Ask HN: Homeless, Former Software Developer, What Now?
A former software developer who became homeless in 2023 after selling a property and failing to find a new one is asking for advice. With only $500, two dogs, and difficulty affording the $2k-$3k needed for housing, they are torn between retraining for a developer job or continuing with temp and blue-collar work, while struggling to find safe care for their dogs during work hours.
Background
This is a post on Hacker News (HN), a tech-community forum run by Y Combinator, where software developers and startup founders discuss technology and career issues. The "Ask HN" prefix means the user is soliciting advice from the community.
- The author is a former software developer who became homeless in 2023 after selling a property and failing to find a new one before funds ran out. They now work temp/blue-collar jobs but cannot save the $2–3k typically needed for a rental deposit.
- Their core dilemma: should they try to update their programming skills (which are two years behind current tech and AI trends) to return to software development, where a single paycheck could solve their financial crisis? Or should they continue with manual labor and try to save slowly?
- A major barrier is caring for two dogs while working—one needs neutering and vaccinations they cannot afford, and they currently tie the dogs up in the woods during work shifts.
- The post reflects a broader issue in tech: the field evolves extremely fast (especially with the recent AI boom), and being out for even two years can make it daunting to re-enter.