Disabled Veteran Says Las Vegas Treats Homeless People the Worst

I visited Food Not Bombs in Las Vegas today. I was told to park where the gate was open, so I did. Turns out that’s an employee parking lot for the homeless shelter next door. Security and a city employee stopped me from recording. As I walked to the food distribution, I started a conversation with Brian, a homeless veteran. Brian says he has never seen any city treat homeless people as callously as Las Vegas, and he has traveled all over since 1973. If you didn’t know, Las Vegas has made everything related to homelessness illegal. Homeless people cannot sit or lay down or panhandle without risking arrest and being fined $1,000 or 6 months in jail just for being homeless. In addition, food and clothing distribution are illegal. But even worse, Las Vegas uses a courtyard model leaving homeless people to sleep outside in mats inches away from each other. Brian was passing through and ran out of gas. He now has to wait until the first of the month for his VA check to get back on the road. Brian is lucky to have some income, but after paying child support, he is left with $500 a month, which is not enough to live on and pay rent. More stories: HOUSING FIRST WORKS: Homeless Veteran Gets an Apartment Barry is homeless living in a tunnel underneath Las Vegas #homeless #lasvegas #veterans ================================== Subscribe here: Invisible People’s website: Support Invisible People: On Patreon: Invisible People’s Social Media: Mark Horvath’s Twitter: About Invisible People There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness. We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness. This isn’t just talk. Each year, our groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. Our real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention and deliver a call-to-action that is being answered by governments, major brands, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens just like you. However, there is more work to be done on the road ahead. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of our biggest societal issues today and will only continue to grow if we don’t take action now. Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.