I was not aware that comrade of mine was putting together a documentary on the issue of the homeless in New York. I just happened to be surfing MYSPACE and found the documentary (with many recognizable faces in New Paltz, New York.) entitled "Our Streets": Homeless Youth in America (BTW, above is just the trailer of the documentary, can't wait to see the rest.) The documentary is moderated by two local guys of great character: Carl Welden and Derek "Dee" Cross whom have a come a long ways to forge their own unique identities as people. The music in the background is scored by Derek Cross as well, and he is brutal and has played in alot of good quality, local extreme metal bands. We've all been through tough times, myself included. Here in America, we are in the middle of an awful receding economy where over 5 million people have been layed off and are out of work. Along with inflation, the rising cost of food and utilities, many more people are using social services, and some are "working homeless", living out of their cars or in tents in Florida. The homeless youth locally are different story entirely. I actually KNOW many of the people in this documentary. Many of the homeless youth have yet to "sink or swim" and define independence from their families. Many of the homeless youth featured in this documentary have chosen to travel to seek a new sense of self, and many more are battling alcohol, mental illness and substance abuse, criminal histories, domestic violence. Some of the homeless youth have yet to come out of denial and choose substance abuse over independence and stability. Yet, not everyone, in this receding economy can shoulder the burden of the homeless. Many of the homeless in this documentary have family whom are living locally, whom can't tolerate or afford the indulgences of their dependents. Not all featured in this documentary are local to the region with supportive families. Not ALL featured in this documentary are even homeless, they just want to party, but either way have yet to define independence from their families. With the variable dysfunctions of the homeless, (co dependencies, and substance abuse) getting help, for many is involuntary. I liked Dee's commentary, it takes the will to confront issues of drug, alcohol abuse, and mental illness to upgrade to stability. Coming out of the denial of the dysfunctions of the homeless is indeed half the bottle, urr, I mean battle.
In New York City, a long, hard, battle, fought originally by squatters has been WON. Of course the New York Post is my LEAST favorite news paper, with it's muckraking, slanderous, red journalism. The NY POST article is biased in favor of warehousing slumlords as home mortgages are foreclosing. NO, waste not, want not.
With that said, back in the 80's, NYC squatters took over warehoused buildings abandoned by slumlords whom refused to pay property taxes. In the UK, if squatters took over abandoned buildings and upgraded the buildings quality, then indeed, they have "fives" on said building if they paid property taxes, and took over the mortgage ...SOLD, REAL CHEAP..
In New York City, it's been over 20 some odd years, and A, B, and C squat fought against warehousing for years, as NYC evicted the squatters from said properties in 1996. Eventually, the ingenious idea of paying for taxes on warehoused property came to fruition, and now..The property was sold to whom cared about it, brought it up to code and wanted it the most. With much love and passion squatters upgraded the property and now said property is a co op.
Growing up in New York City in the 80's, I go back home and can't bear to witness the gentrification of NYC in 2K. It's hard for even those whom are working to afford to live anywhere in NYC and rent controlled co ops are hard to come by. Depending on the size of said property, property taxes are cheaper in NYC compared to paying property taxes on a house in the Hudson Valley Area.
After 30 years of living (squatting) illegally, property tax exempt, squatters got out the old hammer and a nail and brought these warehoused buildings up to code, and transformed said property into affordable housing.
So here's to the squatters in NYC, 20 years of telling warehousing slumlords where to go. LMAO.
BTW, if you're a legal tenet here in the USA (on a lease, pay rent and utilities ect. It is a illegal for a landlord to act in any illegal way, and all evictions have to be LEGAL. It is ILLEGAL (if you're a legal tenet) for a landlord to shut off utilities, water, both included and not included with the rent without due process of civil eviction law.
British law states if squatters can prove they have been living and have legal access to said property (without breaking in) for 10 to 12 consecutive years or more, they apply, in essence for ownership of said property with a fee. Since 2002 in England, there has been a power struggle vs. squatters regarding the British law of "adverse possession" vs. the 2002 Land Registration Act.
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-
In New York City, a long, hard, battle, fought originally by squatters has been WON. Of course the New York Post is my LEAST favorite news paper, with it's muckraking, slanderous, red journalism. The NY POST article is biased in favor of warehousing slumlords as home mortgages are foreclosing. NO, waste not, want not.
With that said, back in the 80's, NYC squatters took over warehoused buildings abandoned by slumlords whom refused to pay property taxes. In the UK, if squatters took over abandoned buildings and upgraded the buildings quality, then indeed, they have "fives" on said building if they paid property taxes, and took over the mortgage ...SOLD, REAL CHEAP..
In New York City, it's been over 20 some odd years, and A, B, and C squat fought against warehousing for years, as NYC evicted the squatters from said properties in 1996. Eventually, the ingenious idea of paying for taxes on warehoused property came to fruition, and now..The property was sold to whom cared about it, brought it up to code and wanted it the most. With much love and passion squatters upgraded the property and now said property is a co op.
Growing up in New York City in the 80's, I go back home and can't bear to witness the gentrification of NYC in 2K. It's hard for even those whom are working to afford to live anywhere in NYC and rent controlled co ops are hard to come by. Depending on the size of said property, property taxes are cheaper in NYC compared to paying property taxes on a house in the Hudson Valley Area.
After 30 years of living (squatting) illegally, property tax exempt, squatters got out the old hammer and a nail and brought these warehoused buildings up to code, and transformed said property into affordable housing.
So here's to the squatters in NYC, 20 years of telling warehousing slumlords where to go. LMAO.
BTW, if you're a legal tenet here in the USA (on a lease, pay rent and utilities ect. It is a illegal for a landlord to act in any illegal way, and all evictions have to be LEGAL. It is ILLEGAL (if you're a legal tenet) for a landlord to shut off utilities, water, both included and not included with the rent without due process of civil eviction law.
British law states if squatters can prove they have been living and have legal access to said property (without breaking in) for 10 to 12 consecutive years or more, they apply, in essence for ownership of said property with a fee. Since 2002 in England, there has been a power struggle vs. squatters regarding the British law of "adverse possession" vs. the 2002 Land Registration Act.
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-
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