Do you know Paul Casteel? Even if you don’t, you’ve been privy to Paul’s influence. Hundreds of people, if not thousands, have an interesting story to tell for having known him. Or they dress, skate, bike, or rock like Paul without even realizing he helped open the door for them to do so. Paul Casteel is one of the most beloved and seminal personalities of the Bay Area punk rock music scene. He has always been on the cutting edge creatively and he was setting trends before trendsetting was trendy.

Paul is original JAK’s team. He was the brilliant frontman for the Wounds, Black Athletes, House of Wheels, and also Touch Me Hooker, who has recently reunited and is playing again. What else can I say about Paul? He was “spiritual advisor” to Tales of Terror and is one of the most enthusiastic music fans around. He is a local legend and is still always up for a new adventure when he’s not fighting for his very existence.

I panic when I think about a world without Paul Casteel around. He is my buddy and big brother who I’ve known since 1985. He was already a seasoned veteran of the scene, but I was only 15. Always the most fun and interesting person in the room, he was a role model for me. Paul Casteel’s life stories have yet to be written, but they are priceless— especially as we lose more and more friends. Paul is a born entertainer and especially in these days of strife and insecurity, we need those unique souls to thrive so that the world and our lives can be brighter.

Paul Casteel is in a bad spot. The SSI and SSDI that he has been receiving for over forty years was cut off last month, just after turning 65, leaving him with nothing. Simultaneously, his van that he was living in got towed, leaving him with more nothing. He has been living in his vehicle and on couches for the last 7-plus years, and this is the camel’s last straw. He is losing his motivation and lust for life.

We have to help him get out of the sucking quicksand of Oakland homelessness / survival mode. First and foremost, he needs his own place where he can have the security he needs. If we all chip in what we can, we can give hope to someone who is losing it—and we can know we didn’t let our old friend slip into and through the cracks.

How much is a friend worth? I know not everyone has the money to give, but if you do—now is the time to do your part. Every little bit helps! It hurts to see Paul’s daily life look so bleak when there are so many of us who care. Let’s pool our abilities in order to give Paul a leg up.

We will use these funds to help him find, rent and keep a room in the middle of California’s housing and homelessness crisis. There is no obvious solution, but money can’t hurt, right? It’s a place to start. And don’t worry. I should assure everyone that I will distribute funds in a responsible way for maximum impact. We will find a way to help him and you will not be contributing to the slippery slope!

Together, we can pay for the basic, specific things that Paul needs to stabilize and get housed. We will finance him getting his birth certificate, getting him to appointments, and dealing with bureaucracies that are failing him. If he needs transportation or a per diem, we will figure that out too, as necessary, if we can raise enough money here!

If you can give something monthly, this will mean that there is no expiration date on him having a place to stay. Or just give whatever you can afford right now. Housing is such a basic part of human dignity but yet can be so far away when you are in a desperate situation like Paul’s. Let’s come together as a community to show him some love.

To those of us left alive out there, It is time for us to look out for our own. Let’s make Paul the first member of our punk rock retirement support community!