William Kitt's life was marked by a series of schemes and periods of homelessness, which eventually led him to pretend to be crazy to obtain a stable apartment for people with a diagnosis of mental illness.
The podcast highlights the power of individuals to transform their lives and find solace by pursuing their passions, as demonstrated by William Kitt's journey from homelessness and drug addiction to living in a beautiful apartment in Harlem and discovering his passion for art.
Deep dives
William Kitt's Life of Schemes and Homelessness
William Kitt's life has been marked by a series of schemes and periods of homelessness. From a young age, he developed a knack for finding ways to obtain money, such as shaking vending machines. However, these schemes eventually led him to be sent to jail at the age of 11. As he grew older, he struggled to find stability, becoming homeless and sleeping in shelters. He resorted to engaging in mild trespassing, recycling bin theft, and welfare checks to survive. Throughout this time, he battled drug addiction and suffered from the constant presence of negative voices in his head.
The Greatest Scheme of All: Pretending to Be Crazy
After over 30 years of living on the streets and hearing voices, William Kitt decided to change his life. He discovered that new buildings in New York City offered apartments for people with a diagnosis of mental illness. Kitt formulated a plan to pretend to be crazy to gain access to one of these apartments. Over the next few months, he put on a show for psychologists and case workers, claiming to hear voices and see things. His scheme succeeded, and he now lives in a beautiful apartment in Harlem, finding solace in his newfound passion for art.
In this special podcast bonus, Lulu Miller tells the story of William Kitt, a resident of the Broadway Housing Communities, featured in our episode "The Problem with the Solution". William Kitt was insane, by his own definition. But he no longer believes he is, because of what he calls the Greatest Scheme of All.