Homeless at 9. Abused at 11. Is this Venice Beach Man's homelessness by choice?

Chad was first homeless at 9 years old. His mom lost the house they were living in, so they moved into their car. After a few years of living between vehicles and homeless shelters with his mother, Chad ended back on the streets homeless at 11 years old. Chad got into am trouble and was placed into foster care, then at 13 he ran away, and he has been homeless ever since. Chad is now 28, having spent most of his life homeless.

Chad says, "I don't like being homeless, but that's what I mainly know." Chad has gotten used to homelessness. He's really known knowing else.

When people see a homeless person like Chad in Venice Beach, they don't know the backstory of how that person became homeless. Venice has always been a party city ever since Abbot Kinney founded Venice of America in 1905. Thousands of people, many of them artists, are attracted to the beach community for its Bohemian lifestyle. Like Chad, many are not living outside by choice. Life circumstances often childhood trauma push a person into homelessness. Once on the streets, it's extremely hard to get out. 

Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of on the shortage of affordable housing, gainful employment, living wages, childhood trauma, or countless other 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 and poverty, as public sentiment affects public policy.

Some people hold onto the false belief that homelessness is a result of a person's bad choices. Chad's never had a chance to be a child or an adult. He's never had a job. Chad doesn't even own a pair of shoes. No one is going to hire Chad. There is a very good chance that Chad will spend the rest of his life homeless, dying outside at some point. But you can help change that.

Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will continue to get worse. Click here https://invisiblepeople.tv/getinvolved to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you.

More Venice Beach stories:

Venice Beach Homeless Man Shares about Police Sweeps in Los Angeles https://youtu.be/t8ha3RxuTMg

Venice Beach Homeless Woman Sleeps in Front of the Apartment She Rented for 17 Years https://youtu.be/NdS63o_TC_8

Venice Beach Homeless Man Lives in an RV with His Daughter. Both Have Jobs but Can't Afford Rent. https://youtu.be/dB1lyFMUpIM

#losangeles #venicebeach #homeless
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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, 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.

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