Getting to a Steady Paycheck, Sleeping at the Overflow
Dave says he now works for the commercial real estate company Newmark, out of Stead. Now that he has a steady job, he says his goals are to keep it and find a place to live. Once he finds that place, he says he intends on regularly paying his rent in advance to stay off the street.
In the meantime, he’s been staying at the men’s overflow shelter to make sure he gets enough rest each night.
“At nighttime, when they have the overflow you gotta make sure you get seven, eight hours of rest because that’s important,” Dave said. “I’m in the overflow at the men’s shelter now, where they have beds. It isn’t bad, because at least I get off the streets at night and get some rest.”
Getting enough rest and working regularly is all part of the fresh start Dave is creating for himself here in Reno.
Dave has been living in Nevada for over thirty years, and already in his brief time in Reno he says he believes it to be better than Las Vegas for a number of reasons. “Reno is better because the morals and the people are better,” Dave said. “There’s more jobs here than in Las Vegas and the wages are better, too.”
Preferring Reno Over Vegas, But Not Liking High Rents
“A lot of my [homeless] experience was my fault,” Dave said. “I had a gambling problem and I overcame it. The old days of Vegas are gone, so that’s another reason I re-located [to Reno].”
The only problem he’s had with Reno so far, is rent being too high.
Consequently, the thing Dave would particularly like the city of Reno to do, is better support the homeless that are trying to better themselves and their situation, much like himself.
“For the [homeless] trying to better themselves, [Reno should] set-up facilities where they can get more rest, assistance, and affordable housing,” Dave said. “There’s a lot of guys out here that are really trying to get themselves together.”
Dave knows that each homeless person’s situation is different, but that for him his move to Reno has been positive so far.
“I just had a purpose when I came here and I’m just trying to fulfill it the best way I know how,” he said.