The Increasing Problem Of Homelessness

Homelessness is an issue in American society today that affects anywhere from 800,000 to 3.5 million people. There are a substantial amount of people that are without shelter, food, or employment, and there are numerous other people affected by poverty and homelessness. People living in nearly every city in the United States are affected by homelessness due to the large amounts of homeless individuals living on the streets and begging for money, food, and other necessities. The issue of homelessness has been a constant problem since the conquering of the New World, and soup kitchens and homeless shelters have not been able to fully end homelessness. Especially today, with a lack of affordable housing and high unemployment rates, homelessness is prevalent.

“One diverse population that has continued to increase over the quarter of a century is composed of people who are homeless” (Baggerly & Zalaquett, 2006, p.155). Homelessness has become a growing problem in society because more and more people are finding themselves to be homeless and not knowing where to turn. Many people do not

Homelessness is a major problem facing many cities. Some people are homeless because of unfortunate situations, and others are homeless by choice. Homelessness has been around since 1640. The cost of housing is on the rise and many become homeless because they that are not making enough money to afford the cost of housing. The cost of health care and insurance has risen dramatically over the past years. For families living low or middle incomes that can be devastating. Families or individuals that lack health insurance, a sudden illness, chronic disease or accident can be financially devastating. Many people don’t understand the problems homeless families are facing and most families are homeless because of finical situations or because

“On any given night, there are approximately 643,067 people experiencing homelessness in America.” Homelessness in america is becoming a severe crisis a crisis we need to find solutions to. There are not many sound solutions to homelessness unless the government wants to spend millions of taxpayer dollars. Some of the solutions to homelessness can be government housing for the homeless, increasing employment and Income, and creating a crisis response plan.

Nationwide homelessness is a growing epidemic across the country. There are many ways an individual can become homeless, for the most part it is poverty. There are also different concentrations of homeless in different types of environments, 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. A way we can help find the solution to this problem, is to know the facts about this lingering subject. People become homeless not because of lack of effort for success, but because of poverty, drug addictions, mental illness and financially unstable times in their lives.

“We were homeless, we were not hopeless. There’s a world of difference” said Chris Gardner. More than 3.5 million people experience homelessness each year. Although homelessness is becoming an epidemic, it is a highly ignored and marginalized issue. Some of the factors that contribute to homelessness include the lack of affordable housing, health care, available public assistance, and employment opportunities. Domestic violence, addiction, and mental illness are also some of these factors.

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 is gradually uprising around the world, “as of 2013 there were 1.4 million experiencing homelessness” (Lucas, David S). Homelessness around the world is unreal, and with the numbers increasing everyday something needs to be done about this. Homelessness needs to be stopped, and ways we can do that are funding programs, volunteering, and more opportunities.

Although the numbers of homelessness in the States have decreased in the past 10 years, more than 3.5 million people each year experience homelessness, with 578,424 individuals experience homelessness each night (endhomelessness.org). Many poverty-stricken people are consistently at the risk of homelessness; there is a lack of affordable housing, many jobs provide low income, and destitute people cannot afford medical care for support. However, homelessness does not only extend to the penniless - it also affects a standard citizen. It can be a result of natural disasters, family death, unemployment, domestic violence, divorce, family affairs, and mental disabilities (homeaid.org). The challenge for America is to reduce the number of those who continue to experience homelessness drastically by rehabilitating the homeless back to normal, ordinary lives. Homeless or emergency shelters and temporary homes allow the homeless to seize a chance at economic stability and reorganize their current situation. Many organizations such as Volunteers of America and Salvation Army were formed to address problems with homelessness in our society; their mission is to provide services like job and social skill training for the homeless in order to support their rehabilitation. Even with everything that is being done, many homeless refuse to associate themselves with outside help. With this issue at hand, homelessness will always remain an issue in America.

A few other things that contribute to homelessness would be long-term issues like drug addiction, mental illness, and alcoholism. People who suffer from addictive disorders ruin their relationships with family, friends, and often lose their jobs. 6% of the American population suffers from mental illness. When it comes to the homeless population, that number jumps to 20-25%. People with serious mental issues don’t have the ability to handle essential aspects of daily life, such as household management and self-care. Without assistance, women and men have little to no chance of gaining stability. Domestic violence also plays a role in homelessness. 50% of homeless women and children are fleeing domestic violence. When a woman is dealing with domestic assault, she fears for her safety and the safety of her children. She either takes the chance to stay at home and continue to be beaten, or leave the abuse and face having little means of support. Post-traumatic stress is one of the top causes of homeless Veterans. As many as 200,000 military veterans sleep on the street on any given night. Adapting to a “normal life” back in the U.S. is extremely difficult for those who have served. Because they are unable to cope,

According to Treatment Advocacy Center (2016), approximately one-third of the homeless population have some degree of mental disorder, untreated mental illnesses, and physical health issues. Many of these homeless population spend their life living on the streets. Such as living in train stations and any place that provides a shelter, which worsens their condition. This is due to the lack of adequate hospitals to care for the community. In addition, the closing of state mental institutions does not provide the homeless community with a location to benefit them. The topic of the increase in the homeless community continues to become a highly talkative topic. By looking at the social issues among the topic of health within the homeless community,

While homelessness is viewed as people that are drug addicts or bums, there are other barriers that prevent the homeless population from getting housed. Many have no resources to allow them to obtain or maintain housing, let alone their basic needs. Being homeless takes a significant toll on people’s lives overall as well as their ability to feel safe and secure.

Homelessness is an ongoing global tragedy. A person could be homeless for days, weeks, months, or years. Homelessness has increased in the past two decades reaching a historically high level that affects people from all walks of life. There are anywhere from 700,000 to 3 million people who are homeless on any given night in America. It is one of the most persistent problems that American citizens have faced in recent times. It includes not only those who are living on the streets or in shelters and hostels but also those who are living in temporary accommodation or in housing that is unfit for human habitation. Research estimates that of the homeless population families with children account for 36 percent, single women 13 percent, and unaccompanied minors seven percent. Many are left wondering how this could happen in one of the richest nations in the world.

Homelessness is a temporary problem that people fall into when they cannot afford to pay their rent or mortgage, or when their home becomes unsafe or unstable. Other factors, such as job loss, health and psychological disabilities can accelerate people’s slide into poverty, and for some, eventual homelessness. The lack of housing, access to healthcare, and supportive services, then act as others barriers that keep individuals from moving into a home.

In America, the number of homeless individuals has increased significantly and it continues to increase with no solution. It is important to understand that the problem of homeless has almost always existed, even though the masses have not had to suffer from it all at one time. Some people may not fully understand what exactly homelessness means, or may believe it is a normal way of life. Journalist Vijay Mago informs, “Homelessness is a complex social problem with a variety of underlying economic and social factors such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, uncertain physical and mental health, addictions, and community and family breakdown.” (Mago , 2013) To be completely homeless mean to not have access to a housing roof. Depending on