Homeless, but Human: An Inside Look at Tent City, Part 1

Many people have heard about Ontario, California's Tent City and the ensuing controversy that has surrounded it since shortly after it's inception. I live nearby and I thought I would go down there to see what it is like. I went down on three separate occasions, and will write about each one accordingly. The first two trips were quite short, but on the last visit I was able to stay for several hours.

It is Friday, March 14th. My sister in law and I decide to take my 12 year old son to Tent City to show him what life is like. We drive through a series of vacant, dusty lots crammed with broken down cars, busted up vans, campers. There are tents pitched everywhere, hardly any open space-some are not even tents, merely tarps draped over wooden stakes. Everything is covered with dust. We drive by a large group of people gathered together. They look dirty, hair greasy and unbrushed. There are SO many people and tents. it is much larger and more populated than I had imagined. Here and there are filthy couches and other furniture. The people living there give hardly a passing glance to the newer model cars and trucks driving through staring as if it were some sort of attraction. They must be used to it by now.

Bordering the south side of the encampment are two sets of railroad tracks. Trains are constantly rumbling by. Some of the tents are pitched no less than 20 feet from the actual tracks. The airport is less than a mile away and jet planes take off overhead on an almost constant basis. The noise level alone is enough to give one a headache.

We drive through, slowly, and then go home without getting out of the car because my brother in law needs the car to get to work and we don't want him to be late.

Sunday, March 16th. There are now little dark blue dumpsters dotting the land of Tent City. The dumpsters are full and overflowing with trash because the homeless at Tent City have to get rid of their belongings before the city comes in to rearrange the newly termed "Homeless Assistance Area". People are everywhere taking little full trash cans out of tents and emptying them into the small dumpsters. Abandoned furniture is strewn about. A gentleman is on a loudspeaker with a synthesizer next to him singing about Jesus and glory as a lost looking crowd gathers around for free hot coffee and, hopefully, a bite to eat. Rows of porta-potties line the streets, some with signs that say "Women Only". A trio of clean cut looking youngsters walks through the encampment with bags of snacks, offering them to anyone they come across. One gentleman is handing out 100 dollar bills. The area is slightly more sparse now. People know the city is coming: those with warrants have left the premises. Some people with children have left already, fearful that social services will come and take them away.

One porta potty looking box has a garden hose hooked up to the back of it, and is leaking water. There is a sign on the outside that says "SHOWER". The shower has only cold water from the garden hose. A muddy river runs down the vacant lot from the shower box to the street. Residents have to shower with clothing on, as there is no private area to change near the shower facility.

The city has announced that they will be making changes on Monday.

Please feel free to read part two of this article, taken on March 17th when the new chages were instituted. Part 2 is much more in depth.