The Epidemic of Homelessness in America

Because of the weak economy and high unemployment rates homelessness is on the rise at an alarming rate. Homelessness is worse in some areas of the United States compared to other areas because of incomes that are drastically falling, jobs that are no longer very secure which offer fewer benefits to the worker and their family members. The United States is experiencing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Necessary wages made by the hour only improved by one-sixth of the rate from 2007 for employees in production work. Workers in the workforce were given a cut in hours and lowered weekly earnings. As the growth of wages goes down and the consumption growth increases it makes the economic recovery farther out of reach. The effects of the recession do not discriminate, everyone residing in the United States is affected by it in some way, and this is including people who are able to maintain working at their jobs. In 1967 year round workers earning minimum wage were paid just enough to raise a family of three above the poverty level. From 1981-1990 the cost of living went up by 48% while the minimum wage stayed $3.35 an hour. In 1996 congress raised minimum wage to $5.15 an hour. For the next eleven years, minimum wage stayed at this rate of $5.15 an hour. Then in 2007 President Bush signed a law that would increase minimum wage to $7.25 over a two year time span. That increase was not keeping up with the loss of footing to inflation in the past 20 years. The actual value of minimum wage is 26% less than in 1979, which in turn is only $4.42 in real dollars. In our current economy a full time worker is working 40 hours a week. There is 52 weeks in a year which is a total of $13,624. That is below the ...

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...social programs and give money to make affordable homes. We as people need to donate as much as possible. Give and give because it will benefit in the long run. If we all chip in and help we can reverse this crisis and reduce homelessness drastically.

Works Cited

www.stanford.edu/class/e297c/poverty_prejudice/soc_sec/hcauses.htm

www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/employment.html

www.gazette.com/quality-of-life-homelessness-and-poverty-experts-blame-economy-lack-of-affordable-housing/article/126356

www.content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2090997,00.html

www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/us/since-recession-more-young-americans-are-homeless.html

www.rooflines.org/3003/blame_politicians_for_homelessness_and_hunger_in_us/

www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/economy-bytes-effect-of-state-and-local-budget-cuts-on-homelessness