The Nation: Opinion: Leighton Akio Woodhouse: These Motel Rooms Are the Last Resort For Families Without Homes

I saw a HBO documentary back in the summer of 2010 about families who couldn’t afford apartments even and lost their homes due to the Great Recession. These people by in large at least before the Great Recession were educated with good jobs with both parents working. But now finding themselves without a home and out of work and for some reason not even able to find affordable public housing. I think that story also took place in Los Angeles. Both parents were able to find jobs again, but still not able to find an apartment for their family.

What that family was able to find was similar to what the family in this Nation story was able to find. The family in the film was better off and found a motel room for families who couldn’t afford apartments. But the motel wasn’t located in a crime and drug infested neighborhood. And the HBO family had a room with two beds and I believe an actual kitchen and not two mattress’ like the family in the Nation story. I bring this up because it is pretty sad, but also gives some hope that struggling families don’t have to live in a shelter or under bridge some place like that. We could find them temporary housing while they get better jobs and are able to move out on their own.

We could set up a system where families like this could stay at some type of housing center, for lack of a better term, that would serve as their temporary housing, but also as a transition and improvement center. Where they could get the healthcare, rehab, education, job training and job placement that they need to finally get a good job and not only move out of the center, but into a good apartment or home. Living independently and in freedom and not have to stick these motels or centers in rundown areas, but in middle class communities where they could find good jobs and not be surrounded by crime and drug addicts. And this could be paid for out of current public assistance budgets and run by private non-profits.