Homelessness

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Image:Homeless - American Flag.jpg Image:Lightmatter homeless walker.jpg Image:P7032101 small2.jpg Homelessness is a situation in which a person does not have a long term place of ongoing residence. This is distinguished from nomadic cultures in which that condition is considered normal. The 'problem' of homelessness is most visible in the poor sections of large cities and suburbs, though the homeless frequently co-exist less visibly within communities where most residents are not poor. The term '(of) No Fixed Abode' (NFA) is often used officially as an alternative to 'homeless'.


Contents

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Causes

There are numerous possible causes of homelessness. It is a spectrum, a space occupied by many people, including the mentally ill, the unemployed, travelers, drug addicts, alcoholics, and those who have spiritual reasons (as yogis in India). Some people claim the problem stems from inadequate social services such as public housing. In Ventura County, California, access to public housing currently requires a four-year wait. This is typical in many areas. Public housing requires paying one-third of all income as rent. A good credit history is also required. The VA only provides housing to chronically sick veterans. A homeless person with no family or generous friends must face sleeping in the open, in a car if they have one, or on commercial property until ejected. Some studies suggest rent control and other housing regulations foster homelessness by reducing the supply of housing. Social changes, such as the movement to recognize the rights of those considered mentally ill, could lead to increased homelessness, as such people can no longer be involuntarily committed to mental hospitals. Such a change occurred in the early 1980s in the United States, where it is now estimated that half of all homeless persons have some form of mental illness. In some cases, it is not always clear which came first; the homelessness or the mental illness. According to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), there are 50,000 mentally ill homeless people in California alone because of deinstitutionalization between 1957 and 1988 and a lack of adequate local service systems. [1]

Substance abuse may be a cause as well — an estimated 50% of America's homeless have substance abuse problems. Debate exists about whether drug use is a cause or consequence of homelessness, but it is generally agreed that the prevalence of alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness in the homeless population makes employment difficult to maintain. Many of these problems could stem from sexual abuse, physical abuse, or some other trauma. A 2005 study of homeless young people published in the Journal of Adolescence found that personal drug use, familial drug use, family conflict, and in some cases family breakdown were contributing factors. [2]

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Near-Homeless: Disabled non-abusers have little safety net

People who are chronically sick and are neither substance abusers nor mentally impaired, must present themselves to shelters, or group living homes. Regular apartments in public senior or disabled housing may have waiting lists as long as four years and rents that equal one-third of a person's income. Millions of disabled persons in the U.S. who receive a check must live with another person or two or risk sleeping in a car. There is no "per diem" program in America to provide temporary housing. They must pay from a disability check or "sleep in the rough." A disabled person with no close relatives or friends risks dying of exposure if they are unable to find a cot in a shelter. Several advocates have suggested that unused jail cells should be provided free to any citizen, not wanted on an arrest warrant. The key would lock the cell from the inside instead of the outside, of course. "We shelter our criminals but not our unfortuates", or so the advocates are inclined to say.

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Law enforcement "poor folks" practices frequently trigger homelessness or worse

An example: A 40-year-old disabled person who lived in Santa Barbara County, California had a car which she slept in. The car was impounded. The towing bill was $400 with a few days of storage. She spent 4 days on the streets, and was found dead from undetermined causes. An Orange County Ca. diabetic veteran, had a junk car that ran. He waited 2.5 years for a public housing unit. His car broke down, was impounded for $375 and he was unable to pay rent. He was evicted, dropped out of sight, and is currently presumed deceased by his few friends. Fees and penalties that would be reasonable to most people are life ending traumas to the very poor & sick.

In the United Kingdom, the three leading stated reasons homeless people give for losing their previous accommodation, according to government surveysare: parents, relatives or friends not being able or willing to provide accommodation; Relationship breakdown; and of assured shorthold tenancy.

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Demographics

Single men have traditionally composed the homeless demographic, although in current time, homelessness is affecting more families and couples in areas of the United States. In the 1980s, there was a sharp rise in the number of homeless families in certain cities of the United States (notably New York). Most homeless families consist of an unmarried mother and children. Image:Blanket man 06 march.jpg Many long-term homeless people in the United States served in the military. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that more than 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Physical disabilities that make work difficult or impossible are also common among homeless people. Many organizations such as the Borgen Project have criticized U.S. leaders for not doing enough.

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Services

Homeless shelters operated by government, churches, or charities work to provide temporary housing to the homeless. While some shelters also provide food, others require people to turn to food banks and soup kitchens for nutrition. Other services provided by some shelters include health clinics, clothing and personal items, employment assistance, counseling and other social services. However, there are a number of complaints about the safety and quality of homeless shelters. Subsidized housing is a more expensive solution that some believe might end the cycle of homelessness.

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Income Opportunities

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Homelessness can often produce a vicious circle. With no phone number, permanent address, or place to get changed and washed, it can be very hard for the homeless to find or maintain jobs. Many non-profit organizations such as Goodwill Industries maintain a mission to "provide skill development and work opportunities to people with barriers to employment"(Goodwill calls "sorting clothes" job training at a cost of $5,600 per trainee.), though most of these organizations are not primarily geared toward homeless individuals. Many cities also have street newspapers or street magazines: publications designed to provide employment opportunity to homeless people or others in need by their sale on the streets of their respective cities.

While some homeless have paying jobs, some must seek other methods to make money. Begging or panhandling is one option, but it's increasingly illegal in many cities. Despite the stereotype, not all homeless people panhandle, and not all panhandlers are homeless. Another option is busking: performing tricks, playing music, drawing on the sidewalk, or offering some other form of entertainment in exchange for donations. In cities where pharmaceutical companies still collect paid blood plasma, homeless people may generate income through frequent visits to these centers.

In many cities, people who busk, panhandle, or visibly sleep outdoors are harassed by authorities. This trend is referred to as the criminalization of homelessness. It is often motivated by urban development and pushes toward gentrification. Homeless people have been known to purposely commit crimes in order to be sent to jail or prison for food and shelter. In police lingo, this is called "three hots and a cot." Similarly a homeless person may approach a hospital's emergency department and fake a mental illness in order to receive food and shelter.

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Statistics for developed countries

The following statistics indicate the approximate average number of homeless people at any one time. Each country has a different approach to counting homeless people, so comparisons should be made with caution.

European Union: 3,000,000 (Unicef 1998)
United States: 750,000 (Unicef 1998)
Canada: 200,000 (CBC News December 1998)
Australia: 99,000 (ABS: Homelessness)

The number of homeless people worldwide has grown steadily in recent years. In some Third World nations such as Brazil, India, Nigeria, and South Africa, homelessness is rampant, with millions of children living and working on the streets. Homelessness has become a problem in the cities of China, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines despite their growing prosperity, mainly due to migrant workers who have trouble finding permanent homes and to rising income inequality between social classes.

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Australia

Homelessness should not be quantified as being without a house; rather, it defines a state in which a person lacks a secure base to establish secure routines of living. The Australian Bureau of Statistics breaks this down into 5 groups: [3]


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Situations in specific U.S. cities

The city of San Francisco, California, due to its mild climate and its social programs that have provided cash payments for homeless individuals, is often considered the homelessness capital of the United States. The city's homeless population has been estimated at 7,000-10,000 people. It is believed that New York, which is 10 times as large in population, has only 5 times as many homeless individuals Template:Fact. On May 3, 2004 [4], San Francisco officially began an attempt to scale back the scope of its homelessness problem by changing its strategy from cash payments to the so-called "Care Not Cash" plan. At the same time, grassroots organizations within the Bay Area such as the Suitcase Clinic work to provide referrals for housing and employment to the homeless population.

The city of Chicago, Illinois is also noted for its number of homeless people. Visitors to the city often get a taste of big city reality when they see people begging for change on many corners. Over the years, Chicago has gained a reputation as the city with the most homeless people, rivaling Los Angeles and New York, although no statistical data has backed this up. The reputation stems primarily from the subjective number of beggars found on the streets rather than any sort of objective statistical census data.

In Denver, Colorado, Mayor John Hickenlooper has made dealing with the issues that underlie homelessness a top priority on his Mayoral agenda, speaking heavily on the issue during his first "State of the City" address in 2003. While Denver's homeless population is much lower than other major cities, the homeless residents have often suffered when without shelter during Denver's infamously cold winters.[5]

In [6] Indianapolis, Indiana, as many as 2,200 people are homeless on any given night, and as many as 15,000 individuals over the course of a year. Indianapolis is notable among cities of similar size for having only faith-based shelters, such as the century-old [7]Wheeler Mission. In 2001, Mayor Bart Peterson endorsed a 10-year [8]Blueprint to End Homelessness and made it one of his administration's top priorities. The plan's main goals are for more affordable housing units, employment opportunities, and support services. The Blueprint not withstanding, Indianapolis has criminalized aspects of homelessness, such as making panhandling a misdemeanor; and the [9]City-County Council has twice (in April, 2002, and August, 2005) denied the zoning necessary to open a new shelter for homeless women.

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See also

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External links

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