Three years ago, Alvin Davis was an engineer. He had a steady job, one he was proud of and worked hard for.
But people who have professional training can fall into poverty or become homeless because of unfortunate circumstances, he said on April 8 at Fayetteville’s first “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” march, organized by University of Arkansas senior Quinn Childress. A little over 100 individuals marched from 7hills Homeless Center to the Fayetteville Town Center
Davis, a Fayetteville native, is one of those people. After being laid off, his bills quickly began to pile up and he lost his car, then lost everything.
Although Davis lives at the 7Hills Walker Family Residential Community, which provides transitional and permanent supportive housing, nobody wants to hire someone who’s address has the words “7Hills Homeless Center” in it, he said.
In order for homeless individuals to have an actual address, they have to have a wage that will allow them to pay for rent.
“We need to raise the minimum wage, because rent won’t wait,” he said. “Local companies abuse the homeless, knowing that they will work for almost nothing because they are in need of almost everything. But that isn’t going to help solve the problem.”
Davis addresses a crowd in the square at the Fayetteville Town Center on Sunday April 8.
“Let’s say you’re lucky enough to find affordable housing or apply for a housing program,” he said. “You’re still not going to get it because then you have the background checks, and you could have a non-violent charge against you that happened 20 years ago, and you’re still not gonna get the apartment.”
Housing owners and apartment tenants need to reduce the price, he said.
“We’re not even given the opportunity,” Davis said. “But people don’t care. I walk everywhere, there are vacant houses everywhere. There are help wanted signs everywhere. I know so many carpenters and plumbers who are not being utilized, or if they are it’s nowhere near a liveable wage.”
Recent Comments