Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of Democratic lawmaker Nancy Pelosi, has made a new documentary film that focuses on the homeless population in Orange County, particularly families with children, who live in motels. Set to premiere this Monday on HBO at 9 p.m., the film certainly will challenge national audiences with a poorer image of OC than it is used to consuming. “Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County” is a direct juxtaposition of the notion of the county as a haven for youthful happiness with amusement parks in Anaheim and Buena Park available to endlessly entertain. In fact, many of these motels are within a short distance from Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland. The film will also serve to change notions of who lives in motels. To comfort the complacency of many, the prevailing image of such residents is of drug-addicted hookers or mentally ill “hobos” and not of the working poor who could be greeting you with a smile as you walk into Wal-Mart or some other place of employment.
Pelosi’s examination of this topic of motel residents brings Buena Park particularly to mind. Instead of making moves to provide homeless shelters, rent control and affordable housing, the city instead chose in the late 90’s to crackdown on long-term motel residencies. In 1996, Buena Park had first stated that motels were not allowed to rent out to guests for more than 30 days consecutively. In 1999, they followed that up with another ordinance that prevented rentals for 60 days consecutively in a 180-day period. This measure resulted in a lawsuit that ultimately failed. The ordinance remains the rule of the land, but for what purpose? It’s difficult enough to pay hundreds of dollars to rent one room to be shared by a family for weeks. It’s even tougher when a timetable is imposed to shuffle them around — or ultimately run them out of the city and into other cities. With the continuance of this ordinance, Buena Park’s priorities show how deep their love is for poor and working people; not very deep at all!
Watch a trailer for “Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County” here:
Well if you elect incompetent leftist but charming black man to run this unique country with rooted WASP traditions you get poverty…….. surprise, surprise, surprise!
And you thought it was only the right wing propaganda….. Huh?
I do not recall such poverty under the moron Bush….. actually never under the conservatives since 1969 when I came to my new home in America.
More is coming!
That is why you must not vote for any incumbent, even if it is your guy, and never for a leftist rep. or dem.
Stanislav Fiala,
What does a president have to do with a city ordinance. Really???!
But if you do think there is a correlation (which there isnt) – how about this
if we didnt spend so much money in the iraq war and just stopped after afghanistan, then we would have more money for social problems and schools,
wow. thats sad. these types of shelters have existed long before Obama. Poverty is not a function of who is the President at the time but the state of the economy in the US and educational opportunities that are available to low income individuals. Poverty can become a cycle and grow based on money issues, employment, mental health issues, and a wide arrray of other things that are outside of your narrow minded view.
This is but an electronic re-run of the 1990’s OC Register series on Motel Children. At that time Jim Palmer, President/CEO of the Orange County Rescue Mission, made a video (featuring him) on the topic,showing the plight of motel families etc. He used the public’s dismay about this situation to raise funds to buy a motor home to equip it to visit motels and provide services to these families. Others also jumped on the homeless families movement and launched efforts to raise funds to provide services to these families. Even CHOC launched a mobile medical clinic to visit families in motels. Here we are, a decade or more later on the verge of repeating the pull at the heartstrings cycle. It is a vexing, on-going population of people who are living on the brink, no where else to go except onto the street – in fact some of them can afford a motel only a few days a month and are on the street the rest of the time. Perhaps Mr. Palmer’s Vilalge of Hope, which is now reportedly up and operating, is part of the solution (if there is indeed a solution). Hopefully, that motor home is stil in service. Meanwhile, the City of Irvine sits on hundreds of boarded up dormitory units at the Great Park.
thank you so saying that…it makes me sad that there is this HUGE Great Park and nothing for people who really need a home. Children need stability!
Stan: poverty increased under Bush. And I’m no Obama supporter either. The “new Democrats” care for the poor about as much as they can secure them as a voting block. Neoliberalism is the name of the economic game and both corporate parties play it.
Now, since the 90’s, I think it would be safe to say that motel residences in OC and elsewhere have only increased given the Recessions of the past decade – in particular this current one rooted in the real estate bubble. Yes, the documentary may be a replay, but it will be national in its audience and the problem is probably worse…
Gabriel, I do not want to get into exact point where it all started because that is impossible based on the global market dynamics and speculators. The presidents have noting to do with economy anyway, but if you are in trouble you must do everything to get out of it. For that purpose natural forces are best. Any interference from the government is detrimental to the economy.
This regime rearranged our rules of how we will do busies for many decade of failure ahead.
Simple example which you may understand:
The health care reforms are based on the premise, lets get these pesky capitalists out because they are ripping us off and replace them with honest government workers who will not rip us off…… sure.
Look at the City of Bell and that is happening virtually on every governmental level. The government workers are ripping us off more than any corporation would because corporations are ran by shareholders and government by corrupt politicians.
The health care will become so expensive that you have no idea.
But because the left is ruling there is nothing we can do except to wait until it runs its natural course and left will get hurt too.
Stan – you’re going wildly off topic. Let’s stay on course. I could engage the points, but then the focus of the post would be diverted.
Gabriel, I was unaware that there was any topic……. What is the topic?
If it is about economy than read my comment again.
If it is about lack of welfare money then it is about more poverty in the future and you should read my comment again.
If you do not understand may comment then say so and do not blame it on the off topic.
Stan, the topic as I understand it is motel families and the upcoming Pelosi/HBO documentary on that subject. City of Bell, Obama Health Care Plan, funding of welfare benefits, the economy – all intertesting topics of their own but —
Been around a while,
obviously you have not Been around long enough.
“the topic as I understand it is motel families and the upcoming Pelosi/HBO documentary on that subject.”………. and?
If I want to comment I must bring into the play other factors…… no?
That is not going off topic.
Obviously you are unable to connects dots.
And I’m sure someone somewhere can tie all those together somehow someway, but…
… until the arrival of the Dot-Connecting Messiah we will have to just …
And I’m sure someone somewhere can tie all those together somehow someway, but…
… until the arrival of the Dot-Connecting Messiah we will have to just …
suffer under the whip of the Dark Liberal Anti-Christ.
…STAY ON TOPIC, haha!
There’s an irony regarding this topic. Many motels that offer weekly/monthly rates also advertise that they have the HBO channel. It’s more than possible that many of these motel residents will watch this documentary Monday night on TV in their rented rooms…
… or National Geographic’s brown chocolate boobs.
I feel like taking a shower after reading this Stan person’s posts.
Good news Baxter, Vern and Gabriel want to join you.
Caveat: Do not pickup sop in front of Vern.
I may have seen Stanislav at the Improv one night —–
Somebody needs to enroll in joke school!
Mark my words, soon after this airs, OC Politico’s at EVERY level will grab on to this “CRISIS” and put thier name on some legislation. Expect it from Royce, Sanchez and Campbell (Dana just does’nt give a shit about poor children), Correa, Norby and the supes too.
It’s a crying shame that it takes a LA TIMES (or OJB) article or an HBO special to do what right.
This has been an issue for more than 10 years, but once it hits cable TV……Look Out.
See Stanley, theres anonther thing can THANK a Pelosi for. It includes helping children not killing them.
I just visited ‘Voice of OC’ which I haven’t done in awhile and their north county news notes that Buena Park is indeed moving towards constructing new affordable housing. Kudos to them on that point. Still, nevertheless, the ordinances for motels and long term rentals needs to be reexamined. There is always more to be done.
http://www.voiceofoc.org/blogs/article_1a984d28-8f7b-11df-88e2-001cc4c002e0.html
I have lived in OC for 53 years and we have ALWAYS had a homeless problem. It has clearly gotten worse but it has always been here. When we have money for war but not safe housing nor health care for everyone, the problem is simple: Greed. Greed Greed Greed. Sometimes we try to complicate things so we avoid acknowledging our role in the problem.
War for oil. Million dollar homes for a few instead of safe shelter for all. And millions to billions of dollars for corporate heads instead of sustainable pay for all workers. And an ENTIRE industry that is based on blocking people from health care – a middle man (health insurance industry) than costs billions, makes billions, and does nothing for the welfare of our world. Greed. Greed is NOT good.
Every Sunday I look into the eyes of 100 homeless people when I help give them what many say is their only warm meal all week. Do this and then try to avoid the real problem – each of our roles in the homeless problem. Try to be less greedy today everyone. Golden rule can still rule if you let it.
Well Katy, on a surface I would agree with you, the socialism doctrine looks good.
However, it is not economically sustainable!
If you can name one country which was able to do what you are propose than I would support you.
I lived in old Czechoslovakia for 22 years with all you proposed. There was no unemployment, it was mandatory to work, everything was for free but not on the shelves, and there was affordable housing about 1 day pay of my father per month of rent, but there was 22 years waiting period to get an apartment.
So where would you like to live, here or in socialism where everything is affordable and free…. Huh?
I should add that the only reason why the families live in hotels and no in apartments is that in general no one landlord will takes the welfare vouchers for rent because of county bureaucracy…… so fix that.
Counties usually have contract with hotels and get volume discount.
They use hotels for released sex offenders from prisons too.
If you do not like it, do not vote for any incumbents even if it is your guy.
Tonights the night, I hope everyone watches.
I think she’s lucky that her mom is famous because this is a lousy film. it looks like she shot it on her phone. she coaches the kids all the way through. the kids deserve better.
Well Marie, if you think these kids deserve better then this is where you can make a donation that will help them.
http://projecthopeschool.org/make-a-difference/
Baxter,
Excellent reply to Marie.