Great Depression Revival: Tent Cities

It quickly flew past the question of "if" and became "when" right now. This particular tent city of "squatters" is not far from where homelessness was documented 70 years ago during the Great Depression. Located along the banks of the American River near Sacramento, California, this tent city consists of around 120 residents all living with no running water, sanitation or electricity.

Most of the residents are the expected drug addicts, alcoholics or mentally ill - the chronically homeless - but there is a rapid increase in numbers of those that fell victim to foreclosure, unemployment and the high cost of housing among the tent city occupants. Band-aid programs that provide food, propane and clothing do little to improve the living conditions there.

Sacramento Assistant City Manager Cassandra Jennings said that "it's not safe out there, it's an unhealthy environment" and the city plans to do something about it. Their solution is to erect another tent city somewhere else, provide running water and move the American River tent city residents there.