How I know Maryland’s homeless need help: I’m one of them

Something needs to be done to help homeless people here, not just within the city of Baltimore but also the surrounding areas. In places like Harford County, for example, there is help for families, but if you’re a single adult, you’re on your own. Especially if you’re with an emotional support animal (“Baltimore officials seek housing for homeless people who set up encampment this week outside City Hall,” Aug. 18).

How do I know this? I’m starting my second year of living in my vehicle despite working, despite almost having a degree. I got here by ending up in human trafficking for labor (not sex trafficking). The Maryland anti-trafficking organization that helped me get out stretched the truth as to what transitional housing was available. Had I known the truth, I might’ve gone elsewhere or done things a bit differently. As bad as things are, who knows if it would’ve made a difference though?

The rental market is so competitive now that property managers will not even consider anyone with “program” help, in my experience. They’ll let you pay a fee to apply, then immediately reject you. Nice little sideline scam of $25-to-$75 per applicant.

One housing program administrator in Aberdeen told me my best bet was going to be public housing — with waiting lists that will take years to get into a place. Some waiting lists have closed, once they got beyond a seven-year wait time.

At the very least, the area needs some safe parking programs, like they have in the Western U.S. in bigger cities. A private or municipal parking lot is used for vehicle dwellers to have a safe place to park overnight. Police or private security are there to keep it safe, and typically there is outreach to see if any of the participants need social services.

It’s not safe out here on your own, and it’s getting more and more dangerous. I have seen more and more people homeless thanks to the pandemic’s fallout, people who never in a million years would have thought they would end up this way. They’re elderly, Black, white and Hispanic, veterans, everyday formerly-middle-class folks, too. Will you, dear reader, be next?

Well, what will you do? Have some compassion and get people a roof over their heads? Or continue to look the other way?