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The effects poverty has on homelessness
Sociological approach to ending homelessness
Sociological approach to ending homelessness
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of poverty, and 62% of this housing is in areas highly populated by minorities (OHFA, 2017). This assessment suggests that there is a shortage of housing assistance and that communities need to focus on providing for housing in all budgets, as well as providing preventative measures for those that are homeless or at risk of being homeless. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) assists families with less than perfect credit with the purchase of homes. The Federal Government insures these home loans, and borrowers are able to purchase homes with smaller down payments. In a 2016 hearing before the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, government officials found that 82 percent of all FHA loans in 2015 were first-time homeowners. Of the
Likewise, Andra C. Grant says, “Between 1929 and 1932, home prices in New York fell an average of 50% and the unemployment rate rose substantially. As a result, many residential mortgages were at serious risk of foreclosure. Lenders in the 1930s faced substantial incentives to avoid foreclosure” (Grant). Most Americans couldn’t afford to buy a home prior to this downfall. The down payment was 80% upfront, and people only had five to seven years to pay the remaining amount (“How Did the FHA Help End the Great Depression?”). However, in 1934 a reform called the Federal Housing Administration uprooted. (“How Did the FHA Help End the Great Depression?”). It helped recreate the failing housing market. It is known for lowering down payments, creating a longer loan period, and introducing the idea of paying interest over time and loan standards (“How Did the FHA Help End the Great Depression?”). Through solving the housing problems, the Federal Housing Administration helped get America back on its
Although The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a program that guarantees education for the homeless youth population, many homeless do not receive the proper services they need because they are not aware of available resources (Heinze & Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2009). Many homeless youths do not have a safe place to stay during the night or do not have any family or friends to rely on for support. In addition, approximately 7% of youth members in the United States are left without a home because of high dependence on an addictive substance or because they have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder (Heinze & Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2009). Services that could provide shelter for the youth are often underused. Research in homeless youth
the cost of living in Toronto has come to a record high, we need to start doing something about it now before no one can afford to live at all. There are more than 30,000 women, men and children in the city's homeless shelters annually. Many of thousands more sleep on the streets or considered the “hidden homeless”. About 70,000 households are on Toronto’s social housing waiting list and on the brink of becoming homeless because of the skyrocketing prices of owning a home in Toronto. The Federal Government and the province have begun a slow reinvestment in housing in past years, the number of affordable housing being built now doesn’t even compare near the levels of the early 1980’s. Habitat for Humanity has been building houses for low income
“We have come dangerously close to accepting the homeless situation as a problem that we just can't solve.” - Linda Lingle. According to Linda Lingle homelessness is becoming an issue that has been a problem that is at this point unobtainable. The main causes of homelessness among Americans is the result of unemployment, low wages and unaffordable housing; the reality is that people are forced to survive in harsh environments and many are subject to alcohol and substance abuse.
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
Homelessness is a real serious health issue all over the world that must be addressed. A lot of people in a public frequently misunderstand the cause of homelessness. Remarks regarding homeless people such as “they need to just get a job” or “go to school” are normally used liberally by members of society because they neglect to look at the complete issue. Homelessness does not discriminate. Individuals that have previously experience or may experience being homeless can be from different regions, have different cultural backgrounds, ages, and could be of any gender. Minorities seem to be mostly affected by homelessness. A study done in 2012 found that the homeless population is consisted of 39% non-Hispanic Whites, 42% African-Americans, 13% Hispanic, 4% Native-American, and 2% Asian (Now on PBS, 2012). The End Homelessness website provides the following statistics:
Presently, one of the main causes of homelessness in American is the lack of affordable housing. New York researchers claim that affordable housing is the answer to homelessness. Researcher, Mary Beth Shinn, states, ?homelessness is first and foremost a housing problem not a psychological one? (qtd. in Franklin 15.) Nearly all the families in their study became stably housed regardless of substance abuse, mental illness, physical illness or incarceration. This study indicates that homelessness is not a permanent condition. People do get themselves out of the problem when an intervention occurs to provide them with access to the housing market (NYU 2.) Without permanent housing, people are unable to keep jobs and are more likely to become ill. Permanent housing provides stability that enables them to find and retain employment with health benefits.
A major funding agency that home buyers should take advantage of is the Federal Housing Administration, also known as the FHA. FHA provides mortgage insurance on housing loans that are funded by FHA approved lenders. The FHA will insure loans on single and multifamily homes located within the U.S. and its territories. The Federal Housing Administration is known worldwide for being the largest insurer for residential loans.
Consequently, a large number of homeless individuals in New Yorkers are either sleeping in municipal shelters. This number is 85 percent higher than it was ten years ago. The primary cause of homelessness amongst these individuals is the lack of affordable housing. Additionally, a significant number of New York City’s homeless population is a direct result of serious mental illness, addiction disorders and other health problems. Four out of five street homeless New Yorkers are men and close to 60% of the City’s unsheltered homeless population live on the streets of Manhattan. Homelessness primarily affects oppressed groups such as African American and Latinos. Fifty five percent of the City’s homeless population are African American and 31%
It is estimated that, “each year, more than 3 million people experience homelessness, including 1.3 million children” (NLCHP). Clearly poverty and Homelessness come hand in hand, and the economy downfall has only contributed to this growing crisis. “Homelessness stems from a lack of affordable housing. Increasing rents, destruction of traditional low-income housing, and cuts in federal housing programs threaten affordable housing with extinction” (NLCHP). Most people in poverty have a housing affordability crisis, which means that they pay more than half of their income for rent, so therefore they have to buffer to deal with unforeseen expenses.
...nt of $764 and a staggering 43% cannot afford to purchase an average priced home ($140,422). With that being said, over 8,000 families are on waiting lists for subsidized and affordable housing. Many things can prevent someone from housing such as poor credit histories, unresolved debts, and criminal backgrounds. Without affordable child care or dependable transportation, families have a greater challenge of moving towards autonomy.
There are too many connecting issues that have caused homelessness to escalate from a lifestyle that was really only lived by middle aged individuals with a substance abuse problem, to a condition that is endured everyday by a diverse number of people. The 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress reveals that 36 percent of the homeless population consisted of individuals in families--over half of which were children--17.8 percent was made up by the chronically homeless, and an estimated 10 percent was comprised of veterans.
Many reasons are attributed to why so many households are now homeless, such as the inability to afford housing, the decrease or lack of government funding, health problems, domestic violence, just to name a few. Unfortunately, the rising housing costs are exceeding many peoples income, especially if employees only make minimum wage. A full time worker receiving minim...
Countless throughout the streets of Jackson, MS there are homeless people asking for food, money, etc. and some people aid them and others walk away. However, does anyone ever see the other side of the equation? Driving down Gallatin St. one night I saw firsthand the “other side”. Because of this, the issue that my research will cover is homelessness. Homelessness is defined as a state in which individuals lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence. Poverty, lack of affordable housing, declining wages, lost jobs, the economy, foreclosure, decreased assistance programs, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, single parenthood, etc. are some of the causes of homelessness in America. Some of the proposed solutions are: affordable housing and homeless prevention programs. However, there needs to be less energy focused on providing temporary housing for those who are homeless, and more focus on providing permanent, affordable housing. Homelessness is an issue that should concern all of us. With a decrease in this situation it would clear up the amount of people walking around on the streets and everyone would feel more comfortable traveling at night. If someone is homeless, it is a common belief that they are more inclined to criminal activity; therefore less homelessness could equal less crime. Homelessness is not discriminatory and can happen to anyone at any time.
Ironically, the people who really need the housing cannot afford it. These people come from a wide range of backgrounds, both urbanly and rurally.