![Structure Out Of Chaos [ Private Submission for Visura Grant ] by Mary Lou Uttermohlen](/v2-images/v_noframe.500.png)
I experienced major culture shock in 1993 when I moved to Miami, Florida and witnessed 1,200 people living in plywood shacks downtown. These encampments were to result of the city was being sued for arresting homeless people prior to public events. The Federal judge ruled that “safe zones” be established where people could eat, sleep, and bath in public without fear of arrest until social services were offered. As I result shantytowns popped up all over the country and this documentary has been ongoing ever since.
The resulting consent decree was called the Pottinger Settlement and it protected the unhoused population for decades until a conservative judge repealed it in 2019. Cities are now free to monitor themselves as to whether their laws criminalize unhoused people and strip them of their constitutional rights. There are laws against panhandling, camping, loitering, blocking sidewalks, urinating in public, food sharing, and even limits on how much can be carried.
The portraits are meant to engage the viewer to look into the lives of people they ignore everyday. Once engaged the text is an opportunity to deliver a fresh narrative describing the repetitive traumas of the collective. This series doesn’t focus on personal tragedies but on the barriers to ending this epidemic.
The federal government’s response to this crisis is a rapid rehousing program. However, two of the three factors creating chronic homelessness cannot be solved with housing. Those factors are severe mental illness and substance use disorders, which tend to be intertwined. After receiving housing these unresolved issues lead many back to living on the streets creating a never-ending cycle.
For people experiencing mental illness, our laws require them to navigate their own care. If their illness causes them to fail that responsibility they are relabeled as homeless. Many choose to self-medicate making them appear as addicts. As the mental healthcare system lost funding the criminal justice system gained it placing psychiatric care primarily behind bars. I must point out that some of these jails operate for profit.
I partner with homeless outreach organizations such as Grace at the Green Light in New Orleans. As a team, we visit abandoned buildings and structures that unhoused people call home. The social workers offer their services as this project offers a platform for these marginalized and disenfranchised people.
When I started this journey decades ago I was primarily interested in people, the homes they created and their personal space. I was the tour guide taking the viewer into worlds they would otherwise never see. Presently I seemed to have pivoted focusing harder at using the images as a tool for public engagement to shift the overall perception of this issue. Our public policies are responsible for creating much of this problem yet those issues go unmentioned and unaddressed while the blame is placed on the victims.
If I were to be awarded the Visura Project Grant the money would fund travel and create movies of this topic. I recently started interviewing more outreach workers and mental health professionals to get the story that the victims may not even know. There is a plethora of content on homelessness to create sympathy and to talk about band-aid help but there is nothing that addresses prevention and explains why this is happening.
We talk about ending homelessness but we never do anything to prevent it and we fund a system to give out homes when what people need is mental healthcare. It is imperative that this project talks to both the people in crisis as well as the workers behind the scenes trying to change the system.
The intent is to push through stereotypes to explore a fresh narrative because we won't fix what we don't acknowledge. If we continue to ignore vulnerable people, then this epidemic will proceed unabated. A massive shift in consciousness is required to prevent and end American Homeless and this work strives toward that goal by being a platform for people without one.
The resulting consent decree was called the Pottinger Settlement and it protected the unhoused population for decades until a conservative judge repealed it in 2019. Cities are now free to monitor themselves as to whether their laws criminalize unhoused people and strip them of their constitutional rights. There are laws against panhandling, camping, loitering, blocking sidewalks, urinating in public, food sharing, and even limits on how much can be carried.
The portraits are meant to engage the viewer to look into the lives of people they ignore everyday. Once engaged the text is an opportunity to deliver a fresh narrative describing the repetitive traumas of the collective. This series doesn’t focus on personal tragedies but on the barriers to ending this epidemic.
The federal government’s response to this crisis is a rapid rehousing program. However, two of the three factors creating chronic homelessness cannot be solved with housing. Those factors are severe mental illness and substance use disorders, which tend to be intertwined. After receiving housing these unresolved issues lead many back to living on the streets creating a never-ending cycle.
For people experiencing mental illness, our laws require them to navigate their own care. If their illness causes them to fail that responsibility they are relabeled as homeless. Many choose to self-medicate making them appear as addicts. As the mental healthcare system lost funding the criminal justice system gained it placing psychiatric care primarily behind bars. I must point out that some of these jails operate for profit.
I partner with homeless outreach organizations such as Grace at the Green Light in New Orleans. As a team, we visit abandoned buildings and structures that unhoused people call home. The social workers offer their services as this project offers a platform for these marginalized and disenfranchised people.
When I started this journey decades ago I was primarily interested in people, the homes they created and their personal space. I was the tour guide taking the viewer into worlds they would otherwise never see. Presently I seemed to have pivoted focusing harder at using the images as a tool for public engagement to shift the overall perception of this issue. Our public policies are responsible for creating much of this problem yet those issues go unmentioned and unaddressed while the blame is placed on the victims.
If I were to be awarded the Visura Project Grant the money would fund travel and create movies of this topic. I recently started interviewing more outreach workers and mental health professionals to get the story that the victims may not even know. There is a plethora of content on homelessness to create sympathy and to talk about band-aid help but there is nothing that addresses prevention and explains why this is happening.
We talk about ending homelessness but we never do anything to prevent it and we fund a system to give out homes when what people need is mental healthcare. It is imperative that this project talks to both the people in crisis as well as the workers behind the scenes trying to change the system.
The intent is to push through stereotypes to explore a fresh narrative because we won't fix what we don't acknowledge. If we continue to ignore vulnerable people, then this epidemic will proceed unabated. A massive shift in consciousness is required to prevent and end American Homeless and this work strives toward that goal by being a platform for people without one.
Structure Out Of Chaos movies can be viewed on my You Tube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/marylouus and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marylou.us/ The project website is http://www.unhoused.us.
James and Jurga
James and Jurga lived in an abandoned building until they discovered that trespassing was a serious criminal offense and considered a felony. They decided that the security of the location was not worth the risk. Unhoused people get criminalized for endless reasons and having a record can prevent them from getting out of homelessness.
James and Jurga lived in an abandoned building until they discovered that trespassing was a serious criminal offense and considered a felony. They decided that the security of the location was not worth the risk. Unhoused people get criminalized for endless reasons and having a record can prevent them from getting out of homelessness.
Jesus Forgives
Upon retirement, Wendy began traveling to spread the word the love of Jesus. Eventually she ran out of money. Now she is homeless and uses her faith to navigate life. A significant portion of the homeless population includes people who have outlived their resources and can be helped with affordable housing.
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Upon retirement, Wendy began traveling to spread the word the love of Jesus. Eventually she ran out of money. Now she is homeless and uses her faith to navigate life. A significant portion of the homeless population includes people who have outlived their resources and can be helped with affordable housing.
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Kristel
Most homeless people have some form of income but Kristel does not. A homeless man has been taking care of her. People struggling with mental illness often self medicate to cope with their disorders. The irony of the American Mental Healthcare system is that the patients are responsible to administer their own care. Often their illness prevents that responsibility from being successful.
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Most homeless people have some form of income but Kristel does not. A homeless man has been taking care of her. People struggling with mental illness often self medicate to cope with their disorders. The irony of the American Mental Healthcare system is that the patients are responsible to administer their own care. Often their illness prevents that responsibility from being successful.
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Steve’s Place
Steven lived in this hidden shack for years until one day without any prior notice his camp got a sweep. Authorities tore down his shanty and all of his belongings were loaded into a dump truck and taken away. He lost his personal documents, identification, books, pillow, bed, clothes, cooking items, food, and literally everything he owned. Sweeps are a response to homelessness nationwide and while they make the problem disappear temporarily it does not resolve the individual's challenges.
Steven lived in this hidden shack for years until one day without any prior notice his camp got a sweep. Authorities tore down his shanty and all of his belongings were loaded into a dump truck and taken away. He lost his personal documents, identification, books, pillow, bed, clothes, cooking items, food, and literally everything he owned. Sweeps are a response to homelessness nationwide and while they make the problem disappear temporarily it does not resolve the individual's challenges.
Sarah's Bedroom
Sarah lives in an abandoned factory where she found a room with a door. People living there share an extension cord for power plus a water hose to cook and bath. When personal issues go unaddressed people get by however they can from one day to the next. Reaching her room is a dangerous obstacle course up several stories making her feel safe.
Sarah lives in an abandoned factory where she found a room with a door. People living there share an extension cord for power plus a water hose to cook and bath. When personal issues go unaddressed people get by however they can from one day to the next. Reaching her room is a dangerous obstacle course up several stories making her feel safe.
Carol and Molly’s Van
Carol moved from Iowa to New Orleans with her dog Molly. She parked as close as she could to available services. There was no room for her to lay down in the van since the vehicle was full of treasures such as old newspapers. Carol's days were spent in a small cramped area at the steering wheel. She refused to visit a shelter during freezing temperatures because shelters do not allow dogs. She briefly moved into a storage locker before she was placed in an apartment by social services.
Carol moved from Iowa to New Orleans with her dog Molly. She parked as close as she could to available services. There was no room for her to lay down in the van since the vehicle was full of treasures such as old newspapers. Carol's days were spent in a small cramped area at the steering wheel. She refused to visit a shelter during freezing temperatures because shelters do not allow dogs. She briefly moved into a storage locker before she was placed in an apartment by social services.
Angie and Andy
One of the three causes of chronic homelessness is a lack of affordable housing. The people here put all their belongings into storage as they saved for a new apartment. Finally, they were able to put down a security deposit using a pandemic stimulus check.
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One of the three causes of chronic homelessness is a lack of affordable housing. The people here put all their belongings into storage as they saved for a new apartment. Finally, they were able to put down a security deposit using a pandemic stimulus check.
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Phoenix In The Ladies Room
One advantage of having a camp is being able to set up a human waste system. Phoenix shows off her toilet saying that the men give her privacy but the Amtrack passengers on the nearby railroad tracks occasionally see her. Kitty litter was used to control smell and aid with disposal. Unhoused people without a system go wherever they can which disturbs city officials concerned about public health.
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One advantage of having a camp is being able to set up a human waste system. Phoenix shows off her toilet saying that the men give her privacy but the Amtrack passengers on the nearby railroad tracks occasionally see her. Kitty litter was used to control smell and aid with disposal. Unhoused people without a system go wherever they can which disturbs city officials concerned about public health.
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Tiffany and Allan
Life can become more stressful while resisting the urge to self medicate. This couple live in the woods as they work on recovery from addictions. A month after this photo was taken the camp was burnt down after a domestic quarrel.
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Life can become more stressful while resisting the urge to self medicate. This couple live in the woods as they work on recovery from addictions. A month after this photo was taken the camp was burnt down after a domestic quarrel.
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Life Inside The Bridge
This room inside a highway exit ramp has a constant temperature of around sixty degrees, which means it is comfortable year-round. The man who lives here did not want to be photographed for fear that he could lose his job if his employer knew he was homeless. Many homeless people work full-time jobs, have bank accounts, and keep up their personal hygiene.
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This room inside a highway exit ramp has a constant temperature of around sixty degrees, which means it is comfortable year-round. The man who lives here did not want to be photographed for fear that he could lose his job if his employer knew he was homeless. Many homeless people work full-time jobs, have bank accounts, and keep up their personal hygiene.
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Stairway Home
The camp was created by the Homeless Trust in South Florida after their Board Member, Ron Book successfully lobbied for stricter sex offender laws. Residents in this encampment are paroled sex offenders that are required to wear leg monitors, work jobs and check into the camp every night. Returning to their homes and families is not an option for them.
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The camp was created by the Homeless Trust in South Florida after their Board Member, Ron Book successfully lobbied for stricter sex offender laws. Residents in this encampment are paroled sex offenders that are required to wear leg monitors, work jobs and check into the camp every night. Returning to their homes and families is not an option for them.
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Harold And His Girlfriend
The a large portion of the younger unhoused population is a constantly on the move. This couple traveled from Florida to attend New Orlean's Mardi Gras. One of the city's homeless shelters, the Ozanam Inn closes for carnival to discourage homeless travelers from draining local resources.
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The a large portion of the younger unhoused population is a constantly on the move. This couple traveled from Florida to attend New Orlean's Mardi Gras. One of the city's homeless shelters, the Ozanam Inn closes for carnival to discourage homeless travelers from draining local resources.
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Melissa
Melissa lives in an abandoned building where handrails are missing, there are holes in the floor and the roof leaks. She took a bad fall in the crumbling structure and injured her leg. The people living there survive by recycling scrapping metal from the building. The cash received empowers them to purchase groceries and other basic needs. Most in the community do not receive ay social services and do not consider themselves homeless.
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Melissa lives in an abandoned building where handrails are missing, there are holes in the floor and the roof leaks. She took a bad fall in the crumbling structure and injured her leg. The people living there survive by recycling scrapping metal from the building. The cash received empowers them to purchase groceries and other basic needs. Most in the community do not receive ay social services and do not consider themselves homeless.
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Jeffery
For Christmas, a Good Samaritan showed up with a van full of tents for the New Orleans homeless. However, the city wants the tents gone, and authorities will post a sweep with minimal warning. Campers who do not move before the deadline will have their belongings disposed of and those who resist will be arrested. Nationwide tents are slashed and tossed to discourage homelessness. While the needs for homeless social services are barely addressed the major caused of the national homeless epidemic in the United States are never discussed.
For Christmas, a Good Samaritan showed up with a van full of tents for the New Orleans homeless. However, the city wants the tents gone, and authorities will post a sweep with minimal warning. Campers who do not move before the deadline will have their belongings disposed of and those who resist will be arrested. Nationwide tents are slashed and tossed to discourage homelessness. While the needs for homeless social services are barely addressed the major caused of the national homeless epidemic in the United States are never discussed.
Identity Is Important
Justin lost his ID. This can keep him trapped in homelessness. Without Identification it is impossible to cash a check, open a bank account, get homeless assistance, sometimes it blocks the ability to stay in a shelter. In Louisiana, social services can help him get a new ID. It will cost him $13.
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Justin lost his ID. This can keep him trapped in homelessness. Without Identification it is impossible to cash a check, open a bank account, get homeless assistance, sometimes it blocks the ability to stay in a shelter. In Louisiana, social services can help him get a new ID. It will cost him $13.
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The Locker Room
Survival is a daily job for "Stacks" pictured in his bedroom which was a locker room shower at an abandoned factory. He set up a makeshift electrical and water system and installed a security camera to evade authorities or any other potential threat.
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Survival is a daily job for "Stacks" pictured in his bedroom which was a locker room shower at an abandoned factory. He set up a makeshift electrical and water system and installed a security camera to evade authorities or any other potential threat.
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Ryan
Ryan was on parole for a felony. He worked a job that didn't pay enough for housing. He slept in the woods and bathed from a hose at a convenience store. Depression finally got the best of him. Even though he does not do drugs he decided to end his suffering by committing suicide with a heroin overdose. Being unhoused can be psychologically unbearable and leads some people to this sad conclusion.
Ryan was on parole for a felony. He worked a job that didn't pay enough for housing. He slept in the woods and bathed from a hose at a convenience store. Depression finally got the best of him. Even though he does not do drugs he decided to end his suffering by committing suicide with a heroin overdose. Being unhoused can be psychologically unbearable and leads some people to this sad conclusion.
Roberto Is Home From Work
The Bookville camp was created by local government in Miami after new sex offender laws made it impossible for parolees to move back to their homes and families. The side effects of these laws are that there are now large encampments of homeless sex offenders with no other legal place to live. Regardless of that fact the laws against paroled sex offenders are very popular and are spreading to other counties in Florida.
The Bookville camp was created by local government in Miami after new sex offender laws made it impossible for parolees to move back to their homes and families. The side effects of these laws are that there are now large encampments of homeless sex offenders with no other legal place to live. Regardless of that fact the laws against paroled sex offenders are very popular and are spreading to other counties in Florida.
Homeless Family
Homeless Families find themselves in a sensitive predicament. They need help but in doing so they are vulnerable of losing custody of their children. They must always prove that their children are not in danger while at the same time admitting that they need help.
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Homeless Families find themselves in a sensitive predicament. They need help but in doing so they are vulnerable of losing custody of their children. They must always prove that their children are not in danger while at the same time admitting that they need help.
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Larry In His Car
When Larry got evicted from his apartment one of his customers gave him a junk car. That has been his shelter ever since. The car runs but he never drives it. The vehicle is not transportation it is strictly a shelter.
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When Larry got evicted from his apartment one of his customers gave him a junk car. That has been his shelter ever since. The car runs but he never drives it. The vehicle is not transportation it is strictly a shelter.
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Denver's New Camp
Denver found this home after the previous residents secured permanent housing. Camps such as this often pass from one resident to the next until a sweep destroys them permanently.
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Denver found this home after the previous residents secured permanent housing. Camps such as this often pass from one resident to the next until a sweep destroys them permanently.
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Kiki Waits On The Cot
When cities want to eradicate a nuisance they tend to pass laws against it. Unfortunately, for the homeless that only criminalizes vulnerable people who have already run out of options. For example, the City of New Orleans passed a law banning tents and all personal belongings from public areas. Kiki took down her tent and sat on a cot waiting for the police to enforce their final sweep. She had no idea what to do or where to go next.
When cities want to eradicate a nuisance they tend to pass laws against it. Unfortunately, for the homeless that only criminalizes vulnerable people who have already run out of options. For example, the City of New Orleans passed a law banning tents and all personal belongings from public areas. Kiki took down her tent and sat on a cot waiting for the police to enforce their final sweep. She had no idea what to do or where to go next.
The Lone Railroad Camp
Since 1998 there has been a federal consent decree called the "Pottinger Settlement" which protected the homeless in the United States from being arrested for being homeless. In 2019 a conservative judge decided to overturn that ruling and suggested that cities can return to policing themselves regarding homeless issues.
Since 1998 there has been a federal consent decree called the "Pottinger Settlement" which protected the homeless in the United States from being arrested for being homeless. In 2019 a conservative judge decided to overturn that ruling and suggested that cities can return to policing themselves regarding homeless issues.
Structure Out Of Chaos [ Private Submission for Visura Grant ]
Mary Lou Uttermohlen
Photographer
based in New Orleans, LA
Private Story
Structure Out Of Chaos [ Private Submission for Visura Grant ]
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