Katie Henry English 101, Tuesday/Thursdays at 9:30-10:45 Prof. Menzel 12/1/14 Book Essay: Mountains Beyond Mountains Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder, highlights the work of Dr. Paul Farmer. Farmer is a man who has dedicated his time and energy to help the ill people in even the poorest of countries. These people don’t have the proper medical care because they were deprived of money and a well-functioning hospital. Because of this, Farmer used his own money to provide the utilities he needed to help these sick people. This isn’t a typical biography about a man doing his part in the world.
The most shocking of all to me was to find out that veterans of the armed forces (like myself), make up some of 23 percent of the homeless population. (The Urban Institute Press, 2001) Before talking with this man who was a Vietnam veteran I thought homeless people were lazy and didn’t try hard enough in life to maintain a simple lifestyle. I asked myself, how can someone become homeless if all the right things are being done to avoid this situation? This Vietnam veteran spoke of all his war stories, what countries he had seen and how much he had wished he was still in the armed forces. To hear how proud this man sounded when he spoke of his accomplishments would make one think he was a hero.
Loc Nguyen Professor: Charles Riordan English 102 Homelessness in America: Why Are People Homeless and How Can We Help Them? Homelessness is a very big problem in America and the lives of homeless people are really hard and miserable wherever they live. America has a huge number of homeless people although it is a rich country. The problem of homelessness in America not only happens in the large cities but also happens in small towns. This problem is seen throughout its big territory.
Later after answering some of the questions about the homeless men the Maimafu people had a proposition to get the homeless men to New Guinea; a feat that is sure to be unmanageable. It is discouraging thinking about how open these people are to helping another; they even offered to build houses for these homeless men. Yet nothing could be done about it. All in all, the way I think about these people is that they are quite unique and amazing for what they do with so little. They have a means of getting by with their own techniques, skills, and strategies.
Clearly homelessness is a problem in America. The statistics show more and more people are sleeping in shelters or on the streets. Is homelessness a problem or the effect of another problem? Some might argue that there will always be homeless people because it is the result of the human condition and biases we have in our society. On the other hand, some would disagree and argue that the cause of homelessness is because the economy is bad.
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 lack of affordable housing has contributed to homelessness. The loss of affordable housing puts a great number of people at risk of homelessness. The lack of affordable housing has led to high rent burdens (rents which absorb a high proportion of income), overcrowding, and substandard housing. These phenomena’s, in turn, have not only forced many people to become homeless; they have put a large and growing number of people at risk of becoming homeless. Excessive waiting lists for public housing mean that people must remain in shelters or inadequate housing arrangements longer.
Foreclosures have hit an all time high, and unfortunately some people were allowed to finance beyond their means and now have become homeless too. According to The National Coalition for the Homeless, “Housing assistance can make the difference between stable housing, precarious housing, or no housing at all. However, the demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply: only about one-third of poor renter households receive a housing subsidy from the federal, state, or a local government. The limited level of housing assistance Campbell - 2 means that most poor families and individuals seeking housing assistance are placed on long waiting lists.” Not being able to afford housing does not mean that they are completely without a source of income. Many people that become homeless have jobs;
Running Head: Homelessness Homelessness Porsha Taylor GE265 Wed Mornings Homelessness Homelessness is extreme poverty in U.S society. My opinion is that our society sees it from a Moral Relativism point, which I believe it shouldn’t be seen from. I identify myself as Moral Pluralism. On any given night in America, anywhere from 700,000 to 2 million people are homeless, according to estimates of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. A count in January, 2007, found 745 homeless people in Lucas County, with 200 of those classified as "chronically" homeless, according to HUD data.
Creating a Social Problem: The Homelessness Elizabeth Black HSM/240 October 16, 2011 Marilyn Gardner University of Phoenix The Introduction: In Guilford County, Homelessness has become a national issue of significant proportion with over 300 cities and counties across the country implementing plans to address this human tragedy. In Guilford County, the Partners Ending Homelessness Initiative focuses on actively implementing, evaluating and updating Guilford County Ten Year Plan which is aimed at improving the quality of life for all residents of Guilford County by ending chronic homelessness and reducing all types of homelessness by 2016. The Partners Ending Homelessness Initiative focuses on generating housing and strengthening prevention