The park has quite a few who sleep in tents each night, this has been going on for a while, and yesterday I noticed this large tent, with at least two sharing, in a corner. With the council offices across the road from them it is clear they are known and not removed, and once again I asked myself as to how do we handle such situations? I know not who they are, from what I have seen in the past they are a mixed bunch, and arise from a variety of reasons.
There are several groups, mostly Christian, who offer help here, the Salvation Army is big on care here, but nationally we find many on the streets who ought not to be homeless.
On one hand many with jobs and oncome cannot find a house, the removal by Thatcher of council houses by selling cheaply to anyone began the rout. We need an immediate creation of a million council houses, but this government will not produce them. Housebuilders have a say here as they bride donate to MPs. Rents are high and many who rent cannot then afford a mortgage, indeed, some paying high rents find they are refused cheaper mortgages by banks and lenders!
Many I have met living in parks have mental problems. Quite a few live in the centre of London by jumping over the fence and sleeping under hedges. Some cannot come inside, often soldiers with PTSD, mentally ill, drug confused people, usually men, and those with a variety of emotional problems.
There are no easy answers, just as there is little governments are willing to do while 'donations' are coming their way.
