Joe Calkins Stands Outside His Newly Renovated Home

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- You would never guess that Albuquerque homeowner Joe Calkins is emerging from months of homelessness.

Always neatly dressed and immaculately groomed, Joe shatters any stereotypical image you may have had of a homeless person.

In addition to working a full time job for Comcast, the longtime 52-year-old Albuquerque resident works part time for the University of New Mexico’s Continuing Education Program.

Joe bought the downtown Albuquerque house in 1976 for $12,000 as a fixer upper. But a number of city code violations in his home – resulting from a decades-long battle with depression and adult attention deficit disorder – resulted in the city declaring Joe’s home as being too dangerous to live in.

As a result, Calkins who works full time for Comcast and part time for the University of New Mexico's Continuing Education Program, became homeless.

A few days after his plight was featured in the Albuquerque Journal, he received a call from the reporter who wrote the story.

Joe learned that members of the Homebuilders Association Care Program (www.hbacnm.com/committees/builderscare.asp)  were interested in remodeling his house. He called Homebuilders Care Committee Chair John Paulson.

Joe said he told John, “‘I have enough money to take care of the heating and the gas, and other people probably need your help more than I do.’”

Joe said John responded, “The sooner you can get back to being a productive member of society, the sooner you'll be able to give back.”

Now in the final stages of renovation, the notices that forbid occupancy are down, and Joe can sleep on a cot inside his house. For right now, though, Joe has to stash his cot every morning, so the still remaining workmen can do everything they need to do during the day.

Although Joe still has a lot to do, the workers will finish in early July, and an open house is scheduled for July 11.

Joe said he is “elated” to see the house in its current condition. He said that John Paulson has been spending about 20 to 30 hours a week on the project, and then working his own business on the side.

“His devotion to the project is astonishing,” Joe said. “He is exhausted every time I speak to him.”

I asked Joe to tell me how he felt about the last two-and-a-half months, since John and his crew of volunteers began the required renovations of Joe’s house.

He said, “It’s been great to get home from work and see changes every day. It has been an experience in receiving.”

Joe said one of the high points during the renovation was when there were no more holes in the walls, “and it looked like a real house again.”

He said he also really appreciated “the positive energy” of everyone who has worked so hard to give him back his home.”

I asked Joe to tell me how he felt now, as compared to when he lost his appeal against code enforcement back in Feb. of this year, and he had to move out of his house.

He responded, “I don’t have the fear that I had then, fear of not surviving because of the cold of winter. I don’t have the uncertainty of getting the house up to code.”

Joe added, “Here are these people I didn’t know, and they’re all working to help me. It is overwhelming. I feel that I need to contribute enough back to society, but the other part of me feels that I just need to relax and accept.”

I asked Joe how he felt about his treatment by the City of Albuquerque Code Enforcement Team. Not missing a beat, he responded, “If their job is to keep us safe and improve the quality of life, then they’ve missed it. I don’t think people matter to these (officials). I think their job has been reduced to checking boxes.”

I asked Joe how he felt city officials could maintain safety standards and yet still take care of people?

He replied, “How about loving one another and seeing people as people and not as checklists? Maybe for city workers that takes sensitivity training.”

Wants to Become Advocate for Homeless

In a previous interview, Joe told me that John’s offer was initially overwhelming, and part of him felt that the help should go to other people. However, Joe said he soon realized something.

“I saw that this would free me up five years ahead of schedule to do God’s work,” he said. “I didn’t know what that was, but I figured it involved public speaking and teaching, as well as wholeness, unifying people from different faiths.”

Joe explained. He said that some months ago he had been praying and said, “‘God, I know you’ve put me here for a purpose. I have unusual talents and skills that most people don’t have, and a different way of seeing the world ... I know I’m supposed to perform a service for you but I don’t know what it is. Once my medications get straightened out so I’m functional, it’s still going to take three to five years to fix my house up to be an adequate base for me to work from. If that’s not okay with you God; if You want me to do Your service sooner than that, then show me an alternative.’”

Soon after that prayer, Joe said he was hired by Comcast and began making more money than he had ever made in his life. He started saving money to begin the work. It was when he had about $4,000 and had begun work on the house that he received the city notice to move out.

Joe said he figured that John’s offer on behalf of the Homebuilders was the second half of the answer to his prayer.

He said, “I figured out it was part of God’s plan, and I had better not mess with it. I knew that everything was in God’s Hands, and He would take care of me. That was a level of knowing that goes deeper than knowing. I felt it at the core of my being. I already felt part of God’s plan, and privileged to be chosen for service.”

Joe said he had realized by this time that he would be involved in some sort of service to the homeless. He said he envisions helping get laws changed by grass roots action, and educating people as to what local, state and federal governments are doing.

Joe also had strong words in a previous interview for government officials who force homeowners out of their homes.

He said, “For someone who is really discouraged, depressed and doesn’t have hope, the losing of their home is devastating. Such people could fall into a depression from which they never (recover), and end up dying. The cause of death would be attributed to mental illness or malnutrition or something similar, but the real cause is the removal of their last hope.”

Referring to his own experience of government-mandated homelessness, Joe said, “The decision they made was an engineering decision not a social decision. It put houses over people. What they have said is that a city is really a collection of buildings, not people.”

Joe said he feels as if his entire life has been moving toward this point. “All the teaching, my public speaking, my reconciliation with God, my coming to trust. All of that has built toward this moment. One person can’t do much-maybe. But I can communicate with others and a lot of people can do a lot. I intend to make this a social issue.”

Joe has already started his advocacy. Speaking some months ago to an Albuquerque-based dance group he had strong words for attendees. He asked them to contact elected officials such as their city counselor.

Joe said, “Tell him or her that housed people are more pretty and more important than nice looking buildings. Tell them that people count more than buildings.”

He added, “Tell them that the city should not evict any low-income person from their home, even if they judge it ‘unsafe,’unless they have first ensured that there is alternative equivalent housing at the same price.

Joe also urged his listeners to contact their state representative. He said, “Tell them the state law that allows for a residence to be torn down (because) it lacks electrical and gas connections is inhumane and easily abused. Tell them that an accused criminal has more rights than a homeowner accused of failing to meet the code.”

Joe added, “I didn’t have my rights explained; didn't get an attorney provided for me, and didn't have the right to trial by a jury of my peers. Tell them you want a fair and humane due process put into place.”

Joe said he also told the dance group that his homelessness “is due to misguided action by the city to keep me safe from a house with inadequate heating--a kerosene heater that I've used for 20 years. Now I'm outside, and I can tell you it's less safe than the house.”

He added, “This action is part of a city-wide campaign by the mayor to beautify the city by upgrading poor-looking structures or tearing them down.”

Joe told me that as a result of his unexpected homelessness he has many new friends and allies, and he is in “awe” at what has occurred.

“I am in awe at this entire story; how this is playing out,” he said. “I look at all the events that have built toward this, and I have no idea where it’s going. I have a sense of expectancy. I will be putting myself out into the community and educating ... I know it’s going to be good. And I am humbled ... by my role in it.”
 

Jeremy Reynalds is a freelance writer and the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "The Face of Homelessness." Additional details are available at http://www.HomelessBook.com He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net. Tel: (505) 400-7145. Note: A higher resolution JPEG picture of Jeremy Reynalds is available on request from Dan Wooding at danjuma1@aol.com.