Steven Pritchard, 24, was born and raised in Fallbrook. He has been living and working in Memphis near his father, doing construction and working for the Tennessee hazardous waste department. Things were going fine until 2013 when he caught his wife cheating on him. He beat up the man who was cheating him, and his wife ended up leaving and taking their daughter with her.

He came back to California with his new girlfriend to get a new start, but staying with his mother was impossible because she is still a methadone addict. They only lasted four days before Steven and his girlfriend hit the streets. That was six months ago. He’s looking for work in construction, but it’s not like the days when you can walk on to a job site and offer yourself up to work that day. He encountered supervisors who told him he needs to go through a temp agency and leave his number and address.

He’s tried to get into shelters, but the lines are long. Since his girlfriend Christine is now pregnant, they are planning to apply for the Rapid Rehousing program. If he had a van they’d be living in it, he said. If they had bus tickets they’d be on the next Greyhound back to Memphis.