- [Interviewer] Thomas.
- Right.
- [Interviewer] We're here in New York City.
- Right.
- [Interviewer] You're on the steps of a church, homeless.
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Tell me about it.
- Well, I've been out here about two years, man,
and I tried the shelter system here.
I got into numerous fights trying to protect my gear.
People stealing, robbing me.
The homeless situation here in New York is atrocious.
It's a business, really.
From what I understand, their budget is $700 million
and most of that money is going into the pockets
of the administrators and
just people working at shelters.
There's no housing for the homeless. There's no
nothing for us except soup kitchens and
man, it's bad.
This is one of the richest cities in the country.
It's crazy. I don't understand it. It's crazy.
- [Interviewer] So you don't even sleep
here at the church?
- No, no, no, I can't because
we used to sleep here but
it's a lot of homeless people that just don't care.
I happen not to be one of them.
But they urinate all over the church.
They mess it up, so it make it hard
for us honest homeless people.
- [Interviewer] Yeah, 'cause when I was here a year ago,
people were sleeping up on all these steps.
- Right, right. I used to sleep a matter of fact
around the corner.
Used to be right around the corner steps I used to sleep.
They started having the police run us away,
because of that.
People just messing the church up
and doing things they have no business.
I'm one of the few that I claim I'm homeless
but I'm not hopeless,
but it's a hopeless case right now.
- [Interviewer] Now, shelter system's broken,
can't sleep in front of the church,
where are you going tonight?
I'm going on the subway, soon as I get enough money
out here to get me something to eat
when I get up in the morning,
I'm going to pay that 2.25 and get on the A train
and ride from Far Rockaway back to 207th street
'til in the morning.
- [Interviewer] Just ride on the train.
- Just ride on the train all night. Read me a book.
- [Interviewer] That's no way to live.
- No, it's not, but unfortunately,
like I said, there's nothing here for us.
I'm a part of a organization called Picture the Homeless,
and we did a study here in Manhattan.
There's enough abandoned buildings here in Manhattan
to eradicate the homeless problems
in the entire city of New York.
That's not going into outer boroughs.
If they was to take that budget
that they got for the homeless shelter
and do something with these abandoned buildings,
they wouldn't have homelessness here
in New York.
That's a way of doing it.
I mean, just like they run the shelter system,
they could run these houses,
this housing for people,
and put them in honest housing,
and help people do something for theyself.
It's a hopeless cause, man.
This city is just,
it's just like everybody else.
We got a billionaire for a mayor,
and he run this city like it's a business.
Either you toe the line or you fired.
You're out in the street.
They don't care how you feed your family or how...
It's crazy.
- [Interviewer] What's your future like?
- I'm hopeful, man. I'mma be honest with you.
I'm a very spiritual person.
I pray and I know this is just a test for me.
I'mma be all right.
I look at it like that.
I can't give up hope.
- [Interviewer] You can't.
- Nope.
- [Interviewer] If you had three wishes, what would they be?
- Well I wouldn't wish because that's not a thing,
but if I had three prayers to be answered,
it would be for this homeless situation in New York City
to be eradicated,
for this,
this world,
as a whole,
to understand that people are people
no matter who they are.
We gotta stop hating and hurting each other.
And, my third one would be personal.
I would like me a nice big home. (laughs)
- [Interviewer] Well, thank you very much
for talking to me.
- Anytime, brother. I wish I could do more,
I mean, but I'm on my butt.
- [Interviewer] You've done a lot, man.
You've done a lot.
- Thank you.