Birmingham Trio Creates Temporary Home Out of Abandoned Bus Shelter

Living in a bus shelter with her mother and boyfriend, a homeless lady claims that it is a safer alternative than being in a system that houses drug users in temporary housing.

The trio has reportedly been living under a closed bus shelter in Selly Oak, Birmingham, for seven months, according to 26-year-old autistic woman Destiny Mitchell. For fear of losing their flatmates, they choose temporary refuge over the emergency accommodations provided by the municipality. They have equipped their space with drapes, drawers, and a carpet to make it more livable. Additionally, they have benefited from donations of sleeping bags, a trashcan, and garden chairs. Even the cardboard and tape are being used to fix leaks in the shelter’s walls and roof.

The three had been sleeping in a doorway of a Greggs bakery, but after being moved on by the police, they had to relocate to the bus terminal. “It was my idea to create this living space when we found this place,” the woman said.

“I’ve spent the last two years intermittently homeless. Our tent caught fire once. I’m from Wolverhampton, and I used to have an apartment, but unfortunate events forced me to move out and end up on the streets. Next, we arrived in Selly Oak. I saw that this bus stop was no longer in operation. It was raining and rather chilly. To keep the rain out of the roof, we had to tape it. I received a dresser and a rug, and the kids assisted me with taping the windows. Transport for West Midlands said it will remove the bus shelter within the next two weeks, so the family will now have to relocate.

They threatened to demolish it once we had one month remaining. We don’t have somewhere else to live, therefore I don’t want them to ruin the home I’ve lived in for so long. We’ll attempt to relocate to a different bus stop if the council doesn’t assist us,” she said.

Trident Reach, a support organization, said it is attempting to collaborate with the family to assist them in leaving the streets. “Our teams are aware of the couple and have tried to work with them to find suitable accommodation,” a spokesman said. Regretfully, they have declined lodging since there isn’t any available in the location they would want.