There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America

In this reported account of the housing crisis, Brian Goldstone examines the population of Americans who remain employed yet cannot afford stable housing. He follows several families in the Atlanta metropolitan area as they navigate the logistical and emotional strain of living in residential motels and cars while holding down full-time jobs. Goldstone argues that the current crisis is not a result of individual failure or unemployment, but rather the consequence of stagnant wages, private equity involvement in real estate, and the dismantling of the social safety net over decades. He identifies how the loss of middle-income rental units creates a permanent class of workers who are perpetually displaced despite their participation in the labor market.

This book serves researchers, policymakers, and advocates focusing on urban sociology and wealth inequality. Readers look for a systemic analysis of why work no longer guarantees shelter in the modern economy. Those interested in the intersection of labor rights and housing policy will find specific evidence of how market-rate housing costs have outpaced corporate pay scales. The text provides a clear understanding of the regulatory gaps that allow for mass evictions and the specific financial mechanisms that profit from the precarious status of the working poor.