I was reading a [post][1] by cmccabe on here talking about public spaces and
public libraries.

One of the super interesting things to me about public libraries is that in a
lot of cities where there's a high quantity of "homeless" out there, public
libraries are often amazing places where the staff helps them with resources
that they might need like training for how to find and keep a job/home, etc.

It's kind of great.


One thing that's interesting - I was recently in Oakland, California, USA
where the climate makes it pretty hospitable for not having "official"
housing and I got to wondering - why in the world do we place such a strong
emphasis on paying someone else for where you sleep at night?

There were people who had setup pretty regular encampments - I suspect they've
lived in that spot longer than I've been in my current house. But why are they
considered homeless and I'm not?

Is it because I pay property tax and a mortgage? Is it because my walls are
made of wood and brick instead of couches, mattresses, tarps and wood? Because
I have running water and indoor plumbing? Because the post office delivers
mail to my residence?

What is it that makes one of these people "homeless", and not me?


[1]: gopher://circumlunar.space/0/%7ecmccabe/03-trilobytes.txt