The Friend No One Needs: Addiction
I’m going to describe a person and I want you to imagine having this person in your life. When you…
Denying Housing After Incarceration Creates a Dangerous Cycle
When people are denied housing after incarceration, the consequences don’t end with homelessness — they compound into a cycle that…
Open Letter to the Unhoused in My City
Dear Person in a Tent on the Sidewalk… Dear Person Huddled Under a Tarp Beneath a Building Overhang… Dear Person…
How Far Would You Go?
Given the right circumstances, nearly anyone can end up on the wrong side of the law or court system. Anyone…
Dear Santa: I’d Like a Home for Christmas
Last year on Christmas, I woke up in an old, drafty RV that my husband and I had called “home”…
The Scarcity Mindset of Homelessness
It’s Thursday. This morning I forced myself to take a shower. For the past 11 months, I’ve been semi-consciously showering…
Going From Homeless to Housed With a Criminal Record: Our Six-Month Fight for a Home
Finding housing with a criminal record shouldn’t feel impossible — but for many of us, it is. Housing is a…
First Rainy Day
I originally wrote this in August of 2023, but every year when the transition from summer to fall happens, I…
Canning and What I Overheard in Line at the Bottle Drop
Irish and I live in a state that pays a redemption fee for cans and bottles. There are designated bottle…
It’s Expensive to Be Homeless
When you’re homeless and trying to live something even close to a normal life, the costs are surprisingly high. Staying…