Understanding the cause of homelessness
"Being homeless is often defined as sleeping on the streets. Although this is the most visible and severe form of homelessness, there are many other types of acute housing need. These include living in temporary accommodation, poor or overcrowded conditions, or being in mortgage arrears and under threat of re-possession." (Hope 1986) It is a symptom of many complex problems: mental illness, emotional instability, illiteracy, chronic substance abuse, unemployment, and, most basic of all, breakdown of the family structure. Anyone can become homeless and the reasons that force people into homelessness are many and varied. The leading cause, however, of homelessness in the United States is the inability of poor people to afford housing. "Housing costs have risen significantly over the last decade, while the incomes of poor and middle-class Americans have stagnated." (Erickson 1991) The millions of Americans who are unemployed or work in low-paying jobs are among the most vulnerable to becoming homeless. Therefore, homelessness, housing and income are inextricably linked. Low-income people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, child-care, health care, and education. Difficult choices must be made when limited resources cove
Besides, the qualities of temporary shelters for homeless people are terrible that they think staying on streets is a better choice. "Not only have the lost bed-spaces not been made up, but the new hostels are not as readily accessible to the homeless coming directly off the street. They tend to cater for special needs groups and access tends to be through referral" (Housing Review 1988). Downtown development also diminishes the supply of low-income housing for poor people. As the City raises more new office towers, the vacancy for housing is getting less. In Seattle, for instance, office space in downtown grew from 13 million square feet in 1981 to about 24 million square feet in 1990. On the other hand, the downtown low-income housing stock declined from about 11,000 units in 1980 to less than 6,000 units in 1987. "With the passage of the new housing levy, the City will try to regain some low income units, but today low-income units vanish faster than they can be built." (Arcade 1987) and there is still a shortage in housing supply in downtown areas. r only some of these necessities. Often it is housing, which takes a high proportion of income that must be dropped. Planners can play an important role in the search for solutions to homelessness. And homelessness is an extensive, complex process. Different kinds of intervention are needed to deal with the problem. But the most widely accepted approach is a three-tier system, "beginning with emergency shelters and moving through transitional accommodations to long-term housing" (Urban Land 1986). Rehabilitation of old buildings by minimal funding are common projects to provide shelters for the homeless people. However, some observers suggests that making "the renovation of buildings for low-income housing attractive, that is, profitable, for developers or investors" (Urban Land 1986) can be the solution to the homeless problem. Many factors have contributed to declining work opportunities for large segments of the workforce, including the loss of well-paying man
Some common words found in the essay are:
Income SSI, , Policy Institute, Urban Development, Urban Land, Housing Review, Americans Foscarinas, Children AFDC, minimum wage, low income, poor people, income housing, poverty line, low-income housing, risk homelessness, public assistance, shelters homeless people, homeless people, housing urban, urban land 1986,
Approximate Word count = 1372
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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