The safety of her shopping cart carrying everything she owns is constantly on Rita May’s mind, as she knows she can’t leave it even for a few minutes without the risk of bylaw seizing it or other people living homeless “picking it apart like crows.” She’d like to see a cart lockup, much like the City of Victoria’s bike lockup, where people could leave their carts somewhere knowing that they’re being watched over. She’s 52 and has been homeless for more than 20 years, and was interviewed in 2004 for the Victoria youth film project “Hide and Go Homeless.” The judgment she has endured over the years never gets any easier to bear, she adds. “People treat us like trash. Why? We’re already as low as we can get. I’ve got blankets and tarps. That’s all I’ve got to my name.”