Pictures Of Sacramento’s Tent City: Unfiltered And Unspun
I reckon that most Americans rarely look beyond the filtered and spun version of reality presented to them by the U.S. media to see how the rest of the world views us.
If they did, they might be left with more than a few doubts about whether they still live in “the greatest country on earth.”
In fact, I reckon that the following report from Britain’s Daily Mail, “Pictured: The Credit Crunch Tent City Which Has Returned to Haunt America,” would probably leave some wondering what planet they were on.
A century and a half ago it was at the centre of the Californian gold rush, with hopeful prospectors pitching their tents along the banks of the American River.
Today, tents are once again springing up in the city of Sacramento. But this time it is for people with no hope and no prospects.
With America’s economy in freefall and its housing market in crisis, California’s state capital has become home to a tented city for the dispossessed.
Rich and poor: The tents and other makeshift homes have sprung up in the shadow of Sacramento’s skyscrapers
Shanty town: The tent city is already home to dozens of people, many left without jobs because of the credit crunch
Those who have lost their jobs and homes and have nowhere else to go are constructing makeshift shelters on the site, which covers several acres.
As many as 50 people a week are turning up and the authorities estimate that the tent city is now home to more than 1,200 people.
In a state more known for its fantastic wealth and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the images have shocked many Americans.
Conditions are primitive, with no water supply or proper sanitation.
Many residents have to walk up to three miles to buy bottled water from petrol stations or convenience stores.
Ben Cardwell, carries supplies to his tent at a homeless settlement
Tammy Day, a homeless woman, cooks potatoes on a campfire at the site
At other times, charity workers arrive to hand out free food and other supplies.
Joan Burke, who campaigns on behalf of the homeless, said the images of Americans living in tents would shock many.
‘It should be an eye- opener for everybody,’ she said. ‘But we shouldn’t just be shocked, we should take action to change things, because it’s unacceptable.
‘It is unacceptable that in this day and age we have gone back to a situation like we had during the Great Depression.’
Homeless: Keith and Tammy Day cook dinner
Authorities in Sacramento, where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has his office,
admit the sight of families living in such poverty is not pretty.But faced with their own budget crisis and a £30billion deficit, they have had little choice but to consider making the tent city a permanent fixture.
The city’s mayor Kevin Johnson said: ‘I can’t say tent cities are the answer to the homeless population in Sacramento, but I think it’s one of the many things that should be considered and looked at.’
Shanty towns sprung up during the Great Depression as people lost their jobs and homes
Migrant Mother: Dorothea Lange’s famous photograph from the Great Depression features Florence Owens Thompson, 32, a mother-of-three who had just sold the family’s tent to buy food
As America’s most powerful state California had the same gross domestic output as Italy and Spain, but it has been among the hardest hit by the recession and housing crisis.
Foreclosure rates last year rocketed by 327 per cent, with up to 500 people a day losing their home.
Coupled with massive job cuts that have seen one in ten workers laid off, many people who once enjoyed a middle class existence are now forced into third world conditions.
Former car salesman Corvin and his wife Tena are among the newest residents of the tent city.
Tent city residents queue up to receive supplies handed out by a local charity
The couple, who are in their fifties, lost their home and jobs around the same time.
With homeless shelters full in Sacramento, they had little choice but to use what savings they had left to buy a tent.
The couple admit they have yet to tell their grown-up children about their hand-to-mouth existence.
Tena said: ‘I have a 35-year-old son, and he doesn’t know. I call him, about once a month and on holidays, to let him know that I’m well and healthy.
‘He would love me anyway, but I don’t want to worry him.’
The shame of Sacramento’s tent city was given a much wider airing after it was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show which is watched by more than 40million people a week.
Many of those who have found themselves homeless worked in the building trade.
But with no new home builds and as many as 80,000 people losing their job every month, there is little chance of employment. Governor Schwarzenegger last month approved a budget to address the state’s deficit, ending a three-month stalemate among lawmakers.
As well as increasing taxes, he has imposed drastic cuts in education, healthcare and services that will affect everyone living in the state.
Many of those living in the tent city are pinning their hopes on President Obama’s $787billion stimulus package which is aimed at rescuing the economy and creating jobs.
The President has also announced plans to save the homes of nine million people from foreclosure by restructuring their mortgage debt.
Best Credit Cards
Chase Freedom- Blue Cash
- Chase Sapphire
- American Express Platinum Card
- United Credit Card
- Southwest Credit Card
- Delta Credit Card
- British Airways Card - Get 100,000 Bonus Points
- Blue Cash Preferred
- Capital One Venture
- Discover Card
- Chase Ink Credit Card
- Discover More Card - 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card
- Citi Diamond Preferred Card
- American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card
- Starwood Preferred Guest
- American Express Gold Card
- Citi Dividend
- Capital One Cash Rewards
- Discover Student
- Marriott Rewards Credit Card
- Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card
- Capital One Secured Credit Card
- Hilton Rewards
- Credit Card Rewards
Broker Reviews
Where are the children? I know that this happens at State Parks and other areas nation wide. It happens here in Alabama. However, these numbers keep rising with forclosure numbers. Where are the children? I know… these people have children. I looked in the “stimulus”. IF there is help for us homeowners it is soo complicated that I cannot interpret it. Where is the assistance? I know that I am okay for now… We pray at night that my family is blessed and thankful to have what we need. Where is the stimulus help for the others. We read in my daughter’s history books last night about the Great Depression. One of the things that helped our people was giving them jobs. Where are the jobs? My husband has been out of work for months. Thank God I still have my job. Now tell me… where can he find one? Will the government come in and create jobs? People are willing to work. Our children cannot end up in tents!!!!
Come on, third world conditions? People here don’t know what third world is! Here you get a free tent and sleeping bag from the city, you don’t starve to death, you don’t have to worry about getting harvested into human trafficking, sold into slavery or dying from drinking parasitic water!
Have some perspective! If this wasn’t here they’d be on the streets, so this is better than a overcrowded shelter or an underpass. Even the homeless in America have it better than the middle class in Somalia.
I wonder if you’d feel this way if you had to live in those conditions. The times are going to get harder. I guess you will see if you have to resort to conditions that you are not accustomed to. I make a good salary, but have good sense to know that I could end of in a situation of this magnitude. I am blessed to to have only had to cut out what would be considered luxuries by others during these hard times.
I live in Mexico. And I have lived in 3rd world countries, including in the middle of the jungle in Honduras. You have no idea. Living like this is worse than living in a third world country where there is no electricity or running water, because poeple that live like that have crop and their own way of life. The diference being that you are trapped in a city with no way of making it. This situation is definatly worse beleive me.
Get real buddy its happening all over America. Sacramento is but one town. Free sleeping bag and tent I am sure that all these people would rather have a room heat toilets and showers. Put you heads out of your asses
I couldn’t agree with you more. Everything is blown out of perspective and spun for political reasons. This country is going down the tubes with this present administration, but the problem isn’t a few people living in tents for crying out loud. Another “red herring” to keep us off the scent.
I agree with Jacob. This is not the conditions of a 3rd world country. People who live at the poverty level in America are considered middle class in most other developed countries. Census data shows that the “poor” have cable television and at least one car. These people who’ve become homeless have made poor decisions that have taken them down this path. There are shelters where they can stay – if they follow the rules. There is job training they can have – if they follow the rules. The bottom line is they have decided not to follow society’s rules. If I chose not to play by the rules, I’d lose my job and home, too.
You need to pull your head out of your ass!!!!!!!! you really believe that people are going homeless because they dont know how to follow the rules? your an idiot if you cannot see that the whole coutry is in financial crisis? So your message is ‘play by the rules or go homeless’I feel sorry for you and anybody who has to live around such a disgusting personality. What happened to helping each other? Or is it going to take another 9-11 to make people like you to realize this isn’t the homeless peoples fault it is the government! If homeless people are considered middle class that means my monthly income of 1800 puts me at upper class? get real grow up
keep playing by the rules but you better hope the game rules do not change or you might be looking for a job or a new home hopes it not made of canvas!
I agree wth some other comments especially the one by JEEP you shouldnt get mad at her she is stupid and scared. She has always lived by the RULES and as you can see she obviously has never had to deal with HARD TIMES. So she subconciously equates playing by the RULES with nothing BAD happening to her. You better WAKE UP HONEY bad things happen did mt DAD die of cancer and my family lose everythihg because we werent playing by THE RULES. Better WAKE UP ding a ling. Eric
Julie,
It is a gross miscalculation to generalize that all homeless people made bad decisions and did not follow society’s rules. The article even made a point of mentioning that many of these tent city inhabitants worked in construction, an industry that was too voracious. Is it their fault that their bosses may have been greedy? Or that there are simply no projects on which to work? No. Will you also blame the GIs with brain injuries if they become homeless? I doubt it. Please, take some time to educate yourself before making such rash judgments.
You know it sickens me to read what Jacob and Julie have written from the comforts of their home behind a computer. Especially the comment from Julie:
“These people who’ve become homeless have made poor decisions that have taken them down this path. There are shelters where they can stay – if they follow the rules. There is job training they can have – if they follow the rules.”
Are you kidding me. Apparently you cannot read and do not understand the real reason these people are out on the “street’s”. There are no shelters for them to go to??? They are all full. You are an idiot for writing such nonsense. There are NO jobs for them to keep. Their desicions did not put them out, their employers did. FOLLOW THE RULES???? Are you seriously smoking crack?? JOB TRAINING???? For WHAT JOBS??? I only hope that your comfort contiues for yourself and that YOU do not end up out there not knowing where to turn.
I agree julie and jacob need a reality check, if they can come down from their high horses!!!!!!!!!!
Greenspan Acres
No in the great depression these were called HOOVERVILLES. Maybe they should be BUSHVILLES? ERIC
More like Obamavilles you mean? Are you not paying attention? Wake up dude.
All of us at some level have contributed to the way things are. AND, it will take all of us (at some level) to change things. Forget the old rules and ways of ‘getting ahead.’ We are on uncharted ground in terms of our withdrawal from our old thinking and how it used to ‘work’ for us. Most of us are still trying the same old self-serving rules of survival and ‘success.’ Sir Issac Newton came to some of his most ground breaking discoveries while Europe was battling the Plague. Some where between 30-60% of Europe’s population died during the Black Death. However, historians refer to that year as Newton’s Annus Miriculus (Year of Miricles). Let’s stop pointing fingers or whipping the same old horse while the rats run amok. We need New Thoughts to deal with the New Economy that is trying to be born. How willing are we to let go of our our addictive habits? A record 1 out of 9 homes in the U.S. are presently vacant! All the while a record number of people are being forced to live without a roof over their heads.
It’s sad that responses in the thread have to address asinine responses by the likes of Jacob and Julie. Let’s move on past that idiotic thinking.
My question is, what are the solutions. Shouldn’t the tent settlement be made a national catastrophe and FEMA trailers be brought in? Even though we’re in the middle a financial crisis in this country, you can’t tell me there’s not resources to help the “the least of these.” If the federal government can bail out banks, I’m pretty sure it can help the homeless with a trailer and some food, so that they can get back on their feet.
Most of these people don’t want “on their feet.” They’ve opted out. I’ve talked with many over the years. I have a friend who quit UCSC to go live in a tent in Santa Cruz for most of the last 27 years and there are many like him. These people don’t want the responsibility of day in and day out jobs. You couldn’t give it to them. Don’t be so soft-headed believing the PC tripe spoon fed to you. It’s sad we have to respond to asinine comments like yours.
Why does this article include a picture of depression era Seattle (the first B&W picture, showing the Smith Tower in the background)when the tile is “Pictures of Sacramento…”. Mr.Panzer should be more careful in what he presents or the he will lose credibility.
I implore each person here in this country to look up the word “empathetic”. while you’re at it look up the words Loyalt Duty Respect Selfless Service Honor Integrity and Personal Courage. (The acronym our military stands for) LDRSHIP taught to every basic trainee of the United States Army. It wouldn’t hurt to look up Character either.
If we applied one of these to each of our lives…
Or… if our leaders did. Our lives, and our children’s lives would be better for it.
So, I say to each person who has attributed to the “regression” of today… get a conscience. Pray…
And to each of us struggling and trying to get by… Persevere. Giving up is not an option. If the Government won’t/can’t provide our men and women jobs… and the one’s coming home from war they are not… it couldn’t hurt for them to look up these words. I hope they can sleep well at night.
I’ve got a thought on how to make new jobs and bring more money to are country.
LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!
Think about it, find out the facts.
I believe it would do the trick.
I agree with Matt. It may not solve everything because damage has been done, but it would definatly help.
I must say I would vote for that before I would a lot of the other things that have passed in the past month.
Yes most definitly legalize pot it wont fix everything but it would freeup a lot of jail beds. It would let law enforcement do some REAL law enforcement. Although in my experience with the law that is exactly what they dont WANT to do is enforce REAL laws with dangerous situations the police would rather pick up a drunk in public early in their shift so they can return to the station and spend the next 7or 8 hours BOOKING the drunk in public. I know I have seen it first hand.The police station is safe for the cowards that are cops. ERIC
Maybe the Governor could activate A National Guard Unit to deliver water buffalo’s(and not the animal type) to provide safe drinking water for these people and a day labor company to come in and have a skills interview. If you present a problem try to present a solution. I realize that most are not fit to join the military but I am sure there is work out there. The National Guard could as well run camps simuliar to GITMO in 95. There were tents,Safe drinking water, Food and Medical Care. Yeah I know today’s economy smells like a turd in a punch bowl, but I am sure that as Americans we can figure it out if we put our minds to it
http://www.capradio.org/articles/articledetail.aspx?articleid=6349
Read the local public radio report. The camps have been there for a least forty years. They used to be called hobo camps. The Daily Mail isn’t known to be a credible source in the UK. They are known to “jazz” the “news” up.
There is a charity nearby the camp where people can get free water and ice. There are two meals a day offered, lockers to store belongings,rest rooms, hot showers and alcohol abuse counseling if desired. It’s called Loaves and Fishes.
yeh, uh-huh mark…I didn’t see where it said that place has been around for 40 years. I just wretched to hear this radio pompousity speak with such disdain and haughtiness and dismissiveness…kinda like your comments, not authentic. if anything talking to the police to back up your establishment support of status quo inertia is anything but journalistic. The clipped little segments from the two ‘campers’ were neutral AT BEST to his viewpoint. Soup kitchens are your answer so all is well is that what you are saying here? Or it’s not REALLY THAT bad?? jeebus…maybe some xians could go in and preach to them and pray with them too since they’d be likely to succumb to that too for a meal ration. so…the petroleum broadcasting radio affiliate supported by commericial ‘donations’ from the likes of BP and Exxon really dug deep for this bit of reporting. Nice solutions that he offered too huh? what? where? move on people…nothing to see here. Reminds me of the movie THEY LIVE by john carpenter .
Lousy layout. Hugh blank in the front. Thought the page failed to load.
Touching story except it’s no entirely true. Yes, there is a tent city along the river but it has been there a long, long time. Its existence has far more to do with the collapse of the mental health system than it does mortgage foreclosures. But hey, as some news media are want to say these days… never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.
I played by the “rules” and lost my house and my job. I couldnt afford California so my best friend in another state allowed me and my daughter share one of the rooms in her house. I am poor but I will not let my daughter sleep in a tent city.
you are right stacey. the rules change behind your back.