One of the most distressing elements of this extended recession has been the number of Americans not just reduced to poverty but homelessness as well. Years ago I referred to them as the “mortgage homeless,” people who moved from upper-class two income suburban life to homelessness in less than 2 years due to a combination of the housing crisis and loss of jobs. The problem has not gotten any better for anyone. The article above from Salon.com discusses how “Slab City,” one of the largest squatter camps in America, is almost completely filled with Americans who have no other place to go. This is not simply bad or disappointing – this is a crisis of third world proportions. There are Americans living in massive camps, living in shacks made of plywood and old metal, with associates and master’s degrees. They have no place else to live or work. The first presidential candidate who visits one of these sites has my vote.
This article originally appeared on Politic365.com.
