources like use of there telephones for job searching and a voice mail , I immediately started making phone calls got a job and after a week got a paycheck and stayed another month on the street saved enough to get a apartment then a car saved and saved and pulled myself out of the street and became a productive citizen again I did it and many others can do it with hard work and determination

[@joshlower3520]

He never said he had no credit did he

[@DesperadoDufel]

@@puppetmasterproductions not everbody starts out homeless when their able to build credit. Most homeless people once had a job, a place, car, and credit be it good or bad, and then fall into homelessness....so it's very possible for a homeless person to have some credit, alot of times it's bad and goes downhill due to drugs and lack of the money u once had and end up in collections and whatnot. Thinking homeless people can't have credit is beyond naive

[@shawnalynn5198]

​​@@puppetmasterproductions you know your credit score doesn't just disappear into thin air when you become homeless, right? most people have been building credit since approx age 18...so as long as they're not in major debt, they should still have a somewhat decent credit score. it doesn't change or go away due to homelessness. unless they've been on the streets for their entire adult lives but that's not the case for most homeless people

[@valenteone6051]

Thank you so much 💯💯❤❤❤ You are the perfect example of doing the necessary for yourself! Listen to these turds talking about when they are ready they will make changes🤦🤦🤦 Till then come on all taxpayers!!! Let's keep handing them their snap cards so they can enjoy McDonald's😠😠 I don't even eat like that cause I have more important things to pay on. So sick about hearing this....

[@eckankar7756]

Same here. Single mom with 2 babies living in a car. I worked at Circle K 5 days a week. Cosmetology students from a nearby school would come in for snacks and I'd ask about beauty school. Soon I was in school/work 7 days a week for 2 years and became a motivated hairdresser. I was able to buy a small house for my children and I then started buying investment rental properties doing haircuts, perms and color. I did it, I was motivated, I paid for school on my own. I wanted a better life for my kids. Now I'm a grandmother and have a nice portfolio of rental properties I'll leave to my family so their lives will be easier.

[@MaddHeather]

I've been homeless and it sucks and can lead you down a very dark road.. America doesn't care I promise that but I moved back to my hometown and busted butt to get myself together and I have a beautiful little apartment and thank God daily for how far I have come and that I have a roof

[@qjtvaddict]

Take it all the way leave the country

[@MaddHeather]

@@qjtvaddict can't afford all that.. plus I had a baby so like being close to family and can't bring them with me so🤷‍♀️

[@vm476]

That's how you do it Heather! Keep it up. I'm happy to read your comment: that is how it's done and the feeling of accomplishment is revitalizing. I'm so happy for you! Gratitude to God always!

[@garycarder4363]

Maybe it's time to break the power grid, rich people will suffer the most

[@dk-qr5xt]

God Bless, happy to hear that.

[@edwinsuarez8188]

My heart goes to those who are in that situation and can't wait to be out of it. On the other hand, many of those people are violent,dealing drugs, guns, and burning down trailers. I've seen it all with that kind of people. I was held at gun point at my shop by one of them, and the police did nothing.

[@joshuamejia2496]

The Officers right?

[@michelemelucci4667]

Heart breaking. So glad they aren't alone out there at least

[@Scottbryant-bx9nd]

hi michele i see happiness all around you,can i please share from it

[@SolidGoldShows]

Thank you Vice News for making this video. I can relate with those individuals because they are my neighbors. May they find comfort and blessings 🙏 peace my brothers and sisters

[@78town]

The cops that were recorded were sooo shady… can’t imagine what else goes down off camera.

[@blasianluvschocolate397]

I am living in a tent in the woods behind a shopping center now..I hardly sleep because I'm scared to.i dig in the trash can for food and beg..I'm so ashamed I'm in this situation I just don't want to live anymore.

[@dawnnicolas7617]

I have been homeless several different times in my life. I was never on drugs or drank alcohol, always was gainfully employed. Its a really big struggle. My heart goes out to all these people.

[@kaliforniakratom9601]

I have personally lived right in that exact same desert, with those same people. And I can promise you those deputies do not go out there. I have never even once seen them there. That desert is brutal brutal.

[@filibertosalinas6816]

Pics or it didn’t happen

[@MsEliteForever]

@@filibertosalinas6816 wow

[@scoobydoo8498]

@@filibertosalinas6816 not true

[@indycharlie]

Really , so the two black guys are lying ? When the Vice reporter asked them if those cops have been out there before . He answered " Not like this " . Then went on to explain what their Normal contact with them was like !

[@lukethompson4260]

It's sad. And California has one of the best economies in the world. Yet they don't offer good jobs to people.

[@aoutone7462]

It’s crazy being out here in Mojave for work and seeing this video. Weather conditions are brutal here in the summer. I work in a trade outside in the elements and couldn’t imagine having to live life out in desert. It’s the winter time frame right now and it’s super cold.

[@LordDirus007]

Yeah I was in the Army and spent time in Barstow (Fort Irwin, CA). During July it was Brutal. However, the Human body will adapt to most conditions on this planet. These people are climatized.

[@bellestarr6484]

@@LordDirus007 Pretty glib. Easy for you to say. Been there, done that. Nobody acclimatizes to 115-degree heat.

[@darkgalaxy5548]

Mojave Indians lived there for millennia. Up until 1950s, nobody in that area had air conditioning. The weather was tough, & you lived with it.

[@thisisme3238]

@@bellestarr6484 I agree, 115° weather is more than brutal, especially in the desert. No one could possibly ever get use to those temperatures. So sad to see this in America, considered to be the most prosperous country in the world...atleast it was...

[@app103]

@Kevin Hart You assume they have a drivers license. You assume they can afford a minivan. You assume they can afford insurance. You assume they can afford the fuel. And even if they could afford all that, what happens if/when they break down and can't afford repairs to keep them moving on the road?

[@dontran449]

That is so sad for people who homeless and they also love their pets,please God bless and help those people....

[@markbeames7852]

Deputy actually says to the lady, "I think you're a beautiful young woman." Good god man. How about, "You're vulnerable and the County cares."

[@michelle_m4446]

I recently went through a similar situation and am still in a precarious living situation. It's easier to die than to live sometimes. To those living in the desert, dry boondocking as they are, please be extremely careful about your water sources. I became extremely ill and in the hospital after using dishes that had been washed in what turned out to be non potable water. Dawn isn't strong enough to kill all water borne illnesses. My prayers are with all those untouched. It's an inhumane way to exist

[@ayela562]

Just a hug for you Michelle. As some Canadian woman sitting in my small safe home, I don’t have any idea what you’ve been through, I don’t have any right to judge you , and I wish the best for you.

[@ricksan8726]

Why live in the desert what they need is to work 12 hour days for 2 months and change their situation I have done it and friends also a man must do what a man must do .

[@TimothyCHenderson]

@@ricksan8726 How did you do it?

[@Coz131]

Dawn does not kill pathogens when you rinse with non potable water.

[@deborahstone9696]

@Kamle Harris I remember my mom putting a cap of bleach in our dish water..

[@Johndoe-co3pw]

I think it’s easy to look down on people like this but I don’t think we understand how easily we can end up in situations like these.

[@DonJulio510]

Thats fine just leave day to day people alone as well.

[@yvonnegathing3634]

I most certainly agree ❤️

[@IronArtists]

@@DonJulio510 What are you talking about...

[@Cola64]

@@IronArtists Beggars, Thieves, Vagabonds , Squatters,Drug addicts etc..

[@Cola64]

Keep voting Democrat and you to will be living in a van down by the river

[@laura-ann.0726]

In the recession of 1982-84, the engineering firm I worked for went under, in June 1982, and about 250 of us in San Francisco were let go. By November 1982, I had burned though 1/3 of my savings and realized that I couldn't just keep paying rent with no prospects for a job, so I put my stuff in storage and became a homeless person, living in my vehicle in Death Valley National Monument for 8 weeks. Then I got word that a relative in Sacramemto had offered to let me stay with them while I got my life together, which took another year - I didn't finally land another job in my profession until January 1984, in Sacramento. I had hoped to move back to the Bay Area, since San Francisco is my home town, but by the late 1980's, it was hopeless - housing prices for either rent or a mortgage were 2 to 4 times what I was paying in Sacramento, I was married by then, and had landed a job with CalTrans. Anyway, when I became homeless, I was only 24 years old, and at that age, I had a reasonable hope that I'd eventually be working again when the economy recovered from the recession, and in the end, I only was homeless for 2 months, and staying with that relative for 10 months, and I was never unemployed again until I retired. But a lot of the homeless I see in camps around Sacramento now, and in this video, are much, much older than I was. How the hell is someone 55+ years old supposed to recover from losing everything? Not all of the homeless are drug addicts or have mental health problems, they're just older people who were renting, and got discarded by The System as redundant and obsolete. WTF are these older people supposed to do? No one wants to hire someone who has less than 10 years to go to Social Security age. Employers want young people that can be paid lower salaries than older, more experienced workers, and who are willing to work tons of overtime because they are trying to save enough for a down payment on a house, they have a kid or three to support, likely a car payment, and maybe student loans to pay off. Most of the people in this video are, for all practical purposes, unemployable just because of how old they are. And I make that statement not knowing anything about their job skills, education, or past employment history. Sarah Odum has a decent chance to get back into the mainstream; she's young (and white, and a female). But even for Sarah, how is she supposed to make herself ready for job interviews when she is living in a tent? We will never solve this problem until we can get people into free (temporary) housing, so that they can have a stable home base from which to look for employment and be ready to look presentable for job interviews. From there, they can rebuild their lives and get back into regular housing. As for people with substance-abuse problems and severe mental-health issues, I don't even have a clue as to how society should proceed. But I know that just leaving them in tents and doorways isn't what I was taught 50 years ago in school about what America is supposed to stand for.

[@augustbear6548]

I can understand homelessness and sympathize with folks who need to make their shelters where ever they can. What I don't understand is why all the trash? Crates, old tires. Why make a junk yard?

[@Peabody388]

You won't believe the number of homeowners who dump furniture and worthless junk on sidewalks for the homeless. Happens in my neighborhood in Las Vegas all the time. The homeless use them, trash them and then it's up to the city to clean up. Needless to say homeless camps are not availed trash services

[@mermaidofaloha]

I've been homeless 14 months & the people in this video said so many truthful things. Praying for you folks in the desert and for every homeless person. Praying for solutions. Praying for miracles.

[@joinjen3854]

No miracle needed. Make a plan, work your plan as in WORK not beg.

[@liveandloud9687]

@@joinjen3854 It is moronic of you to make assumptions about this person. How insensitive and arrogant you are.

[@dcwander7092]

@@joinjen3854 Telling that to people who's every job application failed is not useful.

[@eckankar7756]

@@dcwander7092 Most of these people look like they've filled out a job application is some time. They don't even clean themselves. Their desert camps are piled with trash. Gonna find more opportunity in town and clean than filthy in the desert starting out a window 24/7. They simply don't care.

[@eckankar7756]

@@joinjen3854 Absolutely true.

[@vitocorleone3764]

“Home of the free” is a cruel joke for that last guy. “Just leave us alone, we’re not in anybody’s way.” But they won’t. I can’t think of much that’s more in unamerican than not leaving someone alone in the middle of nowhere

[@Mr.JoeMontanya]

Yes they are in people's way lol they destroy the environment they cause crime and contribute nothing to society

[@John_Smith_86]

They ****ARE**** leaving them alone, provided them stay the hell away. That was the deal

[@ike1660]

Your country is broken.

[@garycarder4363]

Could be the time to break the power grid, rich people will suffer the most

[@dk-qr5xt]

@@garycarder4363 Why are you copy & pasting this into almost every comment reply in this video? Lmao chill, that's definitely not it, bud.

[@MaritsaDarman]

Heartbreaking what is happening to people because of this outrageous housing crisis

[@NickDrinksWater]

Depressing for sure

[@LudwigSC93]

8:58 after watching all of this I don't truly believe the cops that go out there are interested in truly helping them.

[@anatomicallycorrectmuppets8180]

You are correct

[@eksbocks9438]

There's also a big flaw in what services to turn to as well. It's all disorganized. Without a clear path to take. The Outreach services, Shelters, Housing Authority, Rehab, Construction/Urban Planning, and Career places are not talking to each other. If they were all one Organization, it would be a lot easier. But I guess that's not how Western Culture works. Does it? "Personal responsibility" and all that outdated rubbish.

[@dklee.01]

they almost never are

[@dklee.01]

@@eksbocks9438 this is so true; i feel like one of the largest barriers to mutual aid and real community reform is organization :(

[@Hansen710]

The cop doesent know how long they been there. That says it all

[@geezersracing8016]

I'm in my fifties and I have been living in my camper trailer for six years. I carry in my water by the gallon. I'm in the high desert at the edge of the canyon, so I have trees for shade, but they reduce my solar exposure in winter. I'm above the five thousand foot altitude, so winter can get pretty cold. I keep investing in my trucks, I need tires for my tow rig, and I hope to save for a bigger trailer some day. My current trailer is only 20 feet, and was built in 1977 so it is pretty rough. I don't know how I will ever be able to live in a real home again. It seems so out of reach. The have-nots work full time just to shove their money into the pockets of the wealthy, for a simple roof over their heads. With nothing more to show for it. There are a lot of other old people living in campers in this valley, so, I know I'm not the only one. On the bright side, I'm a tough old bastard. I'm good at living rough, I make it look easy. I'm in better shape than ever and can endure more than people my age can. Comforts seem to just make us soft and complacent. Those conditioned to live this way are hardly effected by the decline of civilization. They're used to it. Those who are accustomed to living amid danger are somehow, more free to live.

[@gsp49]

The music in background is annoying.

[@FlipMacz]

These are incredibly resilient and resourceful individuals.

[@jj-bv3ui]

Idk how it's possible to NOT be homeless in America, the ways things are now. If you don't have connections, all it takes is one bad fall at work or a wreck, things fall apart. Absolutely no safety net in America.

[@cameronb3834]

Forreal

[@rustyshackleford4801]

Facts

[@johntreanor812]

I drove through there this year on holiday with my family. We were en route from LV to LA… we wanted to see some Joshua Trees and desert landscape up close. I can honestly say the landscape is brutal and harsh. It’s beautiful but I can’t begin to understand how hard it would be to live in such a barren place. Much respect to those people.

[@eckankar7756]

These people in this video have been isolated FOR YEARS, their camps are filthy, their RV filthy, they sit 24/7 and won't clean themselves or their places they live. What opportunities do they make available to themselves to turn their lives around living in isolation in the desert? This is less social catastrophe and more failure to provide for one's own wellbeing.

[@bellestarr6484]

@@eckankar7756 Who made you the judge, jury and executioner? Where is your data for your insults? Show us something real.

[@eckankar7756]

@@bellestarr6484 You are so delusional...what 'judge jury and executioner" are you hallucinating? The 'evidence' is all from the video.

[@Greenskies321]

@@bellestarr6484 try living in this area for decades and seeing zero change from these folks. Most aren’t from California either and come here from the Midwest with their drug issues then get stuck bc they have no family or resources to fall back on.

[@sluggotinfantryman]

Army lived in tents WWII. Muroc. It's actually not bad there except for wind. Hot for few hours then cool or cold at night. 265 days of sun? If you have old van or trailer easy to live with a jet boil and bottled water. Rice beans bread like Johnny sang.

[@AppalachiaHillBilly]

I’m currently living in my grand marquis in Phoenix Arizona, I moved 1900 miles from cinci Ohio for life worth living. I’ve been beat my police, I’ve been scared from the shot that has happened to me since I’ve been in the streets. Phoenix has been nice towards me so far. It’s hard people assuming you’re a degenerate or trash cause you’re less fortunate.

[@cathtf7957]

Wait, if they're out there everyday, then why didn't they know about the lady who had been living there for FIVE YEARS?

[@shostoppah111]

There’s a disconnect between needs and providing in the socioeconomic hierarchy of California. Literally 5th in economic world power and has over half of the nations homeless. Make it make cents. The wealth gap is caving in and swallowing up the unfortunate.

[@eksbocks9438]

A lot of people there are quite content with their own $2 million homes. And they just expect someone else to sort it out for them (God, Karma, etc.)

[@skyhappy]

They are stayed with the largest population of course they have the bulk of the nation's homeless

[@brandon9172]

There's a disconnect in the entire country, its not just California.

[@user-dc1dr9kr8x]

Unfortunately your information is incorrect in a bad way.....California would be the world's 4th largest economy

[@shostoppah111]

@@user-dc1dr9kr8x thanks for the update😉

[@jenni431]

Unbelievable how a country can afford to treat it's citizens like trash.

[@garycarder4363]

Might be time to break the power grid, no electricity no cameras no government

[@Lousasshol]

@@garycarder4363 .. poor eat the rich

[@garycarder4363]

@@Lousasshol deliciously

[@Meowmisery]

This journalist is amazing. Iv seen them in a few of your videos now and I feel the way they handle the situations within journalism very well. like staying unbiased even though you know you are looking for an answer and pointing out clear facts to interviewees (like in this video stating we might not have seen hostile behavioral because cameras are around). The comments like that are amazing. Keeping control and understanding, showing the people you know what's up, they can't persuade this journalist with quick lines and fancy words. That gives us as the viewer very good information when understanding how companies work and use their people to hide the truth within these topics. Thank you for your work. I never get the journalist name, but I'm always willing to take a moment a see what they have going on because I know it will be solid.

[@ThatguySteve69]

I went to school with Sarah at Joshua hills. It's sad to see her like that.

[@jamaljeifer7868]

I was homeless 4 months in 2019 and that was the worse part of my life.

[@waynemartin5247]

I spent 3 1/2 month living in a tent just a few weeks ago, living alongside mosquitoes, flies, floods etc... Compared to the Australian civilization it was much more enjoyable living in the tent by myself. I find civilization depressing and everyday I wish to die. The capitalism system has destroyed the world, I pray for a nuclear war.

[@Trojanhorsebilly]

@@waynemartin5247 ...call me

[@Bulltardwin]

@@waynemartin5247 Would you prefer Communism?

[@waynemartin5247]

@@Bulltardwin There are more then 2 financial systems. Why bring communism into this?

[@parkerbohnn]

@@blasianluvschocolate397 America going off the gold standard put all those people on the streets to live. No one would be homeless if interest rates had a floor of 10 percent.

[@obviouscaptain2931]

Grew up homeless. Was a ward of the state from 12 to 16 when I got my GED, and was emancipated from my parents. Unfortunately I immediately repeated the pattern initially. Now I'm licensed tradesman, landowner, and do volunteer work in my spare time. Only thing I can say is, do not doubt yourself. Plenty of others will do that for you. Focus on your strengths, and learn from your mistakes, and hopefully the mistakes of others.

[@TeezyT_Sunrise]

KZbin Teezy T Pandemic Struggling. Song says it all.

[@harperstacey9604]

What happened with your parents? Did they mistreat you? From Ms. Harper Stacey.

[@jamesmclean4495]

Learn from the mistakes of others !I told my daughter years ago learn from my mistakes dont do what I have done she graduated from law school 10 years ago and does some volunteer work to help vets

[@paulawhittier3970]

Wow I'm so moved by this story and I truly appreciate 🙏 and hope that your channel will continue shining ✨️ Peace, Love and Light Always ✨️ ❤️ 💕

[@Scottbryant-bx9nd]

hi paula i see happiness all around you,can i please share from it

[@carolequery7950]

God bless those poor souls. California is way too expensive. Very few people can afford the rents they charge.

[@tapytc]

Vice is one of the very few new outlets actually talking about the homeless and this pandemic of homelessness in this country.

[@garycarder4363]

Could be time to break the power grid, no electricity no cameras no government

[@Harley.Davidson]

@@garycarder4363 🤣

[@jakeperlow8834]

lets give them a cookie and a trophy!!!!! They make money of of you watching these episodes. You'd be a moron to think they care about homelessness more than anyone else. All to have a job and make money.

[@LoriL010]

There are lots of vloggers who cover the homeless and do outreach. Soft White Underbelly does content on the drug addiction aspect of it also..

[@zerocool2352]

WTF are you talking about? The local newspapers in California write stories every other day about this issue. Politicians campaign on it. Social media channels are clogged with it. Plus, any of us living here can drive around and see it in our face constantly. If you're not seeing it, then you're either living under a rock or living in a state that exports their problems to other states.

[@miahdavis8331]

I love how they came up with a pc term for homelessness “unhoused” 🙄I was homeless once upon a time and they just called us homeless

[@zerocool2352]

it's just an attempt to control the language so they can control the narrative.

[@1pcfred]

Make Hobos Great Again!

[@Frenchylikeshikes]

Being homeless in the desert must be so tough. The weather is just brutal over there.

[@courtneycoley8487]

Hot in day, cold at night

[@charliesniklefritz6682]

If Gary doesn't have anything, why do you need to blur his stupid license plate 🤔

[@EndeavorsDnB]

This “humanitarian effort police outreach program” is most likely, simply a fishing/spying operation to probably keep track of what the unhoused are doing and if any arrests need to take place.

[@RealMTBAddict]

And yet the federal minimum wage is still at $7.25hr.

[@doctorbigsmiles]

Rent has tripled and even quadrupled in the lowest income areas... wages have not - this is by design

[@TheRealJaded]

Why I don't work anymore.

[@shostoppah111]

State minimum wage is $15.00 in California. Higher in the Bay Area. The algorithm keeps people that make minimum wage from ever being able to afford basic necessities. In California people that work are homeless as well.

[@RoninAvenger]

@@TheRealJaded how are you making more income then

[@zerocool2352]

Because the cost of living in West Virginia isn't the same as it is in Los Angeles. Minimum wage is a city and state issue, not a federal one.

[@_KeneYah]

Interesting... I was born in Lancaster, CA and haven't been back since my youth

[@marcjohnson7515]

Did I hear that correctly? $2000 a month for a one bed apt in that armpit of a city Lancaster? No thank you. Will continue living in my car.

[@theresa8843]

"It is hard to imagine a more stupid, or more dangerous way of making decisions;than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong" -Thomas Sowell

[@hunterbidensellingusa4778]

My first thought is going to war where they stand on the sidelines making profits from insider trading and your family member has taps played at their funeral. Kiss my azz

[@luisvaldes8945]

I like that quotation

[@jamesmclean4495]

Couldn't agree more those who face no consequences should not have the ability to make those decisions

[@fernandohenriquepereiracha9996]

Judging is easy, few reach out to help... little talks, who helps little

[@jmw8004]

I had a friend who lived in Lancaster. I've visited, it's a rough town. Not a lot of sympathy from law enforcement.

[@GF-pc5bt]

Good job reporting

[@lyles4829]

I know how everyone feels ...me I'm just waiting on my death ...at nite I go to sleep trying to picture heaven where there's no bad and where I can see the people I miss so bad .. This place has become so evil and hateful its nothing I had pictured growing up... At 60 I now question everything I was taught in my younger days And I never ever had a clue that one day everything I had worked for would be gone because of my so called family.. Never did I think my dog would become the most important thing to me .. My dad warned me about alot of things and now I replay all he told me that would happen but back then you couldn't tell me nothing ... But I always knew if it did ever get bad not to worry cause my best friend of 20 years (my wife) would be by my side ..... So much for that bullshit I guess the grass was greener on the other side ... I now trust nothing but this dog and she truly is the only thing I have that makes me feel loved ... Cell phones have taken the place of ( porches and shade trees ) now nobody gets out to visit.... I can't remember now what it feels like to go to a family reunion are just cooking out ... Being homeless for almost 10 years now I've learned onething and that is if you have nothing , you don't have to worry somebody else will get it cause it ain't there ... I still find it easy to feel sorry for people who are also homeless.. Regardless not having a home does not make you a homeless person BUT NOT HAVING FAMILY AND LOVED ONES ....that makes you a homeless person ... And I'm very sure there's a million folks who have it worse than me but until they get here I'll just keep their seat warm ..

[@Ultraviolence2024]

you wrote everything i think too, we feel the same. Life overwhelms me a lot, a life with bad societies with pure injustice everywhere you look. I'm so tired of this life you are alone and somehow trying to keep yourself upright. My only companion in my life is my pet. She is always with me, I love her very much. I'm honestly happy if I just don't wake up from sleep at some point.

[@openminds8765]

This story is so one sided - homeless is not the issue for most the the people out there. There are four groups, mental health issues, addictions, financial hardship and those that want that way of life that is the real issue. Each area has to be treated differently to cure the root problem not lumped into one group. The story only covered that they don't have homes but did not address the real issues. The only people that need heavy policing is the group that wants to live that way the rest of the groups need good mental health, addiction intervention, financial assistance.

[@dubabaxakatv2993]

But ur not angel how do you know who is who?

[@222wheelsdown]

Agreed but I would argue that the mentally unstable and addicts also need heavy policing. Just think about all the laws these two groups of people break every single day.

[@openminds8765]

@@222wheelsdown Heavy policing is a short term solution. Having programs for each of the four group is the real solution (with some teeth behind them for compliance) then you make sure laws in are place to take care of the ones who just want to live that life style. Its a proven fact that the revolving door of policing and jail is not working to solve the real issues and the crisis.

[@openminds8765]

@@dubabaxakatv2993 Well, Bless Your Angel Heart - That is what we have social service for and other professionals to help sort people into the best place for them to move out of there current state. You don't worry your pretty little head over that part.

[@zerocool2352]

@@openminds8765 Heavy policing keeps the most troublesome people in line. We both know those groups being targeted by police are not simply sitting around minding their own business.

[@howlinberry1645]

As someone who's been to Lancaster multiple times. It's hell out there.

[@TheAnimeAlliance]

I live in the AV, where Lancaster is. I see this everyday. I don't know how they do it. The winters are cold, and the summers are deadly hot.

[@nicolerenfro5085]

Wow! The lack of sympathy in these comments is harsh! Unless you've been in these situations you dont know how difficult it is to make it in this environment.

[@anthonyturner1808]

Very true Nicole I was homeless for a few years the last time is was out there in Mojave CA. A person has to live the life before they understand the life. It's not easy to put it mildly. Every person has the look of far away eyes in them and people don't understand what it means.

[@Alex-tt1vp]

Just get a job smh

[@End3rWi99in]

Vice has gotten so so much better in the last couple of years. It started strong and then for whatever reason quality took a huge nosedive in like 2010 or so and I'm happy to see so much great content coming out that reminds me of where things began.

[@pellabologna]

people just hyperfocused on their political takes, they never stopped making this kind of content

[@williamyoung9401]

Yeah, everything's good except Michael Learmonth begging for change every episode...

[@williamyoung9401]

@Nik b: They've gotten pretty Corporate over the years, but it seems like they're getting back to their roots.

[@concue5]

Thanks Obama

[@jbodden6977]

??? someone sent the hookers to sex education???

[@ytfeverguy8367]

Fined for dumping trash? That is absurd. And why isn't the gov't providing dessert dwellers with basic dedicated campsites, campers, utilities, electric hook ups, showers and toilets? Answer: Because the government doesn't want to solve homelessness.

[@digimax4257]

It’s amazing how they are so concerned with living like that. The amount of effort that it takes to keep up that lifestyle they are clearly capable of rerouting their efforts and resourcefulness towards finding a job, changing lifestyles and contributing to society. This has only come to be this way because it’s been allowed. The only way this stops is by saying no. Being overly empathetic towards them is how this all started to begin with.

[@user-ms7le7qi9n]

Some people can't get jobs due to disability mental illness and other things

[@digimax4257]

@@user-ms7le7qi9n agreed, but in order to find and help the ones with those issues, you have to get them off the street. Carrot and Stick.

[@digimax4257]

@@user-ms7le7qi9n kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5-2c6Ccqb9kp7csi=yftSoQS6_95iaMgm

[@Indi3R]

LA has always been heartless with the homeless. I'm an Aussie who worked in homeless outreach and was shocked at what I saw and learned from talking to people. I have also experienced homelessness. Its no joke and when states and or counties refuse to act with kindness and assistance anywhere in the world the problem will only grow. Everything starts in your own community, everyone has the power to help and elect empathetic officials and small gov at the local level.

[@dazpatreg]

True but as an Irishman who lived in Oz I can tell you this episode reminded me a lot of towns like Nullagine and Roeburn and the disenfranchisement suffered by indigenous people there

[@cosmicman621]

@@dazpatreg ...not to mention the disenfranchised...Native American/Canadian..Peoples.Welcome to what Native Peoples...have been going through since European colonialisation.Mitakuye Oyasin 🐝🌈

[@TheBlackSheepChronicles]

Bullcrap...LA goes above and beyond...ur crazy..people don't want help...they want drugs and choose to live in the street. Stop the lies

[@KarlMarxFanClub]

Stagnant wages over the past 30 years and unaffordable housing will destroy millions of peoples lives every year. I cannot believe people have zero compassion or empathy. Especially “Christians.”

[@charleshoang566]

I don't blame on county officials,but I blame on the homeless who don't take personal responsibility for their actions in life.

[@BirdsFlyinHigh]

I want to help people in need but I am tired of feeling used. Every person I gave money to in my area I found out later they used the money for drugs or alcohol... never food, shelter, water, clothes etc... It made me feel like I was enabling instead of helping.

[@nash6018]

99% are predators, preying on good hearted people! I was in the streets for 2 years....Honesty and integrity cost ZERO $$$!

[@swooshes897]

The fact that appearances of cities are more valuable then the well being of it's people says a lot... I hope those people find a way out of those situations. Everyone deserves to live with dignity.

[@zsedcftglkjh]

"Homeless" with a mobile home and a truck..."homeless."