82-year-old Dallas veteran living in his truck as rising costs outpace Social Security
It's no secret that the cost of living has been going up for more than a few years now.
For some of us, that can mean tightening the belt a little bit and going without some things. But for others who live on the margins, it can be the difference between having a safe place to sleep and living in your truck.
"I served in the Navy from '64 till '69, almost six years," said Emile Burns. "Two tours in Vietnam."
As Burns looks over the photos he left behind from his time serving our nation, he remembers putting his life on the line to defend his country.
"Lots of times, the North Vietnamese were running gunboats to the south. We would attack the boats to keep the carrier safe. It had two escorts, and if they got near the carrier, god bless them," said Burns.
But a lot has changed since Burns served, including the cost of living.
Fixed income falls short
Right now, the 82-year-old's only income is $2,000 a month from Social Security – closer to $1,700 after deductions.
That's just not enough in today's world, which brings us to Burns' current situation.
"What's going on here is that... I kind of am in a little bit of bad luck, I suppose. I'm homeless," Burns said.
Burns lives in the back of his truck in South Dallas. He takes care of his dog, Alani, and a pack of puppies someone recently dropped off.
He says he can either afford food and other necessities or rent, so he decided to sleep in the cab of his truck.
A chance encounter leads to help
Burns' love for dogs is how January Vaughn found him.
"I saw Emile and Alani, his dog, and I figured out pretty quickly they're homeless, and I asked them pretty quickly if they needed some dog food," said Vaughn.
But she wants to give him more than dog food – she wants to give him a home.
"I went to social media and said, 'Hey, I think we should treat our veterans better than this,'" said Vaughn.
A GoFundMe has raised about $2,500, but that's not enough to get Burns into an apartment for even a year.
Housing costs outpace benefits
The MIT Living Wage Tool says you need about $50,000 a year to live in Dallas County – about $4,000 a month. That's a big gap between what Burns receives from Social Security.
"It's so so expensive to live here now. If you only have $1,200 a month... You're in the wrong country," said Burns.
Vaughn says she wants to make sure Burns gets into a new home, but she's worried about all the other unhoused people in Dallas.
"I'm on the streets of South Dallas by myself, feeding strays, helping people, giving them food, making sure they have water. I don't know what's happened to our city, but it's not ok to leave these people like this," said Vaughn.
She hopes this cry for help doesn't go unheeded.
Resources for those in need
If you're experiencing homelessness or know someone who needs help, the city of Dallas has resources. The Housing Forward homeless crisis helpline is 888-411-6802.
