@kevinmnye1 Spot on, Kevin. I'm an unemployed 58 yr old paralegal who has been homeless for 2.5 yrs in Fresno, CA after sick, hospital. The application for benefits is long (yrs), not enough affordable housing built, and I don't do drugs, alcohol, or have a criminal history. Bungled system.
@kevinmnye1 4/ I sleep in my car. Prior to homelessness, I'd NEVER been hospitalized. Now my health has plummeted. I've been hospitalized twice for food poisoning from the food at two different shelters. The second time the toxins almost caused liver failure according to surgeon. Days ivs.
@kevinmnye1 5/ I've been hospitalized for some weird thing that triatheletes get (rabdomyotosis?). Something about the body starting to eat itself and releasing blood they body 🤨. No matter how much Gatorade and water I drank, I couldn't keep up with Fresno, CA heat & sweating.
@kevinmnye1 5/ I've had a return of epileptic seizures, which had been under control for 45 yrs. I was put on a new drug Keppra, but lost my right to drive. Stanford's neurologists worked for 2 yrs in 70's to get me approved for driver's license before a panel of DMV doctors. Lots of tests.
@kevinmnye1 6/ The amount of money that the government has spent on my hospital care has far exceeded the amount it would have cost to safely house me. 🤨
@kevinmnye1 The homeless shelters are a nightmare here in Fresno, CA. Dangerous, abusive, with abusive and untrained staffs. Constant threats from staff and other clients. Being screamed at. Threatened with rape, murder, and trafficking. Who needs that cr*p? No one. Scores sleep elsewhere.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
@taniahlthplce@bmocfresno Great job on covering the importance of free bus fare in Fresno, CA. I'm a 58 yr old unemployed homeless paralegal in Fresno. Sleep in car in long wait for gov apt & benefits after sick, hospital 3 yrs ago. No substance use or crimes. -Michaela /1
@taniahlthplce@bmocfresno 2/ I've used my paralegal education & SF Bay Area law ofc experience in conservatorships to help get homeless off the sts of north Fresno. -Michaela
@taniahlthplce@bmocfresno 3/ The biggest obstacle that they and I have faced is there was NO one to cover bus passes/fare for them. They could not get to vital and essential services that they were entitled to. -Michaela
@Maxwell4Fresno Hi Tyler, I support free bus rides in @CityofFresno . I'm a former college-educated paralegal who was priced out of my native SF Bay Area. I moved to Fresno 3 yrs ago for cheaper cost of living, and a Social Work degree @Fresno_State . -Michaela /1
2/ @Maxwell4Fresno My plans were derailed by illness, hospital, and long application for benefits & housing. I'm too young for 62 yr old affordable apts (58) and too healthy for transitional programs (no drugs or alcohol). I sleep in my car in 2+ yr wait list. N Fresno.-Michaela
3/ @Maxwell4Fresno In my long healing period, I spent thru my savings and became homeless. I used a variety of Fresno's homeless services for women. They were dangerous, unethical, untrained, exhausting, and abusive. I wouldn't recommend them to any woman. Traumatic.-Michaela
2/ @POTUS@JerryDyerFresno@SoniaMDLR@fresnoland I do NOT want Fresno, CA families, especially those with children, to go thru the trauma that I've been through as homeless person. I'm too young for 62 yr old housing and too healthy for transitional housing, as no drugs/alcohol.
@DaniBergstrom@Maxwell4Fresno@thaddeusmiller@FresnoCountyCA@threadreaderapp 2/ County case workers from Behavioral Health, did NOT meet clients needing housing throughout Fresno OR give them bus passes. Clients required to go to meetings every 2 wks with case manager. Case closed for housing if appts missed, including due to transportation prob.-Michaela
@PressedTinP Hi Mr. Prince, Congratulations on your new job with Santa Clara County and tackling affordable housing there! I moved to Fresno 3 yrs ago for Social Work degree @Fresno_State . Was paralegal at law firms in SCC. -Michaela /1
2/ @PressedTinP My plans were derailed by sick, hospital, inability to work, spending thru savings, long app for affordable housing. I became homeless. I'm Fresno, CA's free auditor. I've been thru homeless services. Eye opening. Scary. -Michaela @threadreaderapp unroll
3/ @PressedTinP I sleep in my car, as do many others who've been sick. Used to the @MidPenHousing apts to stabilize vulnerable people where I lived and worked in Santa Clara County, I'm committed to those concepts in Fresno, CA. I participate in Zoom housing meetings.-Michaela