Ronald, 68, has always been resourceful. He has his recycling system down to a science. He knows which liquor stores have large dumpsters nearby, and which bus stops typically have trash cans where riders leave drink containers. He makes sure he follows behind parade routes, marathons, downtown rallies and marches, or big events in Balboa Park. And in order to keep the trolley police happy, he never over-fills his granny cart with recyclables when he needs to ride the trolley to the recycling center in Logan Heights.

Originally from New Orleans, he moved out to San Diego when he was 20 years old, to join family after his marriage in New Orleans didn’t work out. He liked doing physical labor, and was always able to find custodial work at the airport, the Naval Exchange, and numerous local department stores. Everything was fine for many years until his mother died of a heart attack four years ago. That’s when the other family members who shared his mother’s apartment with him decided they would kick him out. He thinks he might have been on their bad side because of the time he hit his nephew in the head for having run up his mother’s phone bill.

Ronald ended up spending some nights at the Quality Inn motel, and bouncing between downtown homeless shelters before securing a Section 8 housing voucher. His case manager worked with him to find permanent supportive housing. He currently lives in a studio apartment at The Tower, an affordable housing complex downtown. He has a private bathroom, a stove, microwave, and a small balcony. as a senior citizen he takes advantage of meals at the senior center on Fourth Avenue, as well as the other outreach meals regularly provided by different non-profit organizations. Being housed hasn’t made him lazy, however. Ronald still makes daily rounds recycling. He takes pride in being able to earn his own spending money. It also gives him a sense of purpose and gets him out where he socializes with friends still on the street.