Homelessness
Homelessness is a large problem in America. It is defined as, lacking a fixed night time shelter and loss of control over ones environment. On any given night in the United States there are over 800,000 men, women, and children who don't know where they will sleep. There are many causes to this situation, such as, a decline in public assistance, lack of affordable housing, lack of affordable health care, mental illness, domestic violence, and substance abuse, among others. Although the government has assistance programs, it is often not enough to keep a family in a home because of rising rent rates. The problem of homelessness does not only effect those without homes it also effects everyone in the country. Homelessness starts with poverty, when a person, or family, is unable to pay for essential things like food, health care, education, and housing. In 1997, 35.6 million people lived in poverty according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 41% of those 35.6 million people are living in extreme poverty, which is living on less than half of the income the government considers poverty level, and the numbers are increasing. Children are found in the extreme poverty level twice as much as any other age group. The increase
------------------------------------------------------------------------ A person receiving SSI had to spend 69% of his or her income on housing to rent a one bedroom apartment. In more than 125 housing areas, the fair market cost of renting a one bedroom apartment was more than a persons monthly SSI income. Most states have not improved their welfare system to the point that families and individuals can sustain a home when work is not Fewer people are receiving the benefits of welfare. More families are moving from welfare to work, which in most cases causes more problems. It is very hard to find work. Even when work is found, the majority of the jobs wages keep the people below the poverty line. The obstacles people off welfare include, loss of benefits, low wages, unstable employment, struggle for medical care, food, and finding any kind of housing. Medical insurance was lost by 675,000 people last year, including over 400,000 children. In addition to that, housing is hard to find at an affordable cost for families leaving welfare for low wages. Housing is so limited that fewer than one in four families on TANF lives in a public housing unit or receives a housing voucher, which helps them rent a private unit. In a large number of American communities, families off of welfare are experiencing homelessness in increasing numbers. in poverty can be attributed to less good employment opportunities and a declining a
Some common words found in the essay are:
Bureau Census, Families TNAF, Homelessness America, Income SSI, public assistance, poverty level, minimum wage, income housing, bedroom apartment, disabled people, rent bedroom apartment, rent bedroom, jobs people, fewer benefits, affordable housing,
Approximate Word count = 971
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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