America Today: Heartbreaking Pictures From New Jersey's Homeless 'Tent City'

Robert Johnson
Business Insider
Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:54 UTC

Doug Hardman wakes up every morning with a song in his head - a vague memory of his days on stage.

Inside his tepee in the woods outside Lakewood, NJ, at the homeless Tent City, the roosters wake early and the mornings are already cooler. A musician who lost his Florida home in the housing crisis, Hardman says he floats in and out of Tent City, that he's proud of his kids, and misses the life he no longer has.

He has a lot of company out here.

Tent City made the news recently and while community leader Steven Brigham says the media attention brought in greater donations, it also brought unwanted attention from the local politicians.

After battling with the city for years to have access to the public land here, Brigham found a New Jersey lawyer to represent his case pro bono.

The attorney, Jeff Wild, argued that the homeless population are part of the public and should therefore have access to public lands. Rather than take the case to court, Lakewood City Council settled, and Brigham signed an agreement to put up no more shelters and allow no more than 70 people to stay.

But last winter the community put up three wooden structures to house everyone and keep them warm.

"We didn't lose anybody last year," Brigham says, "and nobody got sick."

This year could be different. After City Council members saw the shelters on TV, they sent demolition crews in. The walls were torn down around whatever was inside, and meager furnishings were left to the elements.

This year, the tent city's residents will have to put wood-stoves in tents and plastic shanties, increasing fire risk. Brigham says the town is making it impossible to survive there, hoping to get the homeless out, and he's concerned it will end up killing people this year.

More than 700,000 people are currently homeless in the U.S. and the number has grown 20 percent from 2007 to 2010.

A recent UN report says the way the U.S. denies its citizens access to water, basic sanitation, and criminalizes homelessness is a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Brigham can relate. He started the camp five years ago and more people show up every year. Some stay, some find part-time work where they can, move on, and wind up coming back.

"There's a real glut of low-skilled manual labor in the area," he says. "There's just nothing for people to do."

Brigham works as a high-voltage electrical contractor on the bridges and tunnels around New York, but his mission is here in the Lakewood forest.

"I found this spot that had no underbrush, which is very unusual," he says, "and this community's become a living protest."

I ask him what he means, and he says, "We're protesting the insincerity of the political system. It's supposed to be for the people and its not."

(Reverend Steve Brigham can be reached at P.O. Box 326, Lakewood, NJ 08701)

Reader Comments

System · 2011-09-17T13:33:36Z

I am so sick

of the attitude against the poor and homeless in this country. I can't even describe how upset this makes me.

mosaicvic · 2011-09-17T14:18:50Z

I see an opportunity

I resided in a tent commune in the Caribbean off and on for 20 years and it was the happiest time of my life. I was so used to this style of existence that when I found myself homeless in San Francisco over a decade ago I pitched a tent in the evergreens next to the Golden Gate Bridge and once again I found myself quite content in the wonder of simplicity. What an awesome experience that was. I joined a gym so I could shower and exercise and took a job as a waiter on Fishermans Wharf and paid off my credit card.

This tent city actually looks pretty cool and I bet the people who exist here interact more socially than folks living in stick built suburbs that pay a $1300 a month mortages. I bet if a developer and civil engineer brainstormed they could create ingenious tent cities where people would love to live. Fresh air and comfort. Even in the winter...incorporating solar power heating units. Back to the basics with todays technology I say. Simplicity and freedom go hand and hand.

I bet if these folks wanted to they could rent out their tents and turned this community into a world reknown eco resort.

So, don't feel too bad for these folks as opportunity lies in every calamity. I actually feel bad for all these household dwellers living in their indoor pollution with dust and melancholy.

Check out this aweome tent city in the Caribbean...www.maho.org They have an awesome volunteer program where you can work 4 hours a day for a month in exchange for room and board.

immommylaura · 2011-09-17T16:59:57Z

It looks AWESOME to ME!!

Mosicvic, I AGREE!! This looks amazing to me! I have a nice place to live here in California, but I have often wondered what it would be like to leave the rat race and do exactly what these people have done! I find it a little scary thus I haven't taken action and done this. I have a child in school which has made me tied to civilastion. Although, there was time last year, after seeing the movie 2012 that I was determined to get out of california and take myself and child out to live in this exact manor. Except whenI tried to figure out...WHERE I would go and WHERE we would be safe from all that is supposivly coming...I couldn't figure Out ANY PLACE That would safe from 2012. So, here we sit. Like, sitting ducks instead of enjoying the peace and tranquility of life in a camping setting. how fun that would be!!

Lynne · 2011-09-18T08:27:06Z

It is disgusting....

how the corporate ruled government created these homeless people, and then act as if it is all the people's fault for being homeless. Then, go in and destroy anything that will help to keep them healthy, like that communal house that ensured them a safe environment for the winter.

This is what a capitalistic country gets you.

Tina4Music · 2013-01-16T17:36:47Z

THANK YOU Robert Johnson !!!

Thank you Robert Johnson for the best article I've seen reflecting awareness of homeless dignity. I hope you don't mind that I am sharing this link and your photos and video at my www.MenagerieAngelsOfHope.Blogspot.Com. Much Love and Many Blessings to you and admirable efforts to utilize your obvious communication talent and resources for life enhancement and community transformation !!!

gtriber · 2020-05-28T17:56:36Z

robert johnson, i run across homeless photo collections like this occassionally, very peaceful. thank you.

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America Today: Heartbreaking Pictures From New Jersey's Homeless 'Tent City'

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