Have you ever heard this phrase "Well, you could be living outdoors!"? As a child, I 'often' heard adults saying this to each other, or to their own children. So I learned such mannerisms from observing. So when a child was being punished and wanted to go outside, they were told "You can go outside and get some fresh air. Sure you can. Sit right there, on that step (usually the step of the main entrance leading into a home), and I dare you to leave off of it." When I would visit my great aunt (who recently passed away), who lived in West Baltimore, I was amazed that city parents said the same thing to their children. So I know that there are plenty of city children that know what I'm talking about today. I have actually said this to my children, too.
I'm in my late 40s now, and I have personally experienced living in a variety of housing situations--so that my four children wouldn't have to experience separation anxiety (of the sibling bond, of the family bond, and of the father bond). My decision, okay. My decision?! Co-parenting isn't easy; but, it is best for children who would not have both parents in their life otherwise.
Globally, family homestyles range from tents to mansions. Then, too, are people who actually do prefer to live on the streets than to experience social homestyle relationships: the good and the bad. Do you consider others who live in their cars most of the time as part of the homeless society? when they have a consistent living space?
I have a vision for universal affordable housing. As an independent consultant, I have more freedom to dictate my moral and financial beliefs. Hey, there is nothing wrong for anyone to have been given the spirit of prosperity from the Holy Spirit (After going through my coaching of moral values while striving to earn or earning over the avg. income in local communities, of course.). Unless you recall growing up in a secluded community where you would overhear adults saying phrases as "She/He thinks too white."; "Child, people of color never did this or that she/he trying to do."; or, "Whites do that or have that type of job." The only reason I would not want Ben Carson's job (HUD) is the reality of the every-four-years political activity of a new (boss) president and political-party leadership control. I am a little conservative. I like consistency when it comes to having a boss (leader or manager).
I didn't hear the described phrases in my homestyle or even by my maternal family line, growing up. Most families that I knew lived in houses--whether trying to live to the next paycheck after just paying the rent, or just paying the mortgage and land taxes. It didn't matter if there were many individuals living under one small roof or not. Most families had two or more children. Other families, like my heritage line, had their kids and their kids' kids living in the same home. In my family line, there were three things that you were expected of to pursue: 1) graduate high school, 2)get a job to match your own life experiences' wants and needs, and 3) own some land. Get it, land owning; I'm an Indian of Color that's what we use to do back then.
I can recall both people of color and whites purchasing and owning their land. Even if it was generational land wealth, most families paid each other out just to have an opportunity to have an official deed to build their consistent housing space. Many would rather build a home or buy a mobile home first than to live in an apartment with neighbors in the same building style. In fact, in my hometown (Maryland's Kent County), there weren't any subsidized apartment complexes until the early 80s. The first set of subsidized housing built was actually more like townhomes. A few of the County's people of color were excited about affordable housing coming to town. It allowed them an opportunity to get out of the social-component challenges of living in their current housing situations. They thought affordable housing was a great idea until they understood the inclusions that it generally brings with it: generational restricted income and welfare program participation (entire household or immediate family line) expectations. I now do believe that having a family member(s) residing in affordable housing has some effects on the entire body of one's immediate family line within our local communities. Such effects that are more destructive to family-bonding than when a family member is a homeowner or rents a home.
It is my opinion that we really need to begin discussing universal housing in this country. I know that it may sound bizarre for our government to one day say to all of its citizens "Hey, you can pay this much (based on your income), and you will have a 'consistent' place to live." My political-campaign plan discussed such strategy. I wanted to create a law for universal housing up to salaries of $100,000 per household. My bill would allow citizens to choose to opt into such a housing program (within HUD's rental-unit category). Even today, I have all in mind the whos and whats or bill strategy. I know that I would need an agreeable Congress and political leaders for much creativity of a productive bill (governors of states, etc. not being too formal for those who could care less of ways of getting a bill passed in our country.) Such a mission, I think, would decrease homelessness and increase earnings over time by both skilled and unskilled workers.
I am saddened when I hear of former politicians that allowed people, families, to build on land where there is an active volcano present. Where my recently deceased maternal grandmother lived (Non-biological grandfather still is living in their home.), the County (Queen Anne's) officials were considered very strict of land usage for building homes. If a piece of land would not pass the perc test, you might as well considered the land useless. With all the flooding that has gone on now for a couple of years, they were right in such actions of not allowing new homes in many of our communities considered lands of people of color. I can only imagine, the sadness of seeing cars floating by on main streets of low-land neighborhoods. I can only imagine because I do not have a vehicle of my own, but I do have empathy.
Lastly, it could be worse we all could be living in teepees.