Homeless in America

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HOMELESS IN AMERICA Nothing in this changing world is guaranteed, none of us are exempt from becoming suddenly homeless. To most people, America seems to be the land of endless opportunity. A place to come to make a better life, to find a job and live out your dreams in the land of the free and the home of the brave. However, we in America all are suffering due to the plunging economy and still rising cost of living. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are about 672,000 homeless in America, with the most being reported in Florida. There is a lot of cost to the tax payer associated with homelessness. Research shows, that a homeless person spends an average of 4 days longer in a hospital than that of a non- homeless person, costing the tax payer about 2,400 for this visit. They also receive psychiatric treatment at a rate of 100 times more than that of a non-homeless person, costing about 3.5 million a year. Then you have the homeless people who don't receive medical treatment, and end up with long term diseases, that need long term care. Alot of homeless people feel the prisons, and jails, which is very costly to the tax payer. There are laws that target the homeless such as, loitering, sleeping in cars, and begging, which make it easy for them to end up behind bars. A study done by The University of Texas, shows that a homeless person staying in jail for a year cost 14,480 and a one year prison stay would cost about 20,000. It is actually shown that providing these homeless citizens with permanent housing would save more money and be more cost effective. A study done in Los Angeles California showed that by placing 4 homeless people in permanent housing saved the state 80,000 dollars a year. As if being homeless isn't bad enough, we also have to take a look at the veterans that are homeless. In 2010, VA Secretary, Eric

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