HBO Documentary: "Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County"

[Heva2015]

When I worked in Orlando for the summer a few years ago for Sea World I lived in a motel...mainly due to lack of short term lets and no credit rating in the US. For me it wasn't too bad because I knew it was temporary and was like a long vacation but it broke my heart how many families lived in the motels, usually 4-5 to a room, paying day to day. One guy would go to labor ready every morning and wait to see if there was work as they pay you that day. I remember one day he came home and there hadn't been any and he was terrified that he would be evicted. I hated having to write my address too!

 

[Tommy_B]

I know I'm joining in late, but I finally watched Homeless last night. (I had previously DVRed it.) What a heartbreaking documentary.

I have a really hard time reconciling my love for Disney with my feelings about the way it treats (i.e., wages it pays) its workers. I wish there was room in their business model for spreading the "magic" around to its own employees. It's nothing short of miraculous that the customer service is as good as it is, given the lives that some of these people return to when they leave the parks.

Disney pays the prevailing wages and the marketplace wages.

No one ever said the wages that Disney pays are supposed to support a family of four in a nice house. Most of the lowest paying jobs are entry level jobs, seasonal jobs for college students or jobs for retired seniors.

If you have an education and ambition you can get ahead at Disney, if you find you can't get ahead, quit and go find a better paying job that is what freedom is all about.

What goes unsaid in the documentary is how these people came to live in Orange County, how they came to live in motels. There are plenty of places to rent in Santa Ana and Anaheim that cost the same or less than what they are paying at the motel.

Alexandra who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and went to two very expensive private universities could be doing more to help rather than making political documentaries.

 

[Ava]

What goes unsaid in the documentary is how these people came to live in Orange County, how they came to live in motels. There are plenty of places to rent in Santa Ana and Anaheim that cost the same or less than what they are paying at the motel.

I don't think it's as simple as going to a different town to find inexpensive housing. How is one supposed to save money for 1st, last & security on an apartment when they barely make enough to pay for their room & feed their family?