BLUE CITY UPDATE: Atlanta has entire families living in parks.
UPDATE: An Atlanta reader emails:
I’ve lived here since 2001 and until a few years ago I had never seen a tent under a highway overpass. Now they seem to be everywhere.
Not defending it, but being homeless is easier than ever because of technology.
With only a smartphone, one can have and manage a bank account, receive income (like public benefits), make online payments, communicate with friends and family, hire transportation to/from your location, schedule medical appointments, have food delivered to your location, purchase items on Amazon delivered to a nearby dropoff point, arrange drug deals, find customers for sexual services, etc.
A homeless person in America with a smartphone can shop, select, and have their preferred tent delivered to them from China to a nearby Amazon locker within a few days, as well as any other “camping” supplies they desire.
In balmy Georgia for 9/12ths of the year, that is a “home-free” lifestyle that is completely feasible from a tent under I-75.
Good point. (Bumped).