The Benefits Of Hiding The Homeless

     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

Homelessness has been a problem in Hawaii, and especially Oahu, for more than two decades. The homeless have overrun the islands but it is no surprise as the circum- stances allow for it. Multiple factors contribute to the ongoing dilemma including the high cost of living, Hawaii being an island state, and the expensive housing. The prob- lems that cause homelessness are not going to go away by themselves. Although the problem is not increasing, the numbers show that it isn’t decreasing and shouldn’t be unless the state and community acts.

One of the simplest pieces of knowledge we acquire in elementary school (for future growth and development) are the three basic needs a living organism requires for living: food, water, and shelter. However, not everyone has access to all of these essentials. Homeless people are faced with awful conditions and suffer more due to poor weather conditions, diseases, and lack of safety. There hasn’t been much progress on this issue, and if this continues, the number of homeless people will only increase. In a few states the topic is being named as a “statewide emergency”, but unfortunately this problem is national. Instead of focusing on state programs, local programs and non-profit organizations to fix the housing issue, we must all contribute to ending this epidemic. The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) released an article stating, “In January 2015, 564,708 people were homeless on a given night in the United States” (Snapshot of Homelessness). We must develop a solution to end long term homelessness immediately. The best way of solving this issue is to provide stable long-term housing, which is a term used to describe the home’s environment and financial status.

There are many misconceptions about the homeless such as the homeless are mentally ill and the homeless do not work. Not all homeless have a mental illness and “many homeless people are among the working” (Kendall, 2016). The state capitol of Indiana, “Indianapolis alone, there are 8,000 homeless people” (Indiana's News Leader, 2015). “Veterans were hit very hard” in the Indianapolis area with a 21 percent increase compared to the national average decreasing by 18 percent (Indiana's News Leader, 2015). Some sources calculate that the Veterans make up at least a quarter of the homeless

Homelessness is a growing problem in today’s society. Because of the economic crises, many people are losing his or her jobs because company’s had to cut back on expenses, as well as companies that have closed down completely. Furthermore because of the economic crises many mental institutions are forced to close the doors because of lack of funds. People who once had a safe healthy place to call home are being forced into homelessness and are lacking the health care needed to ensure a happy healthy life. Something has to be done to assist homeless people in finding housing and healthcare they so desperately need. Although it is not possible to solve the homeless

It goes without saying, regarding any homeless population, that any medical services brought to them will yield a positive health outcome. It is predicted that an MMU in Burbank for the homeless, will treat small medical events, diagnose new cases and treat existing conditions of chronic, communicable, ad acute diseases, along with making referrals to specialists and housing authorities. These types of services have an overall impact, in that they decrease emergency room and hospitalization rates, as well as the financial burden on the community. The partnerships that are forming to facilitate these services increase the longevity and sustainability of the community, while homeless individuals become more health literate, along with developing trust in their MMU staff and community.

The state of Idaho has slowly began to lose its fight against chronic homelessness, as even after years of struggle, its homeless rates have only increased. Idaho has implemented a variety of tactics in order to combat its growing number of homeless citizens, however, all efforts had left the state with unsatisfactory results. Boise, Idaho had initiated, ‘Hiding the Homeless’ which used the method of harassing the homeless with the hope that they would gather their belongs and leave. For short amount of time, this strategy did act as a deterrent for the states homeless rate. But, Idaho was not victorious for long as the rates

The homeless population, in addition to having no stable home, faces a range of challenges in both their health and social situations. These issues include substance abuse, mental health disorders, criminal records, and extended periods of unemployment. Despite the state providing funding for housing, particularly with House Bill 436 of 2016, these issues will certainly impede the ability of these people to maintain stable housing.

Southern Nevada’s total homeless rate shot up as unemployment rates continued to rise. This article informs readers of current statistics circulating homelessness compared to other states in the U.S. Amaro cites data from non-profit organizations to demonstrate this critical problem.

“The national goal and deadline for ending chronic homelessness [by 2017] set by the [USICH]…gives states, counties and cities the hard deadline they need to…re-purpose existing resources, while securing additional resources needed to achieve the goal,” says Lloyd Pendleton, Former Director of the Homeless Task Force for the State of Utah. People who are forced to suffer from chronic homelessness usually have a multitude of problems that progressively worsen and act as the cause of early death (i.e. mental health disorders, substance abuse disorders, and intricate health complications).

Homelessness typically becomes more prevalent in times of economic downturn or turmoil. However, according to the District of Columbia’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (DCICH), homelessness rates have been on the rise due to a variety of socioeconomic factors. These factors include rising income inequality, lack of affordable housing, depression of wages and public assistance programs, and the lack of mental health institutions that assist with the chronically homeless (Homeward D.C., 2015).

Many public policies have been done to reduce the number of the homelessness and to help out those to rebound back to the normal life. Most policies focus on ending homelessness. Programs such as Continuum of Care Program (CoC) which is helping homeless people move into traditional housing, Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESG) which is regaining stability in permanent housing, Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program (RHSP) which is stabilizing the individuals and who with risk of losing housing, and Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program which is assisting and preventing the homelessness. These efforts actually bring the decreasing result. According to the National Alliance to End homelessness, "Between 2005 and 2008, chronic homelessness in Wichita/Sedgwick County (KS) decreased by 61 percent. From 2006 to 2008, Norfolk (VA) reduced homelessness by 25 percent. From 2005 to 2007, homelessness among families in Chicago (IL) decreased by 23 percent. The number of families in shelter in Westchester County (NY) declined by 57 percent. From 2005 to 2008, chronic homelessness declined by 50 percent in Quincy (MA)” (“What Can We Do about Homelessness?”). Although the number of homelessness is decreased in some states, the reality does not change. There are many people still out there on the sidewalk. Is it possible to remove all homeless people out from the street? There are many plans and programs existed to reduce the number and to prevent it to be happened;

The plight of homelessness is increasing expeditiously everyday. Despite the work of professional groups working together for the common goal of ridding America of this embarrassment. The economy and the housing market spiraling downward aids in this continuous social issue. Actually, homelessness is just the surface of all the different issue that lie beneath.

Homelessness continues to be an overwhelming problem in the United States. Generally, homelessness is defined as a person who “lacks a fixed, regular adequate night-time residence”. The number of homeless people in the United States is difficult to estimate. Estimates vary depending on whether a measurement is taken on a single night or a given year. One approximation of the number of homeless is estimated between 2.3 and 3.5 million people a year in the U.S. According to a 2008 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report, an estimated 671,888 people experienced homelessness in one night in January, 2007. In another 2008 report, the U.S. Conference of Mayors cited a major increase in the number of homeless in 19 out of 25 cities surveyed. On average, cities reported a 12% increase of homelessness since 2007. (PBS.org/homelessness) It could be any reason why a person is homeless. Being under the

One large contributor to the issues surrounding homelessness is the chronic homeless. Though this minority only accounts for 15%, of the population, declining 21% since 2010, it’s responsible for more consumption of aid than