This photo was taken in front of Grace Baptist Church on Broadway and 10th Street (click here for second photo). At first glance, this looks like a typical homeless scene, but on closer examination of the photos, I think not. Many of the clothes and bedding look newer and cleaner than those of people who have been living on the street. Also, note the relatively new-looking backpack. It is also unusual to see the homeless as couples like this. So my conclusion is that they are travelers passing through. In the summer, one can see the occasional camping out of vagabonds in the parks.
I have never seen this type of thing in the winter on ice in freezing temperatures. Staking out territory like this in front of a prominent church on Broadway is quite a brazen act. Homelessness and vagrancy are very politicized issues in NYC – views are seen differently of society’s responsibility to its citizens and an individual’s responsibilities to make reasonable efforts to provide for themselves. Attempts to get individuals off the street have to be made legally and carefully – homeless shelters have improved, but many reject them for a variety of reasons. And the cost of housing continues to soar…
I think they’re travelers not homeless… but it’s really cold out there!
That’s an impacting photo!
dsole – I agree. It’s amazing how relaxed they look sleeping outside in freezing weather.
Brian
I think that they are newly homeless.
Heartbreaking, they cold freeze to death unwittingly.
In Europe, young kids like to take to the railsroads for a month after graduation from High School. It’s not unusual that they sleep outdoors on beaches to save money, but that’s in the summertime.
The churchs usually don’t mind the homeless people sleeping on the stoop. In fact, it is the one place where police cannot harass them.
I agree with Susan. Maybe they just recently became homeless and had no where to go. It’s sad to see that some people have no roof over their heads.