10/02/2024
For Those In The Back
Listen closely, because this needs to be heard by everyone, especially those who might not be paying attention: there’s an entire region of displaced people coming down out of the Appalachian Mountains. These are families, neighbors, entire communities who’ve held on for generations, despite the pressures of rising costs, natural disasters, and the flood of out-of-state buyers, especially from California, that have driven the price of housing sky-high.
We’re talking about people who’ve lost everything. Homes wiped out by floods, lives turned upside down in the blink of an eye, and the very ground beneath them giving way. Now, as they’re trying to find safety, shelter, and some semblance of stability, they're running into the same roadblocks: housing prices that have spiraled out of control, neighborhoods transformed by outsiders who don’t understand or respect the land and the communities that have been here for generations.
So I’m saying this loud and clear: open your doors. Not your Airbnb listing. Not your rental app. Stop treating this like a business opportunity. People are in crisis, and it’s time to step up and be human.
For too long, we’ve watched the relentless wave of California buyers come in and jack up prices, making it impossible for locals to afford to stay in their own communities. I’ve traveled to nearly every state this year, and everywhere I go, I hear the same story: "California money is driving up costs. The locals can’t compete." This isn’t just happening in one or two states — it’s nationwide. And now, because of that, we have people who’ve been displaced from homes they’ve lived in for generations, with nowhere to go.
These aren’t people looking for luxury vacation rentals or high-end real estate deals. These are people who need a place to sleep, food to eat, and time to figure out how to rebuild their lives. And they’re hitting a wall because everywhere they turn, it’s "cash or go."
Enough is enough. If you have a spare room, a cabin, a guest house — open it up. Help these people without charging them outrageous rents or treating them like second-class citizens in their own homeland. Don’t look at them as a way to make a profit, because this is beyond business. This is about basic decency.
And yes, I’ll say it straight: if you’re from California, part of the problem has been your contribution to the housing crisis. People from there have flocked into every state, snapping up property, driving up prices, and leaving locals to fight for the scraps. It’s not personal, it’s reality. Communities that have existed for centuries are being priced out by an influx of people who don’t understand the culture, the land, or the struggle that’s been going on here.
So, to the folks who are in a position to help, hear me: open your doors to the people who need it most. The displaced, the ones whose homes have been swallowed by floods, whose lives have been uprooted. Show them the kindness and community spirit that this country is supposed to stand for. And don’t charge them more because they’re desperate. In fact, don’t charge them at all.
To those who are from California or have been part of this real estate invasion — step back and recognize the damage that’s been done. For once, don’t use your financial muscle to squeeze locals out. These people aren’t asking for charity; they’re asking for survival. Let them rebuild without adding to their burden.
So to everyone who can hear this, especially those in the back: open your doors. Share what you can. And remember, this isn’t about profit or convenience — this is about helping our fellow human beings survive the unimaginable. Right now, we need to stand together and make sure that those coming down out of the mountains have somewhere safe to land.
