One year later the homeless coder is still living on the streets

One year later the homeless coder is still living on the streets:

In August 2013, coder Saint Patrick McConlogue offered homeless man Leo Grand a choice: $100 in money, or 2 months' value of committal to writing lessons.

Grand opted for the teachings, and commenced a look to to form a mobile app of his own. The enterprise had its own share of detractors; McConlogue was criticized for treating condition as a "startup experiment," though the pair quickly gained national fame and went on to seem on many tv shows to speak regarding their project.

Several months once discovering his initial committal to writing books, Grand launched Trees for Cars, a mobile carpooling app. "I will work Google, I will work SpaceX," he aforementioned minutes once with success launching the app. "This can amendment my life in an exceedingly impressive approach."

But a year-and-a-half later, Grand still lives on identical back alleys wherever he and McConlogue initial met. though he rents a storage unit, Grand sometimes keeps a handcart packed with his possessions by a pile of sandbags close to the Chelsea Piers in ny town. He now not codes each day; Trees for Cars has long ago disappeared from app stores, since he doesn't wish to purchase server house for its repairs. He sometimes takes on odd jobs as a artificer, and whiles away time by walking round the High Line public park.

Once in an exceedingly whereas, those that acknowledge him stop to raise why he still lives on the streets. Grand is cagey regarding responsive the question; he insists that he merely enjoys living outdoors as associate degree "eco-friendly" man, though he says that after he creates a second, additional moneymaking app, he plans to maneuver to a luxury living accommodations advanced.

"I are aware of it seems like there is no approach in hell, however it is very potential," he says. "People have seen Maine on TV, in order that they apprehend i am capable of one thing rather nice. They say, 'He's pretty bright and he will accomplish just about, however we tend to appear him out here.' I've learned this: once individuals square measure negative, you've got to stay your head within the clouds. I've learned this: once individuals square measure negative, you've got to stay your head within the clouds. you simply ought to somehow keep targeted on the items that refer you."

But his dreams for the longer term do not stop him from sometimes wandering back to the months once he launched his app. Bolstered by the support of thousands of followers, Trees for Cars shot to the highest of the charts on the Apple Store and Google Play. He claims to own created between $10,000 and $15,000 from the app, that oversubscribed for ninety nine cents per transfer. CNN and therefore the these days Show invited him to air camera.

"Oh man, being on NBC," he says. "We have to be compelled to keep in an exceedingly nice edifice at philanthropist Plaza. A nice, fashionable  edifice. we tend to got the red carpet extended ahead of us! That was the highlight of my year.

"People were enamored Maine everyplace. i used to be obtaining free low from restaurants," he adds.

But now, Grand may be a former net celebrity living on the last dregs of his fame. the cash he attained from Trees for Cars is spent to fund his storage unit and supply for his everyday wants, and he hasn't been able to pay a lot of time on programming. once asked why, he stammers: "Because you recognize, life, you know. Things occurring. you've got to try and do this, you've got to try and do that."

Although Grand plans to regain sometime with what he guarantees are a additional productive app, in an exceedingly approach he has return to just accept the downfalls of his temporary brush with fame.

"You're hot one minute, you are gone following," he says.

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