The Robin Hood of People-less Homes

Everyone Needs a Home

In Miami there is now a homeless real estate agent. No, not a real estate agent that’s homeless (although I’m sure there are a number of those) but a person who is liberating foreclosed homes and matching homeless people with people-less homes.

Max breaks in. Max evaluates the home. And, like a good realtor, Max then translates the houses features into the property’s benefits for its future occupants and finally matches the home to his list of homeless people who need a home. Voila, Max makes his choice and then helps the homeless make the best of the situation.

I assume making the best of the situation means he helps them get the water and electric turned on. And I’m sure the cable company doesn’t want to be left out. After all the utility companies are used to making money from every house on the block and they will be happy to provide the service if the payments are prompt and in full.

A group called, Take Back the Land, will even help the homeless with second-hand furniture, cleaning supplies and yard upkeep. There is no free lunch. Home residency has its responsibilities.

Two years ago I would have been opposed to this flagrant squatting. I would have wondered what kind of third-world country allows it. Not today. Today there’s a little spot in my heart that applauds the behavior. It goes to show you how much has changed in two years.

Of course they’re not living in my foreclosed home or a foreclosed home in my neighborhood (that I know of), but in someone else’s neighborhood. I suppose if my neighbors were homeless people living in a pirated house, I might feel differently. When it happens I’m wondering if the "not in my neighborhood" syndrome will kick in for me.

Here’s where it gets darkly comical.

The only problem is that when I say this I’ve got to admit I don’t actually know or associate with my closest neighbors.

One neighbor moved away about three months ago and can’t sell their house for a decent price. And of course when they sell it for a low-ball price this will affect the value of every house in our area. And when I look back these folks were nice but so busy all we ever saw of them were their taillights.

Another close neighbor (close in proximity) is so busy when I do see him, he’s totally preoccupied.

A third neighbor is a medical doctor who must work 120 hours a week because you never see him.

And our final set of neighbors we have absolutely nothing in common with. In fact I’m sure in the greater scheme of the universe our views cancel each other out leaving only empty space.

So the darkly comical aspect is: what if these homeless people moved in and they took care of the yard and the house and were willing to communicate and function as neighbors? This could all work out.

Well, "all work out" except for the banks that own all this foreclosed property and I’m sure they would now feel violated.

But aren’t they the ones who are receiving this umpteen-billion-dollar bailout?