The Gosh Darn Homeless The homeless population across the United States has become a problem, not a problem that is a large burden on the country, but a problem that persistently takes from our economies greatest potential. According to the International Journal of Psychosocial Research, the estimated homeless population in the United States can range from 600,000 to 2.5 million. The research conducted that 1.37 million of the total homeless population are children under the age of 18, 40% are families with children, 41 % are single males and 14% are single females. With government agencies seeking to lower and ultimately eliminate the homeless population, resources are being expended in order to discover how. With multiple government grants and large amounts of money being put into resources, there are constantly evolving solutions that present themselves. With these solutions being implemented throughout the country, a positive outcome being reached would source the solution to a worldwide problem. When the homeless population in the United States is reviewed, there are major occurrences that are repeating. The four main socio economic factors that affect the homeless population in the United States are alienation of the homeless, substance abuse, government involvement and police brutality. In America, society views the homeless as a crutch on the economy. Upper classes alienate the homeless population in order to excel the economy and lessen the burden on society. People who appear to be homeless are ultimately pushed aside and are treated differently. Often avoided, the general populous turns away from the problem that is effecting major cities throughout America. Ignoring a problem that is persistent, is being ignorant towa... ... middle of paper ... ...e homeless was undeserving. The public also witnessed police regulation of drug use among the homeless, building stereotypical views that the homeless were criminals. Making the public weary of helping the homeless, government involvement soon became a necessary action. Programs and grants were soon implemented to assist in housing and substance abuse assistance for the homeless population. Housing was proposed to be built for the homeless population, but the projects weren’t completed. Among the government projects that included housing, there were other projects that introduced aid to the homeless, including food and water. The homeless population is seen as a major problem, but it is not without a solution. There are many plans in effect that would help stop or slow down the current homeless population, but with the general goal set, a solution can be found.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) has created a federal policy design to aid the homeless and spread awareness of the situation. Their main concern was to enhance the ability of certain programs to prevent and end homelessness for low-income families. Providing cheap and affordable housing is obviously a major factor in helping to curb homelessness, yet it is still inadequate in dealing with the root issues (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2012). However, these policies are not making any progress because homelessness is still on the rise. All through the San Fernando Valley there is a considerable lack of space in hostels and housing accommodations where a homeless person can find shelter. There are waiting lists that may go on for months or even years, with little hope of getting shorter. The Los Angeles County needs to invest more money on permanent supportive housing, such as houses and apartments, for the homeless so that they can live better
Homelessness in the United States has been an important subject that the government needs to turn its attention to. There has been announced in the news that the number of the homeless people in many major cities in the United States has been increasing enormously. According to United States Interagency Council on Homelessness reported that there was an estimation of 83,170 individuals have experienced chronic homelessness on the streets of the United States’ streets and shelters on only a single night of January 2015, which is a small decrease of only 1% from the previous year (People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness, n.d.). The United States must consider this subject that most of the people underestimate it and not pay attention
Although most people know what homelessness is and it occurs in most societies, it is important to define because the forces of displacement vary greatly, along with the arrangement and meaning of the resulting transient state. The Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defined a homeless person as “an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation, such as streets, cars, movie theaters, abandoned buildings, etc.” Resent surveys conducted in the U.S. have confirmed that the homeless population in America is extremely diverse and includes representatives from all segments of society, including: the old and young, men and women, single people and families, city dwellers and rural residents, whites and people of color, employed and unemployed, able workers and people with serious health problems. The diversity among people that are homeless reflects how difficult it is to generalize the causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless people. Robert Rosenheck M.D., the author of Special Populations of Homeless Americans, explains the importance of studying homelessness based on subgroups, “each subgroup [of homeless people] has unique service needs and identifying these needs is critical for program planning and design.” Despite these diversities, homelessness is a devastating situation for all that experience it. Not only have homeless people lost their dwelling, but they have also lost their safety, privacy, control, and domestic comfort.
In fiscal year 2006, the HUD, Department of Housing and Urban Development, was presented a budget by the Bush Administration consisting of $528.5 billion for homeless programs (Romeo 1). The problem of homelessness and extreme poverty is not a new occurrence; but in past years more extreme measures have been taken to combat the issue as more people become homeless. Expensive social programs and housing developments for the homeless have been created to help battle the increasing issue. Homelessness is an expensive problem that will never end; furthermore, the condition of homeless people in America is affected by the type of education they receive, the state of the economy, and the amount of funds that are available to house and feed them.
This great nation of awesome power and abundant resources is losing the battle against homelessness. The casualties can be seen on the street corners of every city in American holding an ?I will work for food? sign. Homeless shelters and rescue missions are at full capacity. There is no room at the inn for the nation?s indigent. Anyone who has studied this issue understands that homelessness is a complex problem. Communities continue to struggle with this socio-economic problem while attempting to understand its causes and implement solutions. The public and private sectors of this country are making a difference in the lives of the homeless by addressing the issues of housing, poverty and education.
Homelessness is primarily a poverty issue. The persistence of poverty in the United States reflects more than just an aggregation of individual failings. Structural factors, such as the way we understand and define poverty, the inherent features of our economic system that produce income inequality, social inequities and our policy responses to these problems shape current trends. Economic changes have had the strongest association with trends in overall rates, regardless of how poverty is measured. Poverty rate is high amongst minority groups, children and female-headed households (Iceland, 2003). According to professor Iceland’s research, rates of extreme poverty are higher among children and African-Americans and lower for whites, Asians and the elderly. Among families with children, married couples were less likely to be poor (6.9 %) than single parent male (17.5%) and single parent female (35.3%).
Homelessness is one of the biggest issues society (Unites States) faces today. Homelessness is caused by lack of affordable housing, economic situations and decline in federal funding for low income families and the mentally ill. A homeless person is defined as an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family) including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private (shelters) facility that provides temporary living accommodations and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing. This definition of housing is used by the U.S Department of Healt...
With nearly 3.18 million people in the United States, there are 610.042 individuals who are homeless which calculates to about nearly one in five individuals (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 and HUD/US, 2013). At any time situations can change that can render an individual’s homeless. There are no qualities that exempt individuals from the chances of becoming homeless. However, there are certain predispositions and characteristics that can predict the likelihood of becoming homeless. Homelessness can be contributed to a number of situations such as occupational stress, financial stress, mental health issues, substance use, gender, age, race, disabilities, incarceration, chronic illness, and family stress.
Homelessness affects millions each year within the United States with poverty-stricken children roaming the streets, prostitutes on every street corner, and Vietnam veterans sick with mental illnesses. With today’s failing economy, homelessness is a common thing to see in massive cities such as Los Angeles where Central City East, more commonly known as Skid Row, contains the largest amount of homeless persons within our country. Inside this area, camping tents are frequently seen on the streets and cardboard boxes litter the sidewalk for use as makeshift beds for those without a roof. With this problem progressively getting worse, the homeless who reside at Skid Row will eventually overpopulate the district with a multitude not receiving the help they need for housing, mental illnesses and various other problems. A solution has been proposed for a suburb tucked in the mountains in the San Fernando Valley called Kagel Canyon, where the Hope Gardens Family Center intends to temporarily house homeless women and children at their facility for two years. This has led residents of Kagel Canyon to oppose the project (Covarrubias). Although citizens of Kagel Canyon believe that a homeless center would create dangers and more crime for the community, the settlement would essentially take people off the street and help them not turn into criminals. In addition, the approach to having a homeless shelter allows the homeless a way to acquire basic necessities and facilities and an opportunity to receive services such as mental illness treatment in order to refine their own lives.
At any given time, approximately 600,000 homeless survive at the front door of America. They are sleeping in parks, living in cardboard boxes, sitting on street corners, and resting under bridges. Terrible hunger gnaws at their stomachs as they search for food. Society labels the homeless as useless and worthless, but they are not. They are children, grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, and fathers that need a place to sleep, eat, and live. What does society do to help? Nothing. Society hurries home from work, shopping, and leisure, worrying about who will win the next football game. Society is not worried about where their next meal will come from, where they will sleep, or where they will be tomorrow. Although it is difficult for society not to feel discomfort at seeing homeless people, it is the homeless who pay for the way people feel about them. Alienation of the homeless in America is a direct result of injustice, health issues, and societal attitudes; however, solutions are available to society as they are obligated to all of their citizenry, including the homeless.
Homelessness has become a serious problem in today’s society. Despite the organizations that help multitudes of homeless people, homelessness is continually increasing. In recent years, America’s culture has been changing due to economic, political, and social issues. These issues have caused a lot of stress on America resulting in abject poverty in several cities. Poverty is not nationwide, but if dealt with lightly, the affects can be catastrophic. Homelessness is increasing more than ever, and research proves that changing culture contributes to rising amount of homelessness.
?Over the past year, over two million men, women, and children were homeless? in America. (NLCHP) Homeless people face an intense struggle just to stay alive despite the fact that society turns its head from the problem. The government makes laws that discriminate against homeless people, which make it, illegal for them to survive. The mistreatment of homeless people is an issue that is often ignored in our community. When you see a homeless person on the streets how do you react? Do you turn your head and ignore them? Do you become angry that they are living on the streets? Do you feel frightened and avoid the situation all together? Or do you see these people as human beings and treat them in that way? Homeless people are ?subjected to alienation and discrimination by mainstream society?. (NLCHP) Most alienation and discrimination comes from the lack of education about homeless people. There are numerous untrue myths about homeless people. Many people believe that homeless people ?commit more violent crimes than housed people.? (NLCHP) The reality is that homeless people actually commit less violent crimes than people with homes do. Dr. Pamela Fischer, of John Hopkins University, studied arrest records in Baltimore and discovered that even though homeless people were more likely to commit non-violent and non-destructive crimes, they were less likely to commit violent crimes against people. (NLCHP) The crimes that these people are committing are necessary to keep them alive. These crimes include sleeping, eating, and panhandling. Making it illegal to perform necessary daily activities in public when homeless people have no where else to go makes it impossible for homeless people to avoid violating the law. (NLCHP) Another myth about homeless people is that they do not work and that they get their money from public assistance programs. A study done in Chicago discovered that ?39% of homeless people interviewed had worked for some time during the previous month?. (NLCHP) Many of the people who do not work are actively trying to find jobs, but are discriminated against by the work force. In an interview done at the River Street Homeless Shelter I found many people who have experienced this discrimination. ?People can?t get a job without an address. When they use the shelter?s address they get turned down.? (Mike) Speaking...
The ongoing homelessness in Arizona has been a concern for a while now and has been an ongoing issue that needs to be solved, and in a article named “10 Facts about Homelessness in Arizona” it states “women and children make up 50% of the homeless population” (Phoenix Rescue Mission). This statistic demonstrates the hunger and needy in Arizona needing help in obtaining the essential items to live such as food and clothing.Next, the ten facts of about homelessness, mentions another statistic such as “40% of adult homeless population suffers from a form of mental illness” then adds on another statistic which is “23% of homeless are US veterans” (Phoenix Rescue Mission). This evidence of homelessness indicates that it can affect anyone from kids to adults living with disability, and homelessness is not an automatic indicator of whether or not a person did a bad deed in their life that led them to be homeless. Furthermore, on the topic of homelessness aid as described by non profit organization named The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul states “ their mission is to heal, House, clothe, and Feed individual's” ( Saint Vincent De Paul). To add on, homelessness led to the development of homeless shelters to combat the homelessness women and men living in poverty. Without a doubt the homeless would be worse without the formation for these non profit organizations, but
Throughout years, the homeless population has been increasing gradually in California. The homeless is considering people who live with friends and families because they don’t have a place of their own. Most homeless are in this situation because of drugs. However, some others are rejected by their families because of diseases. Their option for opportunities are very small in comparison to someone who is not. This is caused because people’s thoughts most of the time just are negative things, not the positive. Right now California is experimenting the rapidly increasing of homeless.
Homelessness is a huge problem in America. In the United States homelessness is something many Americans don't consider. Million of homeless people, including children, families, babies and elderly live day by day. Housing is a fundamental human need. Home is a place where you feel loved , secured and most happy. One in every 200 American experienced homelessness. In Texas 19,177 person were homeless in 2014. Twenty five percent were homeless with a drug problem or a mental illness. The National Alliance To End Homelessness (NAEH) is a Federal policy to help, aid the homeless and to aware the situation for all Americans. However some policies are not making any progress with people living on the street. The United states need to help more or invest more on housing , apartment so individuals so they can get a better chance in life .This is one the many problems that must be solved soon, therefore should be addressed as a major crisis that is affecting our society's.