He came to Dickinson to help, now he needs help
July 22, 2010 at 7:00 pm in The Dickinson Press
“I’m not just trying to get a buck or trying to get the next dollar for the next beer,” Mike Livengood said while sitting at a busy corner on Highway 22 in Dickinson Thursday afternoon. Continue Reading
This may seem simplistic but if the guy was nice enough to come here from Oregon to help his ex-wife, couldn’t she be kind enough to let him stay at her home until he had enough to go back? Seems strange to me.
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I thought the same thing when I read this!
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I think the whole article needs to be looked at again, its not only about this one gentlemen. We don’t know his situation, maybe his ex-wife can’t help him out, maybe she moved, maybe she is in a bind herself. This article is more about the homeless problem occuring in Dickinson. Some people have done nothing wrong and are out on the streets, isn’t it our job as a community to help everyone around us and keep Dickinson a safe place to live? I know we are looking at being homeless the end of next month unless a miracle pulls through for our family and it has nothing to do with us being late on rent, or not making enough money. The home we have rented for over 3 years is being sold and we have no choice but to move. HOw is this our fault if we end up on the streets? We can’t make a house appear for us to rent, or an apartment for our growing family. People need to double think before they make replies and help out anyone and everyone they can, because it could be anyone who rents anything in this town to end up being homeless and on the streets with no place to go.
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“We don’t know his situation, maybe his ex-wife can’t help him out, maybe she moved, maybe she is in a bind herself” Well, it seems like he wasn’t really in any capacity to help her, either. If he couldn’t afford to come out here and help her, then he shouldn’t have come. If she can’t help him, then he should have made sure that he was financially able to offer the help. He over extended himself, this is his own doing. Your situation is totally different. You have nothing to do with the decision to sell the house you live in. You did not put yourself into this situation, your landlord did.
A person shouldn’t just show up somewhere with no money, and expect the city to put them up somewhere. Existing residents who lose their housing are in a different situation than someone who comes to Dickinson and can’t afford a place to stay.
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Build a homeless shelter and they will come.
There are a lot of issues inside this story.
1. Lack of housing
2. Lack of affordable housing
3. Increased panhandling
4. Continued rate increase in rental property
When I see young single adults ( no children) living in low-income housing.. I see a problem.
When I see a never ending increase in rental property since the “oil boom” I see a problem.
When I see the average employee making the same wage (prior the oil boom) (and working harder because of the oil boom) while business owners and property owners are raking it in – I see a problem.
I’ve seen more drifters floating into town since the tornado and many have a story to share. Got caught here, didn’t have enough money, lost my job, just passing thru, looking for the Salvation Army shelter etc.
The Domestic Violence Shelter should be used only for what it was intended.
For those living in homes that are for sale with the activity that has been going on should have been aware and prepared that this was about to happen.
I don’t think building a homeless shelter is the answer to any of these problems but would only add more. jmo
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“The Domestic Violence Shelter should be used only for what it was intended”
Could not agree more! As far as the DV shelter, it’s not just about space, but resources, too. Even if they have the space available, they shouldn’t be using their resources and funding for anything other than rape and domestic violence victims. That money was allotted for a specific purpose, and there could be a lot of repercussions. How are they funded? Donors, grants, taxes? Maybe their funding would be changed if they are using money for things that were not intended. I know they are trying to help whomever they can, but it isn’t fair to the victims if the DV shelters funding is put in jeopardy.
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