The Social Issue of Homelessness in North Carolina
People drive or walk past a homeless person almost every day without thinking twice about the plight of that person or they may even unconsciously turn their heads the other way in disgust. Homelessness simply put, means without a home - therefore homelessness is an equal opportunity state that can happen to anyone. Even though we have seen some economic prosperity over the years, statistics show that the number of homeless remains very high. With this in mind, communities need to come together at the state, city, and individual level to come up with solutions to mitigate the spreading of this problem.
The definition of homelessness varies depending on which organization you ask. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act under section 11302 defines homeless as an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate residence or someone who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel or a place not ordinarily used for sleeping accommodations. HUD expands that definition to include individuals who are at risk of being evicted within a week (Homeless Law & Legal Definition, 2001-2012) but what remains constant is that the root cause of homelessness is the increase in poverty and the shortage of affordable rental housing (National Coalition of Homeless, 2009). In 2004, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found that 25% of homeless were ages 25 to 34 and the percentages of homeless persons aged 55 to 64 at 6%. Most studies show that single homeless adults are more likely to be male than female - 67.5% of the single homeless population is male, and it is this single population that makes up 76% of the homeless populations surveyed (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007). ...
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...we would certainly be heading in the right direction towards mitigating the spread of homelessness and that should the ultimate benefit to all involved.
References
Cassady, L (2011, July). Effects of homelessness in Society. Retrieved from:
http://www.Ehow.com/info
Mecklenburg County NC. Community Support Services. (2012). Retrieved from:
http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/CommunitySupportServices/HomelessSupportS
National alliance to end homelessness. Retrieved from: http://www.endhomelessness.org
NC Department of Health and Human Services. Emergency shelter grants. Retrieved from: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/homeless/esg.html.
Homeless Law and Legal Definition. http://definitions.uslegal.com/h/homeless
National Coalition for the Homeless ( 2009, July). Who is homeless. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/who.html
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Here in Tahoe, we are lucky enough to experience a great quality of life, and only a few have to face the horrible life of poverty and homelessness. However, nationwide, even right outside the basin, homelessness is a growing epidemic across the country. There are many ways one can become homeless; for the most part poverty. There are also different concentrations of homeless in different types of terrain, such as urban or suburban areas. Last, there is the ever- growing homeless population, and how much money it costs us for others to live in poverty. These are the questions we ask ourselves about homelessness, and the only way we can help is to know the facts about this lingering subject.
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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
Homeless people come from many different backgrounds. Gender is the first demographic to consider. According to many different studies, most of single homeless adults are men who “make up slightly more than 51 percent of the total homeless population, while single women comprised about 17 percent” (McNamara 1027). However, in homeless families, single female parents make up approximately 90% (Markos and Lima). Second demographic to consider is age. Everyone including children can become homeless because of different cases. From the National Coalition for the Homeless, “children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless population, 25% of homeless were ages 25 to 34; the same study found percentages of homeless persons aged 55 to 64 at 6%” (qtd. National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004). By a study in 2002 from t...
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Homelessness can happen to anyone unexpectedly. Many poor people are at the risk of homelessness. The cost of living and trying to find affordable housing can be very difficult. Many who are homeless are in poverty, have a mental illness, or addictions. Homelessness happens from personal, as well as structural factors. Many aren’t able to make enough for rent, as well as, utilities, food, and other expenses each month. More than 6 million Americans pay more than half of their income towards rent (Reamer, 1989). The trend is once someone becomes homeless, it is likely they will be homeless repeatedly. To end homelessness, affordable housing will have to be created because it is peoples largest single expenditure (Anderson, 2013).
The National Alliance to End Homelessness identified under 600,000 people who are homeless in the nation, in the past year. “This translates to a national rate of homelessness of fewer than 18 homeless persons out of every 10,000 persons in the general public on a single night “(National Alliance,
The government has the power to help reduce the risk of becoming homeless due to economic reasons. Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, points out that, in order to end homelessness, the government could make housing more affordable to lower income families “or figure out some way to supplement people 's income through vouchers or tax credits" (qtd. in Housing the Homeless). This would mean that even if a person, or an entire family, lost their main source of income, they would still have the me...
Homelessness has different meanings to different people; someone who has never been homeless might think homelessness is a person who lives on the street, in a tent or in a box. Many people don’t realize that there are a number of homeless people, who couch surf with friends, family or the ones who live in motels which are unaccountable in the numbers of homeless people. People including families with children, seniors, single parents, youths and those that are single are living in accommodations that are below standards and consider themselves as homeless.
Homelessness is a social issue that has been overlooked for too long. It can be observed in many states worldwide. The rising population of homeless people affects those characterized as homeless, their families subjected to the lifestyle, and the communities where homelessness exists. There are many solutions but only a few will be discussed. Improving existing shelters and building new shelters are general solutions. More in depth solutions within the shelters include programs that assist the homeless with opportunities for re-entry into the community. I would first like to discuss reasons why this issue should be looked into and conclude with recommendations.
Homelessness is not something that was created over night; it has existed for a long time; often we choose not to see the homeless, or bother with them, so we look the other way. Homelessness is not prejudice toward race, creed, or religion--it has no boundaries; all homeless people should not be stereotyped as being drug abusers or the mentally ill that have been released from mental hospitals. Homelessness is not a disease that a person can catch from bodily contact, but it certainly has afflicted many Americans. We need to find the cause of homelessness before we can find a solution. More money for more programs is the typical response, but we should look at what has already been instituted and reevaluate them.
Homelessness has been a world wide epidemic for a vast amount of time. With the rising numbers of people on the street every day, more people are affected by the lifestyle that leads to one being homeless. It has become a severely major issue in today’s society, one that has proven difficult to put an end too. Homelessness is caused by a varying degree of factors ranging from drug addictions and mental illness, to abuse. The homeless lifestyle is subjected too the lives of many, from children to adults, due to increased threats of danger, violence and crime. Living in such an advanced time, with an excess of resources, we should be able to provide the right solution for ending the world wide epidemic that is homelessness.
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.
Homelessness can be described as a person who lacks a fixed, adequate nighttime residence. To be considered homeless a person must have a primary nighttime residency that is a publicly operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations. It is impossible to know exactly how many people are homeless in the United States. The numbers fluctuate everyday because some find homes, some lose their homes, and most of the time the homeless are in places that aren't counted. The only thing that is known is that homelessness is increasing. A growing shortage of affordable housing has made climbing out of homelessness nearly impossible for someone who lives in extreme poverty ("Homeless").