For instance, many homeless individuals struggle with substance abuse. A person could infer that a homeless individual turns to substance abuse because he or she wants to numb the feelings of pain and failure he or she has because he or she cannot provide adequate housing or perhaps because they are feeling isolated from their friends and family. To make this inference one would have to assume that being homeless makes an individual believe they are inadequate and causes distance between the homeless individual and his or her family and friends. This may be true for some people, but not all homeless people believe that being homeless is a bad thing. Many of these homeless individuals may have had a pre existing substance abuse problem and became homeless because family members were no longer willing to enable self-destructive behavior.
When we as a nation try to create statistics to link homelessness to job related or other circumstance, it becomes much harder. Like the statistic I gave in the introduction, there was a range of 1.2 million. That is a monumental range that shouldn’t be there. I believe that Bliss’s type of homeless is the cause to this. This is because they are being counted when they shouldn’t.
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.
Due to their severe disabilities and limited incomes, disabled adults have an extremely difficult time securing permanent housing in the competitive market. Ending homelessness for disabled people means building permanent, affordable housing specifically designed to meet their various needs. This group represents some of the most vulnerable people in our community and, when left on the streets, they represent significant expense to local taxpayers. The following are some of the other significant
Statistics shows that the cause of homelessness is because the lack of jobs. Others say that it is due to lack of housing. Several people are homeless even though they have a job. This happens because a lot of people work but they don’t make enough money to get above what is called the poverty line. Today’s estimate of fifty percent of the homeless has a full or part time job, but still don’t make enough money to pay their bills.
Jonathan Kozol investigates and uncovers the perspectives of homeless people vs. the opinions of people fortunate to have a home. During his examination, he comes across a variety of people; however, he realizes a shortage of sympathy. When interviewing well-off people, some labeled homeless people as “undesirables” or even “trash”. Generally, homeless people suffer from dehumanization making it harder for them to overcome their truly difficult situation. With predominant attitudes toward homeless people being clearly unfavorable, there is a deficit of compassion and understanding.
They were living their American dream. One day they had jobs and homes, the next they found themselves unemployed and homeless. Although, among them were truly homeless individuals. Some of them living within tent city were those who were battling alcoholism or drug abuse. I feel that if there would have been only “truly” homeless people living in Tent City, a story would not have developed, but since some of these people were once middle-class individuals, I think this story seemed to hit closer to home.
A Sociological View of Homelessness SOCI-200 D01 Instructor: Professor J. Cole The homeless are looked at as the low of the low, the bane of society. Some Christian believers look at the homeless and simply feel that if they were to apply themselves, they would not be homeless. Other Christian believers feel sorry for the homeless and want to help. With the endless problems facing our economy these days, the nation is seeing a surge in the number of homeless people. In a recent approximation USA Today estimated 1.6 million people unduplicated persons used transitional housing or emergency shelters.
HOMELESSNESS IN AMERICA Would there be more homeless people in the America if the human basic needs were no more than eating, sleeping and drinking? For some those three things are what make life worth fighting for. Then for other eating, drinking and sleeping is not that important will take it where ever they can get it. The cause of homelessness began in the mindset of man and society. I read a quote by an unknown author that said “When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for.” That is the beginning of the end of any nation.
Homelessness September 8, 2011 Abstract Homelessness is becoming an increasing problem in the United States. Loss of jobs and decreasing wages since the recession have contributed to this increase. Veterans and mentally ill people do not get the support they need to maintain their own housing. The government helps some of these people but it lacks the funding needed to help everyone who needs it. The United States needs to find a way to put more people to work at wages that will enable them to afford housing.