Submitted by lettuceLeafer in Mutual_Aid (edited )
Let me preface this. I haven't decided if this is a good idea or not. I was just curious to hear people's thoughts in this theoretical..
I've toyed with a few illegal landlord projects which could benefit poor people.
- Illegal pod hotels for homeless people. It gives them a place to sleep where they are safe from thieves an cops and won't die of the elements. Providing some stability. And since it uses housing that can't be rented out legally it could be done quite cheap. Tho it would have to be something really cheap like less than 2 dollars a night. So with the great risk of fines it wouldn't be something to profit greatly of of but more building good will with a group of disadvantaged people and help them better their lives.
Maybe for it to be feasible it would rely on public funding bc their are plenty of people who would pay money to give homeless people a safe place to sleep and keep their dignity.
A anarchistically run homeless shelter is in high demand as current homeless shelters are so horrible that sleeping in the street is far preferable for most homeless people. FYI I got this idea from a homeless blogger.
- A illegal squatter insurance company of sorts. People pay a cheap fee, no fee and don't on volunteer basis or funded via charity. People would get info and access to a secured squat with some of health risks removed (black mold ect) and has some utilities and ability of climate control. So then it would provide additional security to people who can't afford rent but would pay money for a nicer squatting experience..
In the case of being kicked out of the squat a new squat would already would be available so they wouldn't have to worry about being homeless..
In case if being charged with crime a lawyer would be provided and things in their life that need to be taken care but can't access due to being jailed (child, pets ect).
Maybe could be paired with a cop watching program so there are people patrolling to watch for people invading squats to steal or cops investigating a squat while someone is sleeping there.
Idk this is all fantasy but has made me consider if there is a middle ground where people paying a fee to have a place to live would be ok..
Ideally it would be free but relying on people choosing to donate isn't a reliable enough way to fund a project with such importance
mofongo wrote
[Not based]
Things like pods are already being thought of and they're hardly better than a tent, but less portable/replaceable. It also sounds that you don't have the full grasp of anti-homeless laws/discrimination if you consider having a safe place is the main concern or that you would be able to create a pod camp wherever. Specially it being openly illegal.
Frankly, running an actual legal hotel with homeless shelter on the side would actually achieve all the things you want and skid most anti-homeless and nimby laws.
Also, I don't get why you'd want to
privatizecentralize a squatters network. Plus charging for it is horribly exploitative. And don't get me started on the privatized anarchist security force, some things don't mix.