Trapped by the System: Why I Can’t Move Forward

I am homeless. Not because I made a single choice to fail, but because the system stacked every possible barrier against me.

I spent 15 years raising my daughter, never receiving support from her mother, and still the system tries to punish me with trickery and bureaucracy. DCF demanded I fill out papers to waive my rights — all while lawyers refuse my case because they’re too scared to challenge the agency.

I’ve lost my home, my possessions, my stability. I’ve been blocked from housing programs, denied timely mental health treatment, and ignored at every agency I’ve called. Every day I spend 3–4 hours fighting for help, chasing referrals, submitting forms, using AI to track every option — yet the answers never come.

This isn’t just hardship. It’s a machine designed to grind people down. Every rule, every form, every “rescheduled” appointment is a trap. Every service that exists on paper disappears when you try to use it. The agencies, the courts, the shelters — all are designed to protect themselves, not you.

I’m not asking for pity. I’m exposing the truth: the system has taken my ability to move forward, to feel safe, to live with dignity. I’m blocked from progress, trapped by policies and corruption, while the people who claim to “help” do everything they can to make sure I remain invisible.

And if this can happen to me — a father who did everything right, who raised a child, who worked to survive — it can happen to anyone.