Extended Stay Hotels

Last week, I wrote about my experiences living at Crossland Economy Studios in Lawrenceville, Ga. I took the post down, not because I exaggerated the problems there, but because the post was not well written, mostly because I was so furious. So, let me try this again.
To make a long, boring story, short, I'll just say that the place is unpleasant and dangerous. The staff is rude and incompetent and the property is getting dirtier by the day and housekeeping is almost non existent. The Manager was making a semi-effort to get things together, but she is not really capable of doing so. It looks nice, until you look past the surface.  Do not stay there.
But, that is not what I want to write about. The very presence of places like that, extended stays, is the issue. Such places have been around for a long time, but there is a twist. Instead of old, single people, reclusive artists and ne'er-do-wells, extended stays are now home to families  young couples, impoverished seniors and  anyone who has had any financial troubles. Why?
When, under Bush 2, the housing bubble burst and recession set in, a lot of home owners were foreclosed, They had to go where you could rent with no credit check and no questions asked, Pay each week and you at least had a roof over your head and utilities paid. The fact that you shared the place with hookers and drug dealers had to be overlooked. The hotel owners did not care who or what you were, as long ass you paid each week They also had no incentive to keep the property up.
Those working, who had to rent in such places, found most of their check going each week to rent, There was almost no chance to get enough together to get a real place to live. We were caught in such a cycle. Now, on Social Security, we have caught a small break or two and are, trying to find a place, Unfortunately, where we are in Gwinnett Ga. is being swamped with folks, who for some reason, think this is the Land of Milk and Honey (it is definitely not-don't move here) . There is now a housing shortage and we are ready to move far away from the Metro Atlanta area.
This, like all explanations, is much oversimplified., but it is the essence of the natter. We will get by, but I am horrified that kids are being raised in these places. One of the saddest sights imaginable is a group of children waiting outside one of these places, waiting for the school bus.
The solution? I have no idea. Many immediately recommend Housing Authority, Good idea, but there are long, long waiting lists and many of their places are not much better that the hotels. The ideal thing would be for a bunch of developers to build affordable rental properties. They could make some money, and being private, could demand that certain requirements be met by those living there, ie drug testing, This could be done. Something an little bit similar was done IN East Lake, a section of Metro Atlanta. It helped , but I see little interest in continuing to expand such ideas.
Something must be done. A fairly large part of a generation of kids are being raised with no roots, no sense of home. They will be constantly on edge after years of being raised in dangerous . hostile conditions. It is hard enough for adults, You have elderly people, who still have a lot to offer the Nation, crammed into places where they are scared to stick their heads out. Norcross, a nearby community has all but banned these hotels. severely limiting the time you can stay at one. Fine, I understand, but what then. There  will be many more living in the streets, Most folks don't know that about 25% of America's homeless are kids.  Something must be done or our streets will be like the streets of places like Rio de Janeiro, home to vast, unmanageable gangs of kids.
Bit, for the life of me, I have no good ideas.  Well, think about it. Maybe you can \come up with something. Have a fine, Blessed day and pray for those who are not so fortunate.

Americans on the Edge of Survival - Children

Children are supposed to be prized and nurtured carefully. So say one and all in this Country. Sometimes, the lucky ones are. For many, childhood is not even a nightmare anymore. They are so beaten down that their lives are geared toward sheer existence, Nightmare implies a contrast, an awareness of benevolence. A lot of kids see little hope for that.

Stop and think what it is like to be raised in poverty, never knowing when or what you will eat, wearing used clothes donated from some charity. How would you feel going to school and knowing that when you get home, Mom will not be there to greet you and, in fact, will not be home until late at night because she is working at least 2 jobs? Dad, well, if Dad is even still around, he likely is working even more hours.

How would you feel watching TV and seeing others dining on roasts and  fish and chicken surrounded by good vegetables, bowls of fresh fruit on the tables, yogurt and milk and eggs in the refrigerator and knowing that you are going to do well to get some generic sugary cereal, a cheap hot dog, and some spaghettios for your meals, if you are having a good day?

How  would you feel if you, as a child, had no home and were forced to sleep on the street, in a car, or maybe in a cardboard box, or, if you are very lucky, a shelter? Shelters are about as dangerous as the streets . Maybe, once in a while, Mom or Dad can scrape together enough to stay a few days in a cheap motel. Let me tell you; I know from personal experience, many of those are not a lot better than the street. Think that does not happen? Statistics show that one fourth of all the many homeless in this land are children.

Suppose you do have a home and a Mom and Dad. You likely will not see them a lot because they are always working. Children should not be alone most of the time. They should not be forced to raise themselves because they just do not have the experience to know what to do. Maybe, if lucky, they get supervision from Grandparents but, that is not the same. Each generation should raise its own kids, Grandma may be well meaning, but she is from a different time and will not, cannot know the nuances and dangers of the current culture.

Perhaps worse are children who have abusive parents. I am not talking about a dad that occasionally swats Junior on the rear end. I have seen parents who think nothing of beating the utter crap out of their kids. Yes, kids have always been physically abused but it seems to be an increasing problem, especially as the rates of alcohol and drug abuse continue to rise.

What to do? First, as I said in my last post, we need to get a grip on how the  Government throws around our money. Get these damn wars over and stop interfering in other Countries' business. Stop subsidizing industries; if they cannot make it without help, they need to go broke and make room for those who know how to do business. Then, with taxes lowered, people can afford to make life better for kids and devote more money toward education and more time to teaching their kids how to be decent humans.

Equally, if not more important, we need to get rid of our obsession with wealth for its own sake. I like nice things and comfort and understand that everyone else feels the same. But, do we all need 3 cars, 5 computers, 4 TVs and a multitude of smart phones. Do we have to dine in 5 star restaurants and pay $200 for concert tickets for some aging rock stars latest tour, $100 for 1 round of golf, and sip $10 drinks after work? Can we not find less expensive ways to entertain ourselves? Are we that bored and that uncreative? Think of all the good that could be done for kids, and, actually for ourselves, if we just used our heads.

I will tell you this. Kids today are being given a very hopeless view of a very unpleasant World. They are growing up thinking they have nothing to gain. Well, logically, if you have nothing, and see nothing to gain, you have nothing to lose, and there is no more dangerous creature on this planet than a human with nothing to lose.

Americans on the Edge, of Survival - Introduction

Today, I am beginning a multipart series on Americans who are struggling just to get by, to survive in the Nation's current climate. Because the weekend is upon us, the next 2 blogs will be of a lighter nature, but Monday I will get back to this topic. Most of what I write is just me sounding off about things that I find humorous or things that anger me, but this series is about what I believe is the most serious problem in America.

This is an incredibly wealthy land but there are many, many of its citizens who are ignored, even abused, and left to suffer. Homelessness is far more prevalent than it should be and many who do have homes are sharing overcrowded dwellings with relatives or living in tiny, pay-by-the-week efficiencies. Trust me, the latter are often barely fit for human habitation and yet, you often find children, often several per room, dwelling in them.

Medical care is woeful. Do not tell me about the wonders of Obamacare. There are many who fall between the cracks, folks with just enough not to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for a half way decent insurance policy. Medicare is expensive and does not cover a whole lot of procedures. Many states did not go along with the Federal plan and have not increased Medicaid funding and those living in said states are left hanging. Dental care, not for cosmetic issues but for necessary procedures is just not there. And still, costs of Medical care rise.

Many in this land, which produces so much of the World's food, go hungry. Even if those folks are not actually hungry, they are malnourished because they can afford only the cheapest foods, starchy, fatty, sugary junk that fills the stomach without providing a damn bit of nutrition.

Mental health is said to be a vital concern and, when someone acts out enough to get in trouble they may be given a handful of ridiculously powerful drugs to stun them into submission but that is no way to treat human beings.  Are we really all so busy that we cannot take a little time to help those who are having trouble coping with this mad World we have created. Unfortunately, often  those who are force fed pills and told to behave are those least able to help themselves, children.

We, the American people are guilty of ignoring, shunning, and on occasion, abusing the elderly, children, damaged war veterans, impoverished young women and men, the physically and mentally disadvantaged and should hang our collective heads in shame. Those who run this land should be taken from their positions of wealth and power and imprisoned for this unconscionable behavior. Jesus taught that "he who does these things to the least of you, does them to me." He also said that "as you sow, so shall you reap." A day of reckoning will come and answers will have to be given for this detestable behavior.  Good luck to those who choose to ignore these really very easily solved problems.

Have fun, it is the weekend and I truly do wish everyone a fine one. I hope you read my next 2 posts. They will be lighthearted and interesting, but, more importantly, I want you to read the next few after that and give some thought to them.