Yahoo News Homeless couple turn doomed bus stop into home with carpet, curtains and cupboards
A homeless woman living in a condemned bus stop alongside her mother and partner has issued an urgent plea to transport authorities to save her makeshift 'home' from demolition. Destiny Mitchell, 26, took up residence in the 3m by 1m shelter located in Birmingham about seven months ago.
Destiny, who lives with autism, considers the bus stop she shares with her 31-year-old boyfriend Ryan and her mother, 44, a safer option than the prospect of temporary accommodation where they might have to live alongside 'drug addicts'. With only a month remaining before the scheduled destruction of their current abode, Destiny expressed her family's dire situation.
She said: "If the council doesn't help us, we're going to try to move into another bus stop. We wanted to get a caravan. We don't want to go into a shared house because of drug users. We don't want that, we don't use drugs. It's not safe for us."
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"They've said we've got a month left and they're going to destroy it. I've been in here a long time, I don't want them to destroy my home. We haven't got anywhere else to live."
The support charity Trident Reach has previously stated its involvement in assisting the family to secure 'appropriate accommodation', although offers made thus far have been declined, reports Birmingham Live. Destiny mentioned that the council had proposed temporary housing solutions, but she is adamant about not being separated from her mother, who also lives with autism.
The trio have attempted to make the graffiti-ridden shelter more homely by adding carpet, drawers and even a pair of old Super Mario curtains where bus timetables once hung. They've received garden chairs, a bin and sleeping bags from kind-hearted locals.
Destiny, who previously lived in a Greggs doorway before moving into the shelter, revealed she used tape and cardboard donated by students to fix leaks in the bus stop's roof. "It was my idea to create this living space when we found this place," she shared.
"Before I lived in a bus stop, I was sleeping in a blanket on the floor. But I didn't feel safe. I've been living here for seven months. Before that we lived near Greggs before the police moved us on. Because we're not students they don't have housing for us. There's three of us in here, me, my partner and my mum This is all new to me. I used to live in a tent.
"I've been homeless for two years off and on. At one point our tent was burnt down. I'm from Wolverhampton and I had a flat but bad things happened and I had to leave it and was made homeless. That's when we came to Selly Oak. I saw this bus stop out of use. It was cold and starting to rain.
"We've had to tape the roof to stop the rain getting in. They are saying they won't house my mum and us together. My mum's disabled. I want them to house us before they take the bus shelter down.
"I want to make sure we all stay together as a family, that's all I want. No-one gives me any money to buy what I need. They give me food but I need clothes too. I've had the same pants on for over a month. I've been in shorts and a T-shirt, the students gave me that.
"I've got two blankets, one sleeping bag and one duvet. It's a fluffy one but it still gets really cold. I'm going to be sad when I have to leave the bus stop because we've done our best to make it home."
Birmingham City Council confirmed the bus stop was no longer in use for passengers. A spokesperson said: "Homeless support services have contacted the couple and made accommodation offers. The offers have not yet been taken up, but the offer of support and accommodation will continue to be there should they change their mind."
Trident Reach said it was working with the family to help get them off the streets.
A spokesperson said: "Our teams are aware of the couple and have been trying to work with them to find appropriate accommodation. "Unfortunately they have declined accommodation as it is currently not in the area they would prefer. We will always work with people to encourage them into appropriate housing but unfortunately sometimes people do decline help. We will continue our daily checks on the couple and continue with offers of housing support and options for them."
Representing Transport for West Midlands, a spokesperson explained: "All bus services have been consolidated at a neighbouring shelter so this one is no longer required and it has therefore been earmarked for removal. The process to remove the shelter is underway, including disconnecting power supply, securing road work permits and scheduling the works with contractors."
He added: "In the meantime, we're liaising with our partners including the police, council and local housing providers who are working to secure suitable long-term accommodation for the people involved. We thank the local community for their patience while the issue is resolved."
