A count in January, 2007, found 745 homeless people in Lucas County, with 200 of those classified as "chronically" homeless, according to HUD data. Figures from January of this year were not immediately available. Nationally, nearly 1.6 million people were homeless and found shelter
Katrina also killed at least 1,833 people in the time that it took to cross most of eastern North America. Hurricane Charley formed on August 9, 2004 caused $16.3 billion in damages and killed about 35 people. Hurricane Ike formed September 1, 2008 and ended on September 14, 2008. Hurricane Ike caused up to $37.6 billion in damage and killed 195 people in just 13 days. The difference between a hurricane, typhoon, and a cyclone is the
Hurricane Katrina had a major effect on people’s lives; there were thousands of families that lost their homes to that devastating natural cause. Fortunately there are resources available for the homeless. There are shelters available, Rescue Missions, Salvation Army and local emergency funds to help homeless people in need. There are also a number of resources that can help train family members for new jobs, provide counseling and job reintegration. There are some organizations that play a specific part in helping homeless families get back on their feet, by providing housing.
The earthquake was felt in surrounding regions including Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas and the borderingDominican Republic. After the earthquake, many aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater were recorded. The earthquake had an intensity of IX on the Mercalli scale. An estimated three million people were affected by the earthquake; 316 000 people died, 300 000 injured and 1 000 000 people were made homeless. The infrastructure was badly damaged with 90% of the buildings damaged.
Children born into homelessness are more likely to have low birth weights and are at greater risk of death. Homelessness also exposes infants to environmental factors that can endanger their health. Because homeless families often have little access to health care, many homeless infants lack essential immunizations. As of June 2008, there are more than 100,000 homeless children in Massachusetts. Out of these numbers 2,472 living in emergency shelter funded by the Ma Department of Transitional Assistance.
- Single adult males between the ages of 25 and 55 account for almost half of the homeless population. - 20% of the homeless are 16-24 years old (about 6, 000). - People can be pushed into homelessness by a variety of factors: loss of job, mental illness, addictions, family violence or abuse, extreme poverty. - Changes in the economy and in the housing market are adding to homelessness. - Declining incomes + reduction in social benefits + decline in affordable housing = even more homelessness.
1906 San Francisco Earthquake The San Francisco Earthquake changed many lives of pedestrians whom lived in the city on the day of April 18, 1906. Between 227,000 and 300,000 people were left homeless out of a population of about 410,000. The Army built 5,610 redwood and fir temporary homes to accommodate 20,000 homeless people. The houses were designed by John McLaren, and were grouped in eleven camps, packed close to each other and rented to people for two dollars per month until rebuilding was completed. They were painted olive drab, partly to blend in with the site, and partly because the military had large quantities of olive drab paint on hand.
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). Imagine, that number of people do not have a permanent and safe home in which to live. Why? Why do we have so many homeless in one of the wealthiest countries in the world? Clearly homelessness is a problem in America.
Even outside urban communities, this has become a common sight at busy intersections and freeway off-ramps. As many as 3.5 million Americans are homeless each year and of these, more than 1 million are children, which on any given night can total more than 300,000. Homelessness has so permeated the American landscape that it may seem that the social conundrum has always been a part of our society. However, homelessness is a thoroughly modern phenomenon and primarily an economic problem. It is affected by a number of factors such as people not wanting to help the poor, lack of or limited income and those affected by disabilities.
Research shows that between 40 and 50 percent of wage loss among low skilled Americans is due to the immigration of low skilled workers. Some native workers lose not just wages but their jobs through immigrant competition. An estimated 1,880,000 American workers are displaced from their jobs every year by immigration. (Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform) 71% of respondents in a 2006 Quinnipiac University Poll believed that enforcement of immigration laws would require additional measures beyond a border fence, with 65% of