Veteran Homelessness Essay

“It’s time to declare a war on homelessness, which is evolving into a crisis,” proclaimed Mayor Kirk Caldwell in The Honolulu Star Advertiser. (Katel, 841-864) Homelessness has become a widely known issue in the United States. Many people today are living in the streets without a source of food, water, or a place to sleep at night. Some who are among the homeless include the elderly, children, and those who are mentally ill. This is a cause for concern for citizens who are living their daily lives

"Point in Time" study. In 2014, surveys found that the poverty rate, when counting female head of households, rose up to 28.4%; comparable to the state wide’s poverty rate of 11.4%. (ACCESS Housing, 2016). Due to legal actions, the Department of Veterans Affairs has finally begun steadfast actions to build 1,200 supportive housing units. To sustain the transitional housing program, or even launch a program, a substantial amount of funding needs maintaining for bed and program support provisions.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, homelessness has increased for the first time in seven years; in 2017, almost 554,000 people were homeless (The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 2018, 1). The population of America in 2017 was over 324,459,000 people (Worldometers 2018). This means for every 10,000 people there are 20 who are homeless. Out of the homeless people in the United States, 40,000 were homeless veterans, and 35% of them are living in “places not suitable

Homelessness has no age limit. “Nearly one-quarter (23 percent or 138,149) of all homeless people were children, under the age of 18. Ten percent (or 61,541) were between the ages of 18 and 24, and 67 percent (or 410,352) were 25 years or older” (Cortes et al., 2013 p.6). This shows how the problem affects every cohort and it’s sad that children have the highest rate of homelessness. Many people tend to blame the homeless person for making

a lack of solutions or effort. Granted, the shelters have been showing improvement, and there are states taking larger steps to work towards ending homelessness. But the pace is inadequate. There are thousands who need shelter and food, and they stretch across the age bracket. From children and adolescents, to college students, to adults and veterans returning from war. Thousands

Homelessness results from the failure of our system to provide adequate safeguards and economic opportunities to those in society who need them the most. There are no federal benefit programs for those experiencing long-term homelessness until they reach the age of 65—or, in some cases, 62. Federal housing and employment programs for low-income people can be difficult to access for those experiencing homelessness, especially without the support of dedicated and knowledgeable homeless service providers

experienced homelessness. Thirty five % affecting families with children and mental illness contribute to the lowest at twenty% (Students against Hunger). There are many different homeless population in between, such as military veterans, children under the age of 18, and those that have experienced domestic violence just to name a few. Homelessness is a social problem because it depletes federal funding, increases taxes, and can lead to criminal activity. The reaction to homelessness regarding the

the American populace. However, when they return back to the states, some soldiers are not able to the cope between the drastic differences between military life and civilian life; as a result, they can be homeless veterans living on the streets. The average citizens consider these veterans as just bums and consider them through the mindset of “out of sight, out of mind”. Meanwhile, municipalities are acting no better as they enact rules that discriminate against the homeless, including laws prohibiting

Homelessness occurs in a wide range of states, cities, counties, roads, streets, and areas around the U.S. This issue has been a huge phenomenon across the globe, which includes the United States of America. The government hasn’t done much for this problem. If the federal government were to actually do something about it, it would be decreasing not increasing. Homelessness in the United States has extremely increased within the past 10 years. The community has helped partially. The community takes

these downtrodden individuals unconcerned, while others give them sympathetic looks and drop a few coins in their cups. We are aware of homelessness, almost too aware and yet we go on with our lives without further regard. Homelessness has become such an epidemic in the United States that it is normal and practically expected to be seen in our urban streets. Homelessness is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as, “Having no home or permanent residence.” While that is true, there are many other dynamics