One of the issue that arises, is that much of the workforce in NYC commutes.

Look at what happened during 9/11. Buildings collapse and that essentially makes an area of about a dozen square blocks unlivable. You have to leave. You're lucky if you had time to grab your bag and get out. As a bonus, it shuts down the phone system and much of the public transit system. So what do you do?

Well, you take your stuff, start walking, and try to find somewhere to stay, right? If you live in NYC, then you might have a home to walk to where you can bug in. If you're a commuter or your home becomes unlivable, then you become a transient like most of the other people. You have to try to find a suitable shelter or hotel. That's tough to do, most shelters fill up quickly and hotels that do have room start charging $900 a night....cash only.

I know quite a few people that ended up having to walk over to Hoboken before they could even begin to find a place to stay or hitch a ride back home, a distance of over 5 miles.


Sometimes you can't just bug in. You have to move. Unfortunately, the nature of NYC means you're likely to be walking, at least until you can get out of the city. That's why I firmly believe one of the best preps for a city environment are good comfortable and sturdy shoes and socks. Everyday, all day. You don't want to be walking 5+ miles in high heals or flip-flops.