DJ Goes Homeless for 2 Weeks -- By Choice

(Oct. 22) -- A radio personality in San Diego is getting street cred with the city's homeless population -- because for the past two weeks, he's been one of them.

Ever since Oct. 10, Tayari Howard, the nighttime disc jockey for Smooth Jazz 98.1, has been sleeping in a tent in between a Starbucks and a Panera restaurant.

"Every night I get off work at 11 p.m. and by 11:15, 11:20, I am in the tent with no TV or radio -- just a 6-foot, 3-inch, 300-pound security guard," Howard said.

For the record, Howard didn't ask for the guard. The shopping center where he is camped out insisted he have one as a condition for granting him permission to sleep on its property.

Luckily, the guard has come in handy.

"A couple nights ago, I was sleeping and it started raining," Howard said. "I've never been a camper so I didn't realize it's not a good idea to zip up your sleeping bag all the way."

Howard says his hands were snug inside the bag when the rain started seeping into the tent and when he tried to unzip it, there was a snag.

"I had to call in the bodyguard to help me and it got pretty crowded there," he said with a laugh.

But Howard isn't living on the streets for laughs. It's a serious project for him. He's been camping out to raise money for Trinity House, a charity that provides transitional housing for San Diego's homeless population. Last year, he did a similar campout for a week in hopes of raising $10,000 and managed to raise $17,000.

His goal this year is $20,000, but, so far, he's only raised a little less than $3,000. Still, he's not worried -- even though he officially plans to get off the streets Friday.

"I'm not worried. Last year, I got a $5,000 pledge while discussing my experience on the air," he said. "Also, on Saturday, we're doing a benefit to give the public a chance to see what homelessness is really like. People will be able to attend a party earlier in the evening and then have a chance to spend the night outdoors sleeping on cardboard or in sleeping bags or whatever they bring.

"There will be Porta-Potties, which is more than what I've had."

That has been a bit of an issue on two occasions. A few nights ago, Howard woke up needing to answer nature's call, only to realize the nearest restroom was 1.5 miles away.

"I didn't want to, but, eventually, I just decided to walk half a block and go in a bush," he lamented.

It hasn't been easy for Howard. Along with the indignity of having to do his business in a bush, he almost got sick when a nonseasonal rainstorm blew in off the coast. "It was raining sideways," he said.

Still, he realizes that what he has suffered is nothing compared to what the estimated 10,000 homeless people in San Diego endure on a daily basis.

"You know, I've learned there are several reasons for homelessness," he said. "Some are just affected by bad times -- they lost a job. Others are mentally ill, and about 33 percent of cases are unexplainable, such as women and children and ex-military people who served our country."

Howard admits he is camping in a slightly nicer neighborhood than most of San Diego's homeless people, but he is still keeping things real by going downtown to hand out day-old muffins donated by Panera.

However, it's not like his spot is the parking lot of the Ritz-Carlton either.

"I am under the flight path of the city's airport and the planes fly over until around 12:30 a.m., plus there are delivery trucks throughout the evening and then, in the morning, there is noise from people gathering the shopping carts," he said. "Plus, concrete gets cold and it seeps into your bones and exacerbates arthritis."

Those things aside, Howard admits doing things like this is part of his makeup.

"No one expected me to do this, but I have a firm belief in being my brother's keeper," he said.

He seems to be having an influence, especially with the people he's trying to help.

"A homeless person actually came to my campground and donated $5," he said. "They heard about the project on a transistor radio and wanted to do their part."