The image most people have of a homeless person is that they don’t have a job or maybe even skills to have one. They don’t have any possessions and no friends or family, and what they do have are drug or alcohol problems.
While for some people it is actually true, there are many homeless people who have full-time jobs and still live on the streets or in their cars. They might have family and friends but choose not to be a burden to them. They might be really smart with a college education, but life happened and they just can’t afford to rent a flat or a room.
It’s hard to believe that a person with a job would still be homeless, but that is the reality of this woman who goes by Aaliyah on TikTok. She works full-time in Home Depot but her living space is her car, she takes a shower at a Planet Fitness and is struggling to just survive.
More info: TikTok
A woman went viral when she shared she doesn't have a home and lives in her car even though she works full-time at Home Depot
Image credits: Mike Mozart
Aaliyah made a short video showing herself dressed in the Home Depot uniform, assumedly working on her shift and put a text overlay that said that people have no clue she has to sleep in her car as she works 8 hours 5 days a week, which is a full-time job, so they can’t understand why she is so tired all the time and rarely smiles.
It seems that there aren’t too many reasons for her to smile either because troubles just like following her. There is a video on her account when she accidentally recorded the moment when a police officer wanted to search her car for no apparent reason as she was just sitting in the passenger’s seat while her boyfriend was walking the dog.
The police officer made her leave the car and searched through the car and the trunk. They explained that they did that because the tint on the window was too dark, which sounds like a weak argument. On top of that, they arrested Aaliyah’s boyfriend.
Image credits: oc.liyahh
Image credits: oc.liyahh
Homeless people often become victims of law enforcement as being homeless is illegal. Being incarcerated or getting tickets doesn't help them with improving their situation at all. Having a criminal record actually can make it really hard to find a job or be approved for rent.
All of these things are too familiar to Aaliyah and she went to TikTok to vent about how unfair life can be. The video in which she revealed she is homeless really blew up and it has been viewed by 4.6 million people. Other TikTok users were wishing Aaliyah the best and were sharing their own encouraging stories of how they or people they know were able to rise from the bottom.
There were people who didn't believe Aaliyah was really homeless and made the video to get some attention, to which she showed how her car looks
Image credits: oc.liyahh
Image credits: oc.liyahh
There were some viewers who also were suspicious, who couldn’t believe that she is actually homeless and were accusing her of lying for attention. The woman felt the need to clear these doubts and made a follow-up video showing her car jammed with her belongings.
Aaliyah also posted a video of her at a gym where she goes to get a shower and get changed. In the caption of the video she wrote “hate to go in with a bag and then leave 15-20 minutes later, with different clothes on.”
And showed herself at a gym where she goes to shower and change her clothes
Image credits: oc.liyahh
Some people pointed out that she has nails and lashes done, but she could save that money
Image credits: oc.liyahh
There was another category of people who believed the Home Depot employee was really homeless but they thought that she might not know how to manage her money as they saw her with her nails done and fake lashes on.
The TikToker responded to the comment about the nails showing her hands that had no manicure done. What that TikTok user might have seen was old videos in which Aaliyah sometimes shared her new nails, but that was a couple of years ago and the video of her being homeless was posted this month.
But even if the woman really had gotten her nails done or put on some fake lashes, those expenses wouldn’t cover a whole month's rent. It is the same discourse of explaining to millennials that it is because they are so obsessed with avocados that they can’t afford to buy a house, which is ridiculous as a single avocado doesn’t cost more than a dollar.
Another TikToker user spoke for Aaliyah, explaining those things made her feel human; besides it's not so much that it would cover rent
Image credits: oc.liyahh
It seems that these comments shaming Aaliyah for spending money on something she would enjoy really bothered her. But she didn’t even have time to explain herself or find the right words to say it before TikTok user dinabrass came to her defense.
She wanted people to understand that Aaliyah wasn’t necessarily doing her nails, putting fake lashes on or dyeing her hair because she felt ugly. She was doing it because it feels human and gives a taste of what a normal life looks like, allowing her to express herself through her appearance and forget for a moment what a disaster her life is. It also can provide her with a feeling of control and at least a little bit of power over everyday decisions.
Image credits: oc.liyahh
According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, if people want to afford to rent a two-bedroom modest apartment, on average, they should earn $21.21. The federal minimum wage in the US is $7.25 per hour but the average hourly wage is $16.38. It’s just simple mathematics and it is clear as day that such wages are not enough for a decent living.
Housing prices keep rising and the wages are still stuck at the same level, so more and more people who have full-time jobs are not guaranteed to have a place to live, which is really scary and actually humiliating.
The most recent update is that Home Depot Homer Fund will help Aaliyah out and hopefully she will be provided with permanent housing
Image credits: oc.liyahh
But there is good news for Aaliyah as many people suggested she check out the Home Depot Homer Fund which takes care of their employees who have financial hardships. It’s quite ironic that an employer has to additionally help their employees with their financial situation instead of just paying enough in the first place, but it seems that the woman got help from them and she is hopeful to get permanent housing which is all that matters for now.
Below you can watch the viral video
We would like to hear your thoughts about this story and your theories on what should be done so that people who have jobs will be able to live a normal life having a roof over their heads. If you have any of your own success stories you'd like to share, leave them in the comments!
Although there were people who didn't fully believe Aaliyah, there were significantly more who expressed their support
