“Homelessness in America” Sharon Rhodes South University Homelessness in America What do you think when you hear the word, “homelessness?” Did you picture a person “who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” or whose primary nighttime residence is a “supervised publicly or privately operated shelter” that provides a temporary living space (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2011)? According to Solutions for America (2011), there are anywhere between 500,000 to 600,000 homeless people in the United States at any point in time. It is difficult to get an exact count. PBS’s Facts and Figures: Homeless Program (2011), one study reports that in a given year in the United States, there are between 2.3 and 3.5 million people who are homeless at one time or another. With the current recession, it is a very real possibility that more than 1.5 million will be forced into homelessness in the next two years alone (PBS: Public Broadcasting Services, 2011).
They feel the Democrats take their votes for granted and the Republicans are against them particularly as the majority are poor. Voter turnout for Whites was 66%, 65% of Blacks turned out to vote while Hispanic and Asian turnout rates were much lower and similar at about 49%. In relation to the 2004 President Election the voting rates for Blacks, Hispanics and Asians increased by about 4% points while the White voting rate decreased by 1%. Of the 5 million additional voters in 2008, approximately 2 million were Black, 2 million Hispanic and 600,000 Asian. These statistics show that ethnic minorities have made up the majority of additional voters, presenting the importance of ethnic minorities in the US political system.
Mrs. West also thinks that this number is not large in regards to the size of the area, but she will admit that Las Vegas has the nations’ largest amount of down and out homeless people. Mrs. West says’ the numbers may not create a fair picture since so much of the land is publically owned it is hard to compare with other states. One of Mrs. West recent census count showed that 21 percent of the population is “chronically homeless” including those who are mentally and physically disabled. There is also 73 percent of homeless people who are considered transitional or short-term because they suffer from some sort of trauma. Gambling could also be a factor in homelessness say’s Mrs. West, but loss of employment is the highest cause of homelessness, secondly addiction to alcohol and drugs.
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;
Studies have shown that children who have come from urban, low-income and minority parents are investigated far more than the “average” family for child abuse and neglect (Child Welfare League of America, 2005). In 2008 a survey was conducted to gather just how many children were in the welfare system versus the percentage of the total child population and the results were alarming. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey, the African American child population was only 14% while 31% were in foster care versus the White; non-Hispanic child population was 56% to 40% in foster care (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). Knowing the external factors that exist that include poverty, instability of homes, and a lack of resources are part that affect the child welfare system and the ethnic
Illegal immigrants are the least-educated group, with nearly 75 percent having at most a high school education. Overall, 55 percent of the foreign-born population has no education past high school, compared to 42 percent of natives. The median immigrant worker has an income of $30,000 per year, trailing native workers by about 18 percent. At $22,500 per year, illegal aliens make even less than their legal counterparts. Though U.S.-born children of legal immigrants are no more likely to be in poverty than those in native households, the children of illegal aliens and foreign-born children of legal immigrants
Equal Funding, Too Much to Ask For A problem in American society today is the disparity in the quality of education between the social classes of this country. This problem occurs especially in areas of hardship. These poorer neighborhoods suffer from much lower standards in schools than richer areas of the country. Without quality education, many students will feel too much pressure and drop out of school or if they do graduate, will lack the basic skills necessary to exceed in higher education. Public schools in poverty stricken neighborhoods should receive the same funding as public schools in rich neighborhoods because the quality of the neighborhood should not affect whether a school receives better or worse funding.
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.
The question considers the extent to which ethnic minorities have achieved the American Dream. It is argued that inequalities continue to exist which prevents ethnic minorities from achieving the American Dream. One of the main reasons for ethnic minorities being in poverty is lack of education. Both Hispanics and African Americans have high dropout rates, 3 in 10 Hispanics and 1 in 5 Blacks do not finish high school. As relatively few go on to achieve a university degree, they have a lack of qualifications, which leads to much fewer job opportunities.
The information collected provides a snapshot of unduplicated sheltered and unsheltered individuals and families experiencing homelessness as defined by HUD. On Wednesday, January 27th the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County conducted Guilford County’s Annual Point in Time Count. The survey included only individuals willing to answer questions about their living status within a single 24 hour time period, every individual or family experiencing homelessness are not included as some refuse to participate, avoid the survey, or are not found within the 24 hour time period. The 2010 Point in Time Count reveals that 1,064 individuals experience homelessness on any given night and 131 of those individuals are experiencing chronic homelessness. This year snap shot shows an increase in homeless veterans, domestic violence victims, and homeless children, with a 55% increase in the number of Veterans living on the street or in emergency shelters, a 31% increase in the number of domestic violence victims who are experiencing homelessness (with 40% of those victims being male), and an 8% rise in the number of homeless children.