March 2025

Jeff Hobbs has been on my radar since I first interviewed him 11 years ago about THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE, a book that I have thought about again and again. So when I saw SEEKING SHELTER, I knew I wanted to read it. For 2025, I have been looking for one book each month about a social issue to read and discuss.

With the way Jeff tells a story, I get invested in the characters and what happens in their lives. Homelessness in America, especially in large cities like Los Angeles, is a huge issue. Home instability abounds, and many live one paycheck away from losing their home. In SEEKING SHELTER, readers get to know Evelyn, a mother of five (soon to be six) who has moved to LA to chase a dream of a better education for her children. It’s 2018 when we meet her. Shortly afterwards, she leaves her abusive husband and is working full time as a waitress. But she still cannot afford housing of her own or navigate government assistance.

After months of living in motels, she finds herself short on money and needs to resort to the city program. Each night she must call a number at 7pm to see where they may be able to sleep that night. If nothing is available, the car becomes their resting place.

Evelyn meets Wendi Gaines, a social worker who years ago was in a similar abusive marriage and housing crisis. She works with Evelyn, who is challenging. We see Evelyn begin to redefine her life and have goals beyond her very solid one of ensuring that her children have a good education. The story is told through the eyes of Evelyn, Wendi, and Evelyn’s teenage son, Orlando.

Jeff’s storytelling makes understanding the issue very clear, and the book definitely is enlightening while not being preachy or didactic. While I cannot say that I have answers about how to fix these problems, I am more aware of how frail the housing system really is. When I see that it’s 7pm, I think about who might be calling a number to find housing. I also think about the people who have been displaced as a result of the recent fires and how many of them might be living more on the edge than they were before.

SEEKING SHELTER would be great for a book club discussion or just to see an important issue from a 360 view.