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deforestation

Federal Eviction Displaces Over 100 Homeless Residents in Oregon Forest

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Federal officials have begun clearing thousands of acres in Deschutes National Forest near Bend, Oregon, displacing over 100 people living in cars and R.V.s. This decision marks one of the first major homeless encampment clearances under the Trump administration.

At about 3:30 a.m. on Thursday, U.S. Forest Service vehicles, marked by golden insignias, formed a barrier at the entry of a logging road guarded by law enforcement officers. Residents were permitted to leave but could not return without an escort.

Leading up to the midnight eviction deadline, residents scrambled to repair their vehicles to move them from federal land. Authorities had posted warnings on cars and R.V.s for weeks, stating that anyone caught trespassing after May 1 would face fines up to $5,000, misdemeanor charges, and potential jail time.

The closure affects a section of the forest that federal authorities intend to use for extensive wildfire mitigation and ecological restoration projects.

According to Jesse Rabinowitz, a spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center, the population taking refuge in this forested area surged significantly due to economic pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic, including rising housing costs and widespread job losses.

Notably, the planned eviction fell on May Day, which is historically recognized for its celebration of labor rights and working-class advocacy worldwide.

Richard Owens, 40, told The New York Times he desperately attempted repairs on his aging Subaru Outback using a YouTube tutorial. “It’s everything I own,” he explained, pointing to his belongings spilling out from an old R.V.

“They’ve told us that if we are not out, we will all go to jail. When I said, ‘Where are we supposed to go?’ They said, ‘It’s not our problem.’”

A volunteer mechanic was sent in overnight by an assistance organization working to help people without housing. According to Chuck Hemingway, a retired lawyer and one of the volunteers, the organization had raised thousands of dollars to replace damaged tires, purchase new batteries, and dispatch tow trucks in an attempt to aid the people trapped inside. Despite their efforts, Owens’ Subaru remained stuck behind police lines by morning.

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Chris Daggett, another resident of the encampment, emphasized the difficulty he and others face in finding stable housing. Speaking to KTVZ-TV, Daggett, whose family has longstanding ties to Bend, stressed that being unhoused does not equate to criminality or moral failing.

“It’s incredibly difficult to get back on your feet once you’ve been knocked down. If they force us out on May 1, we still won’t have anywhere else to go. It’ll just make it even tougher for us to rebuild our lives.”

Earlier this month, four residents of the encampment, supported by two advocates for people experiencing homelessness, filed for a restraining order, seeking an injunction to prevent the eviction. The plaintiffs argued that enforcing the closure would inflict substantial harm on more than 100 people residing there, particularly impacting those with disabilities.

However, a recent update on the federal court’s docket indicated that U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane denied their request for a restraining order, though a detailed opinion has not yet been published.

Homelessness has surged nationwide amid an ongoing housing affordability crisis. Bend, once a struggling logging community, has now transformed into a thriving destination with outdoor recreation and boutique businesses, epitomizing the issue. Housing costs in Bend have soared, with the average home now listed above $800,000, starkly contrasting with a local minimum wage below $15 per hour.

Although Bend has expanded its shelter capacity significantly, from 240 beds in 2021 to 517 today, and established parking lots specifically for people living in vehicles, the measures have not fully addressed the housing need. Bend’s Mayor Pro-Tem Megan Perkins noted homelessness dropped 5 percent last year due to these efforts, a significant achievement given previous annual increases of up to 20 percent. Yet, she acknowledged these actions were insufficient given the scale of displacement from the forest eviction.

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“What I don’t understand, and what is keeping me up at night right now, is where everybody is going to go? I know that our service providers are doing absolutely everything that they can to find places for people, but it would be ridiculous to assume that out of 200 people living there, that all of them are going to find a place. It’s a societal failure—and I think to call it anything else but that, would be a mistake.”

The eviction is part of a broader forest management plan by the U.S. Forest Service aimed at reducing wildfire risks through tree thinning and controlled burns across 35,000 acres adjacent to Bend. “The closure does not target any specific user group and will restrict all access,” explained U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Kaitlyn Webb.

“It’s not safe for the public to be in the area while heavy machinery is operating, trees are being felled, mowing operations are active, and prescribed burning is occurring.”

Residents facing eviction shared diverse stories of hardship. Mandy Bryant, 38, who lives in a camper shell with her boyfriend, described to The NYTimes the emotional and physical toll of living outdoors after fleeing an abusive relationship. Andrew Tomlinson, 41, recovering from a heart attack, struggled with severe leg pain and feared losing his home and belongings. Patrick Walston, 50, an arborist who suffered a debilitating stroke during the pandemic, fell behind financially and was uncertain how to relocate his R.V.

Chris Dake, 29, has lived in various federal land locations since sustaining a debilitating knee injury five years ago. Standing beside his broken-down Chevy Winnebago with visible injuries, Dake voiced the shared frustration and despair among those evicted. “There’s nowhere for us to go,” he said. “They’re pushing us out.”

Local advocate Eric Garrity, who unsuccessfully attempted a legal intervention to stop the eviction, warned that displacements were creating a cycle of homelessness. Many of the evicted planned to move to another nearby encampment, Dirt World, which is already slated for closure later this month. Garrity said its clearing would leave people without housing in a state of “perpetual displacement.”

Homeless & Hungry

California Governor Newsom Makes $1.4 Billion Proposal To Combat Homelessness

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The housing crisis in California is nothing new. Recently Oakland’s city councilwoman, Rebecca Kaplan, proposed a bill that would convert cruise ships into potential housing for those without. Now, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, is pushing for a plan that would require California lawmakers to provide $1.4 billion to combat the homeless crisis. 

The money would be going towards rent payments, building supplies/labor for more shelters, and assistance programs for those struggling to get back onto their feet. Along with this proposal, Newsom also signed a new executive order that requires real estate agencies to locate public properties throughout the state that can be used for short-term emergency shelters in cases of extreme weather, and general unsafe circumstances that homeless individuals might find themselves in. 

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“Homelessness is a national crisis, one that’s spreading across the West Coast and cities across the country. The state of California is treating it as a real emergency — because it is one. [This] budget proposal on homelessness a involves a massive infusion of state dollars,”  Newsom said in a statement.

The executive order will also provide 100 camping trailers as temporary housing, and will call for the development of a new government task force that’s main focus is helping people get off the streets. 

Newsom stated that this order, along with the $1.4 billion proposal, has been a long time coming, and for California especially it couldn’t have come at a better time. According to a report done by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development there are currently 151,000 people living in California without a home. That number also makes up for a quarter of the entire nation’s homeless population. 

In general, the housing crisis in America has been moving slowly on the right track. Most states have shown a decrease in homelessness rates within the past few years, however, for California the opposite has been occuring. In fact the homeless population in California has increased by 16% this year alone. 

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California Governor Gavin Newsom

“Californians have lots of compassion for those among us who are living without shelter. But we also know what compassion isn’t. Compassion isn’t allowing a person suffering a severe psychotic break or from a lethal substance abuse addiction to literally drift towards death on our streets and sidewalks,” Newsom said.

Newsom spoke with extreme conviction and passion as he made the billion dollar proposal. According to reports, the proposal itself will be sent to California lawmakers on Friday (1/10). Newsom broke down the logistics of the budget, stating that a majority of it, approximately $750 million, will go towards paying rent for individuals who can’t, and building new housing. 

The remainder of the money, approximately $695 million, will go towards funding for California’s Medicaid program. The hope is that the additional money will allow Medicaid to expand its programs for homeless individuals specifically who are in their current housing situation due to medical treatments that are too expensive. Too many individuals can’t afford housing because of their expensive medical costs for diseases that are unpreventable. Newsom’s hope is that anyone who is diagnosed with a disease won’t have to worry about losing their home to afford treatment. 

As previously stated, Newsom will be making the official proposal this Friday, along with the formal state budget for California in 2020. California legislatures will have until June 15th to officially pass the budget and deal.

Small Wooden Cabin

As Cost of Living Skyrockets, Tiny Houses Grow in Popularity

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As income inequality reaches historic levels, wages stagnate, and the cost of college and other expenditures increases, people are forced to become creative to determine how to live while still being able to save money and maintain disposable income. One such solution is found in the idea of “tiny houses,” which generally encompass fewer than 400 square feet, cost as little as $600 per month, and often can be towed to new locations. The downsides of such a living environment are obvious, but for a certain type of person, living in a tiny house can be a great way to save money while embarking on a unique and exciting lifestyle.

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Living in a tiny house is akin to living in a trailer or RV, though tiny houses are generally more aesthetically pleasing. Most tiny houses are no wider than eight and a half feet, as this is the maximum width allowable on roads in the U.S. The philosophy of living that drives interest in tiny homes is one of minimalism, as these residences promote a simple lifestyle with few personal possessions while promoting freedom by making it easier to travel and move to new places. What’s more, the tiny house lifestyle is ideal for the environmentally-conscious, as living in a tiny house minimizes electricity and oil usage while also reducing the amount of material necessary to build and maintain the house.

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However, there are a number of clear drawbacks to living in a tiny house, not the least of which is a lack of space. Oftentimes, tiny homes have bathrooms that are so small that the toilet is placed immediately next to the shower, and space restrictions mean that lofts and closest can be so small that you have to crawl to enter and leave them. Additionally, zoning regulations often restrict or prohibit living in tiny houses, depending on the jurisdiction. Tiny houses can also prove to be problematic for neighbors, who may consider them an eyesore and may worry that communities of tiny homes can devolve into shantytowns, lowering property values in the neighborhood.

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Still, none of these drawbacks have discouraged proponents of the tiny house movement, which is continuing to grow and now encompasses roughly 10,000 members in the United States alone. While the experience of life in a tiny home is far from ideal for most people, the movement has the potential to address some of the major problems facing modern American life, including the rise in homelessness over time and the damaging environmental impact of life in a large residence. While this lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, those looking for more fun, unique, and adventurous experiences may want to consider the possibilities offered by life in a tiny home.

Cruise Ship

California Wants To Use Cruise Ships To Solve Their Housing Crisis

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Rebecca Kaplan, a City Councilwoman in Oakland, California, wants to use cruise ships to help solve the cities housing crisis. Reports state that Kaplan was reading some old articles about how cruise ships have been used as makeshift storm shelters during hurricane season in California when she got the initial idea. Since Oakland doesn’t see too many superstorms these days, Kaplan figured this could also help solve one of the cities largest problems. 

California itself has a major homeless problem. Too many individuals are without shelter and take to the streets to sleep. Oakland alone has over 4,000 individuals currently experiencing homelessness, which is a 47% increase compared to the population of the city two years prior. Kaplan considers the current housing crisis in Oakland a public health emergency as well as a humanitarian emergency. The city has limited access to resources such as running water, toilets, shelter beds, etc. and while multiple solutions have been discussed throughout the past few years, none have actually gone into effect. 

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“It is a human catastrophe, it has to be all hands on deck. We say this is an emergency, so, I thought, well, we have a natural-disaster level of crisis. Now I am in dialogue with people who can actually do something.” Kaplan said, adding that the crisis should be approached like any other disaster.

Now, after Kaplan discussed the cruise ship idea with her fellow council members, the wheels are actually beginning to turn. Kaplan said that she’s already been contacted by a few cruise ship companies for the project, and her and her team plan on making an official proposal by early next year. One ship alone can add up to 1,000 on board beds for individuals without a home, the results would be astounding if put into motion.  

The idea hasn’t been as widely well received as one might assume, because the idea isn’t entirely new. After Hurricane Katrina, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush attempted to deliver cruise ship housing to victims whose homes were destroyed by the storm. He made a $236 million deal with Carnival Cruise Lines, only to have a majority of evacuees’s opt for on land shelter housing, leaving the cruise ships practically empty for weeks. Bush received major backlash after this, as individuals stated that what was spent on acquiring the ships could have been used to rebuild actual homes. 

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Kaplan, however, has taken this criticism with a grain of salt, and claims she still plans on doing anything in her power to help solve this crisis, and she plans to do it with cruise ships. Plans in the past to help clear the streets and offer shelter to those without have greatly backfired, leaving multiple members of the community tired of false promises. Additionally, the city isn’t showing a lot of compassion when it comes to these people who have practically nothing. Police break up tent communities leaving individuals with literally no where to go, major corporate buildings install massive statues or trees by their offices so homeless individuals don’t sleep there, and overall, the only policies put into place are meant to benefit the people of the community, not the actual ones without a place to sleep. 

The cruise ship plan is just one part of Kaplan’s three-part plan to solve the housing crisis; which also includes an expansion of access to areas in Oakland where RV’s and other mobile home vehicles can be parked for homeless individuals to stay in, complete with running water and toilets. Additionally, Kaplan is looking into vacant buildings throughout the city that has space to create emergency housing. The main goal is to have enough indoor space, regardless if it’s on a ship or a trailer, to give these people a warm place to sleep, and a shower to get clean.

“I am not saying it is a done deal. What I am saying is we need to put a lot more options on the table. If there’s a chance we can make it work, we should try,” Kaplan said.

Guy Standing

From Homelessness to Million Pound Success

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Today Sandro Heitor is at the forefront of transparency in the construction industry through his multi-million-pound business Trio. However, his journey to success has been fraught with many setbacks along the way that while challenging, have motivated him to achieve the highest levels of success. 

Sandro moved to London in 1989 with his parents at the age of 4 but he originally hailed from Portugal. However this move was not one that brought instant yield as he and his parents found themselves homeless for a prolonged period, sleeping in churches and office spaces until they could afford a single room above a fish and chips shop between them. It was during this period that he was inspired to help others as when his mother could only afford chips but he wanted a red can of Coca-Cola, the shop owner kindly gave him not one but three cans. It was then he decided he wanted to have an impact on others like she had had an impact on him. The struggle felt by his parents meant Sandro has always been thankful for his later success and a key motivator has been to always be able to provide and give his parents the early retirement they deserve; to stop them falling back into homelessness his parents would work from 6am-8pm.  

Initially Sandro believed that financial freedom was going to be his route to happiness and success but this almost caused him to go bankrupt. Thankfully, he was able to turn around his misfortunes; however, he would not change these experiences because this put him on his current path. If he could give any advice to his younger self it would be to prioritise your own wellbeing and do not go after things which are outside your control. He believes in investing time in what is already in front of you as you may well find that everything you need and want is already there. Within his book The Entrepreneur Paradox, Sanrdo discusses the importance of all three pillars of wealth. He believes that business people should not focus solely on financial wealth, but they also need to invest in themselves emotionally. 

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Sandro is passionate about the difference in approach of Trio including transparency and methods when contracting, buying, developing and maintaining property in the real estate hub that is London. Originally a small property investment partnership, Trio has diversified its business and works across various verticals within London Property. 

Trio now operates in three divisions: the first is property maintenance and work with agents, housing associations, private landlords and hotels carrying out any maintenance work. They also have a contracting division where they do bigger projects on behalf of clients and their third division is their own property development, for which they buy land and any existing buildings to build their own beautiful apartments in London. Every area of Trio is done with a difference and they have over 60 brand new apartments agreed in 2019.

“At the end of the day, the goal is to be able to look back without any regrets and say, this was all worth it. That is the true mark of success.”

For Sandro, success does not simply equate to a large amount of money. Sandro is passionate that he wants to create an impact that is bigger than just himself. The public perception of contractors is so often fraught with negative stereotypes of unreliable and dubious individuals but this is something Sandro, and his business Trio, are looking to debunk through prioritising transparency. 

Similarly, Sandro has also noticed that many dedicated and hardworking sole traders do not get the opportunity to work with big clients as they are not able to spend the expected funds or have the insurance necessary for these opportunities. Trio was established to support sole traders and smaller contractors in securing these opportunities so they also have access to the biggest contracts. For Sandro, this not only benefits his business, but it benefits others around the world.

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Sandro is proud that he and his business are selective over who they choose to work with. Sandro creates meaningful relationships with clients that share the company values and understand and respect what it is they are trying to achieve. Small traders are prone to suffering from issues with cashflow but Sandro views client relationships as mutually beneficial.  

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, Sandro said “Look after number one. Self-belief is so important, as is your mental health and wellbeing. The road to success can be complex and stressful, and it won’t necessarily be easy, so it’s really important that you do it all on your own terms. At the end of the day, the goal is to be able to look back without any regrets and say, this was all worth it. That is the true mark of success.”

For more information about Trio visit: https://www.trio-thedifference.com

The Entrepreneur Paradox is also available for purchase on Amazon. 

Homeless

Trump’s Targeting of Homeless Californians Just Another Battle in the Culture War

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Donald Trump, apparently, has declared war on California. After the state, in cooperation with automotive companies, developed its own set of regulations on carbon emissions in response to the E.P.A.’s planned rollback of goals for automotive manufacturers to improve gas mileage, Trump took action to try to limit California’s authority to set environmental regulations, stymieing the state’s plan. Fueled by apparent anger towards the liberal state, Trump also recently took the bizarre step of pressuring the E.P.A. to declare California’s homeless population an environmental risk. Of course, it is shockingly obvious that the population in question pose no such threat whatsoever, and this political pressure has no basis in reality. The truth, in fact, is the opposite: homeless people both contribute the least of any population to climate change, which is the primary environmental concern, and suffer the most from its effects, as their capacity to find shelter during extreme weather events and migrate to more habitable areas is extremely limited. Rather, Trump’s decision to berate the homeless, blaming them for an issue they clearly have nothing to do with, is simply part of a pattern of behavior in which the President cruelly exploits the disenfranchised for his own political and personal ends.

This tactic is useful for authoritarian leaders such as Trump. A political coalition which is united against a common enemy is a powerful one, and the easiest enemies to unite against are those who do not have political, social, and economic power. Whether it’s a deliberate strategy on Trump’s part or a manifestation of his psychological pathology, the demonization of minority groups has been the Trump campaign theory since the beginning. The idea of the wall on the southern border has always drawn its power from being a symbol of the strength granted by minority oppression, and the US’s policy of deliberate cruelty towards immigrants serves as evidence of this political theory. While his targeting of Hispanic immigrants is the most obvious, Trump has also gone after other minority groups, infamously claiming there were “some fine people on both sides” of a deadly incident in Charlottesville involving a group of white nationalist protestors, and taking executive action in an attempt to limit the number of Muslim immigrants shortly after assuming the presidency.

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The White House claims that San Francisco’s homelessness problem breaks environmental rules because used needles, originating in homeless communities, wind up in the ocean. San Francisco’s mayor, London Breed, was quick to refute this claim, citing the city’s advanced sewer system which prevents debris from flowing into the bay. The mayor also described how the city was already committed to helping homeless people, noting that the city was investing in improving homeless shelters, affordable housing, and programs to help people with mental illnesses and drug addiction. Meanwhile, under Trump, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is imposing additional limits on federal public housing opportunities, and in interviews Trump has shown his sympathies lie more with the taxpayers and others who have to deal with the problems created by homeless people rather than the homeless themselves, suggesting the real victims of the problem are people like police officers who catch diseases from the homeless. Any apparent concern Trump has for homeless people is at best insincere, or more likely a political ploy to demonize a vulnerable and underserved population for political ends.

By issuing claims that are, by their very nature, fundamentally and obviously anti-truth, Trump and his administration are asserting political dominance over facts themselves

From this perspective, the motivations behind Trump’s newest target become clear. By associating California with homelessness, Trump attempts to illustrate the failure of liberal politicians and policies, bolstering his oppositional political position. Because they are an easy target, homeless people are exploitable for the purpose of consolidating authoritarian power. Californian politicians are in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with Trump on the nature of the issue of widespread homelessness but disagreeing about potential solutions to the problem. Given Trump’s temperament and the nature of the political theory that drives his behavior, it is unlikely that any proposed solutions from the White House will actually involve benefiting the homeless. Rather, the White House supports a plan to move homeless people into the government’s care, which sounds appropriate until you consider the overcrowded, unsanitary, and inhumane conditions of these facilities. The cruelty, of course, is the point, as Trump sees this posturing towards California as a means by which to punish the liberal state, just as he views the cruelty of detention centers as a punishment for illegal immigration.

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The fact that the belief that homeless people are an environmental threat is not only clearly false, but also the opposite of the truth, is also the point. By issuing claims that are, by their very nature, fundamentally and obviously anti-truth, Trump and his administration are asserting political dominance over facts themselves, a useful position in the establishment of a totalitarian state. Similar political behavior, in which government agencies present the opposite of truth as truth itself, was used to great effect during the rise of fascism in Europe in the 20th century and is chronicled in George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty Four. In an authoritarian state, the various branches of government are gradually repurposed to serve as instruments with which tyrants can destroy their opposition; this is seen in the E.P.A.’s abandonment of concerns about climate change in favor of punishing homeless people, just as it is in N.O.A.A.’s knowingly false assertion that a hurricane was originally forecast to hit Alabama after the President said it was. In the culture war between the two major political parties, which Donald Trump deliberately stokes for political gain, the least privileged and culpable are the most victimized.

Featured image credit: Garry Knight, “Homeless by a Wall.“