His only mistake was squatting in a city...If he'd have done this out in one of Washington's National Parks, nobody would have noticed him....of course he wouldn't have had access to the various items of urban flotsam with which he's been able to adorn his abode.
I have a friend in that position. Hard to find work as a machinist in Michigan right now. He lost his car and house so he built a little cabin for himself in a little bit of woods. Stays under the radar, rides his bike wherever he needs to go. He’s looking for work, including out of state but it’s hard to find a job without transport.
He’s a great guy and smart by not building right in some neighborhood.