March 26, 2022 • 19 mins
Today we talk with Jeremy Harris from St Vincent De Paul Cares. He sheds light on the homeless problem in SWFL and what we can do to help.
Here is the link to donate to help buy beds for the recently housed. Every bit helps!
https://bonitaspringsesterorealtorsfl.growthzoneapp.com/ap/donate/9QraO9PW
Also to get in touch with Jeremy Harris you can call at 727-401-8047
or email at Jeremyh@svdpsp.org
To learn more:
https://barefootbungalowhomes.com/
Barefoot Bungalow Realty
9200 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Suite 100
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
(239) 350-5535
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the live your best life barefoot podcast
(00:02):
with your host Mary Morrison andthe team at barefoot bungalow
Realty.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to the next episode of live your best life
barefoot.
I'm Ruth, and I'm here with Marytoday.
Hi Mary.
Hey,
Speaker 3 (00:14):
How
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Are you?
Great.
How's everything going?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Really good.
Good.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, you got a market update for us?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I do.
I, the, the feds are going to beannouncing this week.
What our interest rates at leastfor the near future are gonna
be.
And, um, we're anticipating someincrease in interest rates.
So they're going to increase theprime, um, which is something we
(00:39):
all wanna keep our eye on, cuzthat makes a huge difference in
our housing market.
So, um, we'll keep you updated.
And as soon as we hear more,we'll let you know.
Um, hopefully they're gonna giveus an outline of what their
overview for the whole year is.
We're not sure if they're justgonna announce the next bump or
(00:59):
the whole year.
So hopefully we get a picture ofthe whole year that we'll keep
you posted.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, leading into that, we can start and introduce
our, our guest for today.
We have Jeremy Harris with us.
He's with St.
Vincent DEPA cares.
Hi Jeremy, how are you?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Good
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Morning.
Hi Jeremy.
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Welcome.
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Thank
Speaker 3 (01:18):
You.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
This is something that, uh, Ruthand I are passionate about for a
couple reasons.
Uh, first of all, we are part ofa leadership group with our
local, uh, real estate, um,board that we are helping
partner with St.
Vincent DEPA cares and providebeds for, um, those people who
(01:45):
have recently been homeless andnow are getting into homes.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit about that?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Sure.
Um, so what we do here at St.
Benson Nepal, we're rapidrehousing, um, meaning we don't,
we don't screen you and say, allright, if you do X, Y, and Z,
you're ready to be housed.
We believe that everybody needsa house as a stable foundation,
then we can address whatever itis, the lack of job, lack.
You know, maybe it is you needrecovery from drugs, alcohol,
(02:16):
anything like that, but youcan't do those things without a,
a stable place to stay.
It makes it near impossible.
So that's what we do.
We basically, we find, we findaffordable housing.
We can help pay the rent.
We can help pay bills until weget them back on their feet.
So we never, I never call it ahandout.
It's a hand up.
It's just, it's basically therefor, if you're down on your
(02:40):
luck, you know, coming up with asecurity deposit in first
month's rent, you're working ina minimum wage job.
That's almost impossible.
Yeah.
So that's what we're here for.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
So do you have access to some, um, housing resources
that are, are helpful?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
We do.
We have, um, we have housingspecialists, um, that work with,
uh, local landlords, localproperty managers, and go out
and explain our programs, sellthem on, Hey, this is what we
can do for you.
Sometimes we can offerincentives like double deposit.
It just depends on what thegrant says as an incentive to a
landlord.
That's, you know, take in our Ppeople because there is a stigma
(03:20):
with homelessness that I don'tthink people fully understand
that it's not this dirty personsitting on the corner using
drugs.
Uh, like I was saying earlier,90% of my people are just, you
know, they, they missed a coupleof weeks work that now they're
outta, you know, or rent went uptoo much and they're on a fixed
income.
I have a lot of retired veteranswho I had one that his spouse
(03:43):
passed away.
Well, that was half of hisincome was social security, her
social security now what's hesupposed to do so, especially
with the way rent prices aregoing right now.
We look at it more of as a handup, more than a handout.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
So I wanna back up a little, how did you end up here?
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Um, I, um, I was a Navy veteran.
I was Navy 10 years.
Um, and I always kind of had apassion to help.
Uh, I don't, I think any veteranwill tell you that that that
need to serve is always there.
And one day I woke up and had mymidlife crisis and I said to my
wife, I said, I don't wanna makeany more money.
(04:21):
I want to go help people.
And she actually let me do it.
So, So that's how I ended up.
I just, it kind of a flukething.
I was scrolling indeed one dayand this came up and you have to
be a veteran to be in my role.
I thought, wow, this is perfect.
And it has been, I love, I lovewhat I do
Speaker 3 (04:41):
And tell us about, uh, the organization itself.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Um, just here in Lee county here, uh, alone last
year, we housed 111 families inone year.
Um, and that's, that's reallygood.
Our office has only been heresince 2020.
So we started in the pandemic,our office opened.
Wow.
And so that was chaos.
And then, and you know, but inthe last year we've really taken
(05:09):
off and really done really well.
We've got great landlords wework with, and we've got a great
team here.
It really it's.
It comes down to caring aboutpeople.
And we got a lot of really goodpeople that I work with that
really care and really try to dothe best because we don't want
to just take somebody, throw'emin an apartment where they're
not close to their resources.
(05:30):
Say they need the food pantry.
They need to be close to thedoctor.
They need public transportation.
So we don't just say, Hey, hereyou go.
Here's a house, good luck.
You know, we take intoconsideration that person's knee
in the community and, and wherewe can have or where they could
best be home housed, not home.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
You, you know, that's one thing when we moved here, we
haven't lived here very long,but when we came from Oregon,
which Oregon has a really highpopulated homeless problem.
And here you don't think thatthere's a lot of homeless here
cuz you don't see'em around.
Like you don't my, honestly Ithought there wasn't a homeless
problem here because you don'tsee.
'em like you did in Oregon.
You don't see'em sitting on thecorner.
(06:10):
You don't see'em everywhere.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Um, and that's, that's a little bit to do with
our local government.
Um, the policy, especially inlean Collier county is more, if
you don't see'em they're notthere.
They're not a problem.
Um, so like, uh, for instance,right across the street from me
is lions park and they used tobe, it used to be a big homeless
camp, but the city ran'em outbecause they don't want them to
(06:34):
be seen.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So they put'em though , they run'em out.
And then where do these peoplego?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
They, they they're they're they're transient.
So they're gonna go into thewoods or, I mean, a lot of my
guys live in a tent in thewoods.
It's Florida, right?
It's one place you can live allyear outside.
Right.
So, and if, if they get with thecops, another thing we had with
the Sheriff's department wasthey get a$250 trespassing
ticket.
Well, you're already homeless.
So what good does that do?
(06:59):
Now?
You just added another barrier.
That's gonna prevent me fromhousing you.
Right,
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Right.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
So they try to stay out of sight just because for
that reason.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Well, that's amazing cause you really, I never
thought it was a problem here,but I got to know Megan and you
know, she talked about theproblem and I like our pro you
know, the, uh, the project thatwe're doing with buying the
beds, cuz we're gonna buy 30beds for the homeless.
And I think that's an amazingprogram because then it'll give
them something to sleep on.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
You know, it, it is, it's amazing because one of the
things we really, we don't justhouse people and then that's it,
we walk away, we case manage andstay with them for up to a year.
Wow.
But one of the hardest things iskeeping someone housed.
And if you go put'em in an emptyapartment with nothing, well
they're just gonna go back towhat they know.
Right.
(07:50):
You know, they'd rather, whenyou go into these homeless
camps, it's almost its owncommunity.
You know, these people know eachother, look out for each other,
just like any the otherneighborhood or community.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
So when you take somebody out of that and put'em
into a house or an apartment ora room share whatever, and they
have nothing and no sense ofcommunity, they're just gonna go
back and, and we don't wantthat.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Right?
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah.
I should clarify.
We're we're going to providebeds for people who you you've
recent individuals that you'verecently housed because they
don't have access to some ofthose things, you know, just
getting them into the house.
Sometimes they don't have any,they don't have a bed, they
don't have bedding.
So, um, we're, we're gonna helpprovide that part of it, that
(08:39):
piece of,
Speaker 4 (08:39):
And, and, and in line with what you guys have done.
I've, I've been, I'm workingwith, um, Dropbox, Bonita, it's
a mattress company outta BonitaSprings.
He's gonna help donate some ofthe bedding also.
And when we purchase themattresses, so they they're,
they want to help out too.
They're a great partner of mine.
Um, he works with me to keep, Ican buy veterans beds, um, and
(09:01):
he works to keep my price reallylow, to get them a bed, cuz I'm
only allowed to spend so muchmoney.
Right.
And they're, they've beenreally, really good to us.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Very good.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
So tell us about, um, what your typical day looks
like.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
And my day is never the same, but um, I, I do a lot
of our outreach, so I do thingslike this.
Um, but I'm, I'm mainly workwith veterans.
Um, I'm, I'm, I'm their peermentor.
Um, just to basically say, Hey,I, I understand I've navigated
the VA.
I, I get what it's like to comehome and not have a purpose.
Certain, you know, it's hard togo from being the tip of the
(09:38):
spear, to sweeping the floor atsome car dealership, you know,
that, that sense of purpose itgoes away.
So I'm here to just help themunderstand, Hey, it doesn't have
to be this way, you know?
And Hey, I, I can help you withthe VA or I can help you get
your DD two 14.
So prove you're a veteran oranything like that.
(09:59):
So every day is different forme.
Um, a lot of my vets will justcall just because they want
somebody to talk to.
And that's my job too, just tosit there and listen, I'm not a
therapist I'm not licensed, butI, I can sit there and not talk.
Sometimes that's all they need.
Right.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Just knowing someone's there.
So that's
Speaker 2 (10:16):
What I was gonna say.
Just having somebody to talk to
Speaker 4 (10:18):
And somebody who's, who's navigated the same
systems, have the samechallenges they have.
You know, I understand what it'slike when you come into the
civilian world, all of a suddenall these titles you have in, in
the Navy or whatnot, they don'tmean anything to anybody.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yeah.
So It's hard to it's
Speaker 4 (10:35):
It's nice for them to have an ear that underst
Speaker 3 (10:38):
So tell us about, so the other part of this, um,
project that we feel passionateabout is we are in the housing
industry, tell us how our crazymarket has impacted
Speaker 4 (10:54):
It's.
This has been one of theroughest years, especially
through my older, um, clients,because when they're on a fixed
income, such as social security,I read an article the other day
that Southwest Florida isexperiencing some of the highest
rent hikes in the country.
And I mean, the stuff we can getnow for 1150, you know, a month
(11:16):
is a hotel room.
It's absolutely crazy.
And to ask somebody who haslimited or no income to sustain,
that is impossible.
So we definitely need a marketadjustment, at least on the
rents.
And we need more affordablehousing because every everything
we're putting up down here is,you know, premium condos or
(11:36):
gated neighborhoods, when thatthat's not gonna work forever.
Um, there's only so many richpeople we can pile down here.
Somebody has, like, I alwayssay, somebody has to cut, cut
your grass, you know, andthey've gotta live somewhere to
do it.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Right.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
So we really, really desperately need affordable
housing in Southwest Florida.
It's it's gonna become a crisisbefore long.
I really, I really see itcoming.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah.
Did you, what, with that Amazonopening too, none of those
people, you know, you, those arecommon.
What, you know, paid people.
They're not to afford milliondollar houses
Speaker 4 (12:10):
And, and that's, that's, that's what we're
running up against in the lastyear.
I've had more, um, seniorclients that have just been
priced out of their house thatthey've rented for 10, 15 years,
because either a, they want toomuch for rent now or B it was,
you know, the market's hot,let's sell this investment
property and, you know, makequick profit.
(12:30):
Right.
A lot of my families that I'veheld this year have been that
situation.
So like, I would say that stigmaof dirty homeless is not
necessarily the case.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Right.
It's the person next door.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
It is.
It really is.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
So, uh, tell me about how you see the best, um,
opportunities for people to beable to help in get involved.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Always.
Uh, my biggest thing isdonations.
I love donations, but, um, forme personally, I love when
people donate the simple thingsthat people don't think about.
Um, paper towels, paper, towel,holders, um, laundry baskets,
you know, clean supplies, stuffthat just basic everyday things
(13:17):
that really add up.
When you ask a family to go, Imean, we've all moved I'm sure.
And gone to Walmart or whatnot.
And wow.
That was$500 just in stuff thatgoes under the sink, you know?
And, and that's, that's a bigchallenge for people.
So those are the things that Ilike to see donated it's more
than clothes is easy.
Food is easy, but I can give youa hundred places to eat and I
(13:39):
can give you a hundred places toget free food.
It's it's those basicnecessities you need around the
house that are harder to find
Speaker 3 (13:46):
That you think about.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So do you have a favorite storyof someone that you've,
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Oh, I can, I can give you a few.
But, um, I had just recently Ihad a client who was a musician,
um, before he became a heroinaddict, he lost his family, lost
, uh, his wife left him, tookthe kids.
He's now clean and recovered,but he, uh, came to me and he
(14:14):
said, I just really wanna playmusic again, but I can't afford
a guitar.
So I reached out and through oneof, one of the realtors, um, in
there was a former musician, um,reached out and bought this guy
a brand new guitar.
And he cried.
I mean, just to think thatsomebody cared enough to make
that little extra for him.
It meant the world to him.
(14:34):
And those are, those are thedays when you realize, you know,
I love what I do is when youmove somebody into a house after
they've been chronicallyhomeless for years, you know,
and they realize those are theirkeys.
This is their house.
You know, this is where theylive.
A and you see that emotion onsomebody, uh, it makes every,
every hard day worth it.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
So that's, um, what, uh, let's start with, how's the
best way.
If somebody's finding themselvesin a situation that they might
need a little extra help, how dothey reach out
Speaker 4 (15:07):
Here in Lee county?
Um, two, one is the coordinatedentry it's and what they will do
is then they will assess themover the phone, um, and then
assign them to an agency likemyself, or there's a couple of
other agencies, salvation, armybeing one of them.
And then we take over fromthere, we have federal and local
(15:29):
grants that pay us a certainamount of money every year to
rehouse, you know, rehouse thehomeless.
So like, I, I tell my clients,if, if you don't take this money
next year, they won't gimme anymoney.
So don't look at it as ahandout, look at it as the next
person in your shoes, that moneywill be here for it.
(15:51):
So, you know, cause if I don'tspend these grants, they're
gonna give'em to me anymore.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
So, right.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
So really that's, that's the biggest thing is just
dialing 2, 1, 1, and gettingconnected with the Lee county
homeless coalition and, and thenthey'll refer you to us and we
take over and it, when I get areferral, I contact that person
within 24 hours and I try to seethem either same day or next.
Um, I typically get five, sixreferrals a week and that's just
(16:19):
on the veterans side.
Um, so it's a bigger problemthan people realize.
I don't think people realize.
And, and it, it is a lot of, alot of, I just can't afford my
rent.
I, you know, I move down on herea couple of years ago.
Now my wife has passed, youknow, I have half my income.
It, it's not the stigma thatpeople think.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Yeah,
Speaker 3 (16:42):
That's scary.
Right.
Okay.
So then the next part is how dothose of us who ha are in a
position that we can help anddonate?
Um, we're, we're gonna put inour, um, notes when we, when we
post the podcast a link to whereyou can donate directly to our,
(17:02):
um, we're calling it good nightsfor neighbors.
Um, so we'll have that, but isthere other ways that people can
, um, donate or
Speaker 4 (17:12):
They can always get in contact with me?
I do all of our donor relationsdown here in Southwest Florida.
Um, I can give you my number ormy email and I gladly I'll take
any one of those phone calls.
Anytime.
Anytime somebody wants to giveI'm more than receptive, I'll
meet you anywhere.
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
That'd be great.
Let's get your information onhere.
So let's, what's your phonenumber?
Jeremy.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
All right.
My, my phone number here at workis area code 7 2 7 4 0 1 8 0 4 7
.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
And then what's your email?
Jeremy?
Speaker 4 (17:44):
It is Jeremy H SV DP, S p.org.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Perfect.
That'll be perfect for ourpeople to get ahold of you.
So do you have any fun thingsthat you'd like to tell our, our
listeners about that you like todo?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Um, here at work?
Uh, like I always, I always say,you know, don't, don't look at
the panhandler as bad.
They're, they're doing the bestthey can.
Um, and you don't necessarilyhave to hand money out the
window, sometimes a little bitof food, you know, like I, like
I was saying, I keep toiletriesand things in my car.
Just things like that.
(18:28):
It makes all the difference inthe world.
And it, it really, I, I mean,not to fill your own bucket, but
it does make you feel betterwhen you help.
It does.
I mean, we all know that it, itbrings a little joy to your
heart to help someone else.
So every little bit counts.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
That's awesome.
Yeah.
That's a really good too withthe bags too.
I like that.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Um, well thank you, Jeremy, for coming on the pro.
So thank you so much for thework that you do.
That's a huge contribution toour community.
We really appreciate it.
We're excited to work with youguys.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
I'm excited to work with you guys also
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Well, and thank you, um, everyone for listening and
please make sure that you reachout and help us to take care of
our neighbors and, um, providefor them things that they might
be able to not provide forthemselves right now.
So, and on that note, we want toremember all of you remind all
(19:23):
of you to live your best lifebarefoot.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Thank you for listening to the live, your best
life barefoot podcast sponsor bybig barefoot bungalow Realty.
To learn more about barefootbungalow Realty, go to
www.barefootbungalowrealty.comor call 2 3 9 3 5 0 5 5 3 5.
Welcome to the live your best life barefoot podcast
(00:02):
with your host Mary Morrison andthe team at barefoot bungalow
Realty.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to the next episode of live your best life
barefoot.
I'm Ruth, and I'm here with Marytoday.
Hi Mary.
Hey,
Speaker 3 (00:14):
How
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Are you?
Great.
How's everything going?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Really good.
Good.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, you got a market update for us?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I do.
I, the, the feds are going to beannouncing this week.
What our interest rates at leastfor the near future are gonna
be.
And, um, we're anticipating someincrease in interest rates.
So they're going to increase theprime, um, which is something we
(00:39):
all wanna keep our eye on, cuzthat makes a huge difference in
our housing market.
So, um, we'll keep you updated.
And as soon as we hear more,we'll let you know.
Um, hopefully they're gonna giveus an outline of what their
overview for the whole year is.
We're not sure if they're justgonna announce the next bump or
(00:59):
the whole year.
So hopefully we get a picture ofthe whole year that we'll keep
you posted.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, leading into that, we can start and introduce
our, our guest for today.
We have Jeremy Harris with us.
He's with St.
Vincent DEPA cares.
Hi Jeremy, how are you?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Good
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Morning.
Hi Jeremy.
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Welcome.
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Thank
Speaker 3 (01:18):
You.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
This is something that, uh, Ruthand I are passionate about for a
couple reasons.
Uh, first of all, we are part ofa leadership group with our
local, uh, real estate, um,board that we are helping
partner with St.
Vincent DEPA cares and providebeds for, um, those people who
(01:45):
have recently been homeless andnow are getting into homes.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit about that?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Sure.
Um, so what we do here at St.
Benson Nepal, we're rapidrehousing, um, meaning we don't,
we don't screen you and say, allright, if you do X, Y, and Z,
you're ready to be housed.
We believe that everybody needsa house as a stable foundation,
then we can address whatever itis, the lack of job, lack.
You know, maybe it is you needrecovery from drugs, alcohol,
(02:16):
anything like that, but youcan't do those things without a,
a stable place to stay.
It makes it near impossible.
So that's what we do.
We basically, we find, we findaffordable housing.
We can help pay the rent.
We can help pay bills until weget them back on their feet.
So we never, I never call it ahandout.
It's a hand up.
It's just, it's basically therefor, if you're down on your
(02:40):
luck, you know, coming up with asecurity deposit in first
month's rent, you're working ina minimum wage job.
That's almost impossible.
Yeah.
So that's what we're here for.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
So do you have access to some, um, housing resources
that are, are helpful?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
We do.
We have, um, we have housingspecialists, um, that work with,
uh, local landlords, localproperty managers, and go out
and explain our programs, sellthem on, Hey, this is what we
can do for you.
Sometimes we can offerincentives like double deposit.
It just depends on what thegrant says as an incentive to a
landlord.
That's, you know, take in our Ppeople because there is a stigma
(03:20):
with homelessness that I don'tthink people fully understand
that it's not this dirty personsitting on the corner using
drugs.
Uh, like I was saying earlier,90% of my people are just, you
know, they, they missed a coupleof weeks work that now they're
outta, you know, or rent went uptoo much and they're on a fixed
income.
I have a lot of retired veteranswho I had one that his spouse
(03:43):
passed away.
Well, that was half of hisincome was social security, her
social security now what's hesupposed to do so, especially
with the way rent prices aregoing right now.
We look at it more of as a handup, more than a handout.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
So I wanna back up a little, how did you end up here?
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Um, I, um, I was a Navy veteran.
I was Navy 10 years.
Um, and I always kind of had apassion to help.
Uh, I don't, I think any veteranwill tell you that that that
need to serve is always there.
And one day I woke up and had mymidlife crisis and I said to my
wife, I said, I don't wanna makeany more money.
(04:21):
I want to go help people.
And she actually let me do it.
So, So that's how I ended up.
I just, it kind of a flukething.
I was scrolling indeed one dayand this came up and you have to
be a veteran to be in my role.
I thought, wow, this is perfect.
And it has been, I love, I lovewhat I do
Speaker 3 (04:41):
And tell us about, uh, the organization itself.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Um, just here in Lee county here, uh, alone last
year, we housed 111 families inone year.
Um, and that's, that's reallygood.
Our office has only been heresince 2020.
So we started in the pandemic,our office opened.
Wow.
And so that was chaos.
And then, and you know, but inthe last year we've really taken
(05:09):
off and really done really well.
We've got great landlords wework with, and we've got a great
team here.
It really it's.
It comes down to caring aboutpeople.
And we got a lot of really goodpeople that I work with that
really care and really try to dothe best because we don't want
to just take somebody, throw'emin an apartment where they're
not close to their resources.
(05:30):
Say they need the food pantry.
They need to be close to thedoctor.
They need public transportation.
So we don't just say, Hey, hereyou go.
Here's a house, good luck.
You know, we take intoconsideration that person's knee
in the community and, and wherewe can have or where they could
best be home housed, not home.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
You, you know, that's one thing when we moved here, we
haven't lived here very long,but when we came from Oregon,
which Oregon has a really highpopulated homeless problem.
And here you don't think thatthere's a lot of homeless here
cuz you don't see'em around.
Like you don't my, honestly Ithought there wasn't a homeless
problem here because you don'tsee.
'em like you did in Oregon.
You don't see'em sitting on thecorner.
(06:10):
You don't see'em everywhere.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
Um, and that's, that's a little bit to do with
our local government.
Um, the policy, especially inlean Collier county is more, if
you don't see'em they're notthere.
They're not a problem.
Um, so like, uh, for instance,right across the street from me
is lions park and they used tobe, it used to be a big homeless
camp, but the city ran'em outbecause they don't want them to
(06:34):
be seen.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So they put'em though , they run'em out.
And then where do these peoplego?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
They, they they're they're they're transient.
So they're gonna go into thewoods or, I mean, a lot of my
guys live in a tent in thewoods.
It's Florida, right?
It's one place you can live allyear outside.
Right.
So, and if, if they get with thecops, another thing we had with
the Sheriff's department wasthey get a$250 trespassing
ticket.
Well, you're already homeless.
So what good does that do?
(06:59):
Now?
You just added another barrier.
That's gonna prevent me fromhousing you.
Right,
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Right.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
So they try to stay out of sight just because for
that reason.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Well, that's amazing cause you really, I never
thought it was a problem here,but I got to know Megan and you
know, she talked about theproblem and I like our pro you
know, the, uh, the project thatwe're doing with buying the
beds, cuz we're gonna buy 30beds for the homeless.
And I think that's an amazingprogram because then it'll give
them something to sleep on.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
You know, it, it is, it's amazing because one of the
things we really, we don't justhouse people and then that's it,
we walk away, we case manage andstay with them for up to a year.
Wow.
But one of the hardest things iskeeping someone housed.
And if you go put'em in an emptyapartment with nothing, well
they're just gonna go back towhat they know.
Right.
(07:50):
You know, they'd rather, whenyou go into these homeless
camps, it's almost its owncommunity.
You know, these people know eachother, look out for each other,
just like any the otherneighborhood or community.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Right.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
So when you take somebody out of that and put'em
into a house or an apartment ora room share whatever, and they
have nothing and no sense ofcommunity, they're just gonna go
back and, and we don't wantthat.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Right?
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah.
I should clarify.
We're we're going to providebeds for people who you you've
recent individuals that you'verecently housed because they
don't have access to some ofthose things, you know, just
getting them into the house.
Sometimes they don't have any,they don't have a bed, they
don't have bedding.
So, um, we're, we're gonna helpprovide that part of it, that
(08:39):
piece of,
Speaker 4 (08:39):
And, and, and in line with what you guys have done.
I've, I've been, I'm workingwith, um, Dropbox, Bonita, it's
a mattress company outta BonitaSprings.
He's gonna help donate some ofthe bedding also.
And when we purchase themattresses, so they they're,
they want to help out too.
They're a great partner of mine.
Um, he works with me to keep, Ican buy veterans beds, um, and
(09:01):
he works to keep my price reallylow, to get them a bed, cuz I'm
only allowed to spend so muchmoney.
Right.
And they're, they've beenreally, really good to us.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Very good.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
So tell us about, um, what your typical day looks
like.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
And my day is never the same, but um, I, I do a lot
of our outreach, so I do thingslike this.
Um, but I'm, I'm mainly workwith veterans.
Um, I'm, I'm, I'm their peermentor.
Um, just to basically say, Hey,I, I understand I've navigated
the VA.
I, I get what it's like to comehome and not have a purpose.
Certain, you know, it's hard togo from being the tip of the
(09:38):
spear, to sweeping the floor atsome car dealership, you know,
that, that sense of purpose itgoes away.
So I'm here to just help themunderstand, Hey, it doesn't have
to be this way, you know?
And Hey, I, I can help you withthe VA or I can help you get
your DD two 14.
So prove you're a veteran oranything like that.
(09:59):
So every day is different forme.
Um, a lot of my vets will justcall just because they want
somebody to talk to.
And that's my job too, just tosit there and listen, I'm not a
therapist I'm not licensed, butI, I can sit there and not talk.
Sometimes that's all they need.
Right.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Just knowing someone's there.
So that's
Speaker 2 (10:16):
What I was gonna say.
Just having somebody to talk to
Speaker 4 (10:18):
And somebody who's, who's navigated the same
systems, have the samechallenges they have.
You know, I understand what it'slike when you come into the
civilian world, all of a suddenall these titles you have in, in
the Navy or whatnot, they don'tmean anything to anybody.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yeah.
So It's hard to it's
Speaker 4 (10:35):
It's nice for them to have an ear that underst
Speaker 3 (10:38):
So tell us about, so the other part of this, um,
project that we feel passionateabout is we are in the housing
industry, tell us how our crazymarket has impacted
Speaker 4 (10:54):
It's.
This has been one of theroughest years, especially
through my older, um, clients,because when they're on a fixed
income, such as social security,I read an article the other day
that Southwest Florida isexperiencing some of the highest
rent hikes in the country.
And I mean, the stuff we can getnow for 1150, you know, a month
(11:16):
is a hotel room.
It's absolutely crazy.
And to ask somebody who haslimited or no income to sustain,
that is impossible.
So we definitely need a marketadjustment, at least on the
rents.
And we need more affordablehousing because every everything
we're putting up down here is,you know, premium condos or
(11:36):
gated neighborhoods, when thatthat's not gonna work forever.
Um, there's only so many richpeople we can pile down here.
Somebody has, like, I alwayssay, somebody has to cut, cut
your grass, you know, andthey've gotta live somewhere to
do it.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Right.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
So we really, really desperately need affordable
housing in Southwest Florida.
It's it's gonna become a crisisbefore long.
I really, I really see itcoming.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah.
Did you, what, with that Amazonopening too, none of those
people, you know, you, those arecommon.
What, you know, paid people.
They're not to afford milliondollar houses
Speaker 4 (12:10):
And, and that's, that's, that's what we're
running up against in the lastyear.
I've had more, um, seniorclients that have just been
priced out of their house thatthey've rented for 10, 15 years,
because either a, they want toomuch for rent now or B it was,
you know, the market's hot,let's sell this investment
property and, you know, makequick profit.
(12:30):
Right.
A lot of my families that I'veheld this year have been that
situation.
So like, I would say that stigmaof dirty homeless is not
necessarily the case.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Right.
It's the person next door.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
It is.
It really is.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
So, uh, tell me about how you see the best, um,
opportunities for people to beable to help in get involved.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Always.
Uh, my biggest thing isdonations.
I love donations, but, um, forme personally, I love when
people donate the simple thingsthat people don't think about.
Um, paper towels, paper, towel,holders, um, laundry baskets,
you know, clean supplies, stuffthat just basic everyday things
(13:17):
that really add up.
When you ask a family to go, Imean, we've all moved I'm sure.
And gone to Walmart or whatnot.
And wow.
That was$500 just in stuff thatgoes under the sink, you know?
And, and that's, that's a bigchallenge for people.
So those are the things that Ilike to see donated it's more
than clothes is easy.
Food is easy, but I can give youa hundred places to eat and I
(13:39):
can give you a hundred places toget free food.
It's it's those basicnecessities you need around the
house that are harder to find
Speaker 3 (13:46):
That you think about.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So do you have a favorite storyof someone that you've,
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Oh, I can, I can give you a few.
But, um, I had just recently Ihad a client who was a musician,
um, before he became a heroinaddict, he lost his family, lost
, uh, his wife left him, tookthe kids.
He's now clean and recovered,but he, uh, came to me and he
(14:14):
said, I just really wanna playmusic again, but I can't afford
a guitar.
So I reached out and through oneof, one of the realtors, um, in
there was a former musician, um,reached out and bought this guy
a brand new guitar.
And he cried.
I mean, just to think thatsomebody cared enough to make
that little extra for him.
It meant the world to him.
(14:34):
And those are, those are thedays when you realize, you know,
I love what I do is when youmove somebody into a house after
they've been chronicallyhomeless for years, you know,
and they realize those are theirkeys.
This is their house.
You know, this is where theylive.
A and you see that emotion onsomebody, uh, it makes every,
every hard day worth it.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
So that's, um, what, uh, let's start with, how's the
best way.
If somebody's finding themselvesin a situation that they might
need a little extra help, how dothey reach out
Speaker 4 (15:07):
Here in Lee county?
Um, two, one is the coordinatedentry it's and what they will do
is then they will assess themover the phone, um, and then
assign them to an agency likemyself, or there's a couple of
other agencies, salvation, armybeing one of them.
And then we take over fromthere, we have federal and local
(15:29):
grants that pay us a certainamount of money every year to
rehouse, you know, rehouse thehomeless.
So like, I, I tell my clients,if, if you don't take this money
next year, they won't gimme anymoney.
So don't look at it as ahandout, look at it as the next
person in your shoes, that moneywill be here for it.
(15:51):
So, you know, cause if I don'tspend these grants, they're
gonna give'em to me anymore.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
So, right.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
So really that's, that's the biggest thing is just
dialing 2, 1, 1, and gettingconnected with the Lee county
homeless coalition and, and thenthey'll refer you to us and we
take over and it, when I get areferral, I contact that person
within 24 hours and I try to seethem either same day or next.
Um, I typically get five, sixreferrals a week and that's just
(16:19):
on the veterans side.
Um, so it's a bigger problemthan people realize.
I don't think people realize.
And, and it, it is a lot of, alot of, I just can't afford my
rent.
I, you know, I move down on herea couple of years ago.
Now my wife has passed, youknow, I have half my income.
It, it's not the stigma thatpeople think.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Yeah,
Speaker 3 (16:42):
That's scary.
Right.
Okay.
So then the next part is how dothose of us who ha are in a
position that we can help anddonate?
Um, we're, we're gonna put inour, um, notes when we, when we
post the podcast a link to whereyou can donate directly to our,
(17:02):
um, we're calling it good nightsfor neighbors.
Um, so we'll have that, but isthere other ways that people can
, um, donate or
Speaker 4 (17:12):
They can always get in contact with me?
I do all of our donor relationsdown here in Southwest Florida.
Um, I can give you my number ormy email and I gladly I'll take
any one of those phone calls.
Anytime.
Anytime somebody wants to giveI'm more than receptive, I'll
meet you anywhere.
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
That'd be great.
Let's get your information onhere.
So let's, what's your phonenumber?
Jeremy.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
All right.
My, my phone number here at workis area code 7 2 7 4 0 1 8 0 4 7
.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
And then what's your email?
Jeremy?
Speaker 4 (17:44):
It is Jeremy H SV DP, S p.org.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Perfect.
That'll be perfect for ourpeople to get ahold of you.
So do you have any fun thingsthat you'd like to tell our, our
listeners about that you like todo?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Um, here at work?
Uh, like I always, I always say,you know, don't, don't look at
the panhandler as bad.
They're, they're doing the bestthey can.
Um, and you don't necessarilyhave to hand money out the
window, sometimes a little bitof food, you know, like I, like
I was saying, I keep toiletriesand things in my car.
Just things like that.
(18:28):
It makes all the difference inthe world.
And it, it really, I, I mean,not to fill your own bucket, but
it does make you feel betterwhen you help.
It does.
I mean, we all know that it, itbrings a little joy to your
heart to help someone else.
So every little bit counts.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
That's awesome.
Yeah.
That's a really good too withthe bags too.
I like that.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Um, well thank you, Jeremy, for coming on the pro.
So thank you so much for thework that you do.
That's a huge contribution toour community.
We really appreciate it.
We're excited to work with youguys.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
I'm excited to work with you guys also
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Well, and thank you, um, everyone for listening and
please make sure that you reachout and help us to take care of
our neighbors and, um, providefor them things that they might
be able to not provide forthemselves right now.
So, and on that note, we want toremember all of you remind all
(19:23):
of you to live your best lifebarefoot.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Thank you for listening to the live, your best
life barefoot podcast sponsor bybig barefoot bungalow Realty.
To learn more about barefootbungalow Realty, go to
www.barefootbungalowrealty.comor call 2 3 9 3 5 0 5 5 3 5.
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