The most relevant thing is that you're going through something terrible. If I had anything, I'd give it to you, but I've had a very tough year.
The best I can offer is that I'm genuinely sorry. Not only for the way you've been treated here, but for everything that has happened.
I've had some good friends go down the homelessness path and the one thing I've heard from all of them is that, no matter what, you've got to have some sort of fixed address. Over the next few days, you've got two big priorities:
1.) Finding shelter.
2.) Finding someone who will let you get your mail sent to their address.
I wouldn't normally suggest this because it's rather manipulative, but there's a technique called door in the face persuasion. Your first ask is going to be, "Can we stay on your couch for {{period of time you'll stick to}}?" And, if you hear no or see a pained expression on that person's face, your next ask is, "Can I change my address to yours so I can keep getting my mail?"
Vast swaths of North American culture assume you have an address. It's amazing how hard things will get when you no longer have one.
If you're in the Denver area, check out the Denver Voice. It's a street newspaper and street papers are a great way to make money!
Me too, it probably the just world hypothesis at work.
Hang in there and don't listen to the negative talk.
They cannot possibly understand what you are going through, because they aren't going through it.
A PO box would work in a pinch, but I can see a couple of issues.
The first one is that PO boxes can be expensive and temporary homelessness is already very expensive. Realistically, to stay in a state of temporary homelessness, you need to be in a situation where you can apply for jobs, go to interviews and hop online or on the phone for quick calls. That requires things like a gym membership (for a shower), car parking/maintenance/gas, food and other basics. The example I always like to give is to ask a question. How confident would you feel going into a job interview looking like you slept in your clothes because you did?
Temporary homelessness is also very time consuming. Simply finding a place to hang out is almost a full-time job. With a PO box, you've got to keep paying the rent and find time to go to your box, pay rent, etc.
The second one is one of human contact and love. I've never been homeless but I have some good friends who have been. The lack of pride is already immense. But, apparently, it can also be incredibly lonely, particularly if you're mentally healthier than the mean. Having someone from your past who meets up with you once a week and gives you your mail is a powerful bit of human contact.
Feel free to reach out and we can do lunch sometime. you can get to me via: ben at meetmindful.com
The flexible hours are great to work around interviews and you can make enough to feed yourself and find a place to stay.
Good luck.
Questions / answers thus far:
there's been a lot of good advice in this thread thus far and a few understandable questions.
I'm going to answer them all here as I can no longer edit the main thread.
first off, great suggestions - some of these were already on my mind (gym, library, camping specifically) and seeing them reinforced via comments is encouraging.
to answer some questions that have been raised:
1. > homeless in the USA? Just cannot understand how this would happen
I'm still trying to piece this together myself. I failed multiple job interviews that were very difficult, ran out of unemployment and am now facing eviction. it takes 6 to 12 months to get into government housing in colorado. unless i get a job before that, its the car, the woods or the street.
> 15 years full stack
I don't get it either.
2. > How resonable is the person/company you rent from to secure an agreement to stay on despite the late rent?
zero reasonable. they filed after 3 days and after i explained that i'm having health issues.
3. > Have you applied for unemployment?
yes, i was approved as my reason for quitting was appropriate, however it ran out quickly as rent is extremely expensive.
4. > Built In Colorado job
I am aware and use it, however yes the process is slow
5. > if he were a brilliant engineer he probably wouldn't be on here with this post
Define brilliant. i certainly haven't claimed to be brilliant, but i do claim to be an excellent employee, extremely fast learner and someone who has never been fired and who has always excelled at their job. I suspect some people think i'm brilliant and others do not.
6. > Why would 3 days late on your rent involve a court date and eviction?
Denver / Colorado is harsh as fuck, apparently.
7. > It'd be really shocking to me if this happened in the US without some prior history/grounds for eviction
then be shocked, my friend. its happening and i've never been evicted in the past nor has my wife. nothin but smooth sailing in my past. this is denver
In all of this i also forgot to mention that I was diagnosed as being bipolar which has helped wreck my life.
8. > How have you been an engineer for 15 years and still: Rent an apartment, Don’t have a few laptops lying around, Don’t have any savings while having no kids
This series of questions assumes that i have made sound financial decisions over the years. i have not. it also assumes i do not have a child whereas I do from a previous marriage. also, it assumes i've never owned a house, i have... doesn't mean i still do.