Homelessness: Human Services Issues

Lack of affordable housing has been a human services issue facing most American families for the longest time. Many of these citizens are often exposed to the elements on a daily basis, causing devastating effects for the most vulnerable in the community, such as the children and the mentally ill. Whether these individuals live in tents, cardboard boxes, deserted buildings, cars, or on the streets, homelessness is a consequential issue in the country and distresses a huge number of Americans each year. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty indicates that approximately three and a half million Americans undergo some form of homelessness each year; more than 1.35 million of these individuals are children (Sparks, 2017). According to Sparks (2017), twenty-six percent of America’s homeless community is mentally ill while, 13 percent are physically disabled. In addition, nineteen percent of homeless people suffered domestic violence that drove them to the streets and 13 percent are veterans of the United States military. Furthermore, homeless individuals in most American cities exceed the number of shelters and transitional facilities accessible. Conceivably the most surprising of all is the fact that more than 15 percent of homeless individuals are actually employed. 

The aspects that cause homelessness include poverty, substance abuse, relationship breakdown, poor mental health and domestic abuse (Ravenhill, 2016). According to Ravenhill (2016), poverty is an underlying issue for most forms of homelessness. For example, individuals living below the poverty line are unable to afford essential needs. In addition, work and income play a significant role in causing poverty (Ravenhill, 2016). Most people living below the poverty line are unemployed or underemployed. The underemployed work below their skill level or are work fewer hours than they would like. There are also instances where one individual works in a family, but they still live below the poverty line, hence failing to meet their basic needs. In addition, the lack of affordable housing is a structural factor that causes homelessness; there is a critical shortage of safe and affordable housing in the United States. Most families and individuals in the United States spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing (Ravenhill, 2016). Individuals who are more at risk of living in poverty include individuals who are unemployed, single individuals over the age of 65, people reliant on government aid, and single-parent families. According to Ravenhill (2016), domestic violence is a secondary cause of homelessness in the United States; most survivors are often isolated from support by their abusers. As a result, these victims may lack a stable income, credit history, employment history, and landlord references. Domestic violence often causes its victims to suffer from depression, substance abuse, anxiety and panic disorder (Ravenhill, 2016). Consequently, victims of domestic violence often require short-term and long-term housing needs; in the first instance, they require safe housing from the abuser and eventually require stable and affordable housing. Breakdown of relationships between family members and partners is among the top causes of homelessness (Ravenhill, 2016). Divorce between married partners often leaves a spouse homeless; in most instances, it is the father but in others, it is the mother and children. Breakdown of relationships often occurs when a member of the family comes out as gay (Ravenhill, 2016). When other family members are intolerant of the gay family member a breakdown of relationship occurs and consequently homelessness. 

Substance abuse is the main cause of homelessness; addiction often disrupts relationships with friends and families and contributes to job loss (Sparks, 2017). People already struggling with unemployment and poverty often lose their housing after the onset of an addiction. Substance abuse reduces an individual’s ability to achieve employment that consequently leads to stable housing. In other instances, substance abuse is actually a consequence of homelessness rather than a root cause. Homeless individuals often resort to drugs such as alcohol to cope with their issues. Individuals with drug issues and mental health issues undergo more hurdles in recovery. Most of the programs available for homeless individuals do not admit people with substance abuse issues while most programs for substance abusers do not allow homeless people (Sparks, 2017). 

Mental issues often deter an individual’s capacity to fulfill normal aspects of daily life such as household management and self-care. Mental health issues also deter individuals from establishing and sustaining steady relationships. Misinterpretation of other individuals’ guidance might cause irrational reactions often pushing away friends, families, and caregivers forcing these individuals to be homeless. Individuals with mental health issues are more likely to become homeless than other individuals. 

The common myth that human trafficking only happens on foreign soil is completely untrue; the painful truths is that human trafficking is the most prevalent and fastest growing criminal industries in the United States (Wright, 2017). Most trafficking victims are often involved in prostitution if they fail to comply with their traffickers’ rules they end up homeless in the streets. Additionally, homeless people and particularly children are more susceptible to trafficking since they are lured by the promise of food, warmth, housing, or affection. Once they are preyed on from the streets, these victims are sold to the highest bidder hence destroying their sense of dignity and innocence. 

Historical roots of homelessness 

Albert Einstein once said that the significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them (Ravenhill, 2016). Homelessness cannot be solved with the same ideas since the root issues have evolved. The four definite durations of homelessness include; the colonial period, urbanization, industrialization, the Great Depression and the contemporary period. The issue of homelessness is not new in America; in fact, it dates back to the settling of colonists. The first arrival of the homeless individuals came from the English society and they included vagrants, criminals, mentally ill people and wandering homeless. These individuals were intended to increase the populations in the new colonies such as the United States. Criminals in England were often offered passage to America as an alternative to imprisonment. These practices by colonists increased America’s potential to experience homelessness crisis (Wright, 2017). These new arrivals were ill-equipped for survival in America and therefore ended up on the streets. As the colonies became independent they executed laws to maintain order and generate revenue. Most welfare practices were modeled on the English poor laws; they included a cash assistance known as “outdoor relief”. The colonists believed that they had a right to refuse aid to outsiders, therefore, leading to the practice of “warning out”. The practice of “warning out” involved issuing newcomers with notices to move elsewhere, therefore, forcing them to search for aid elsewhere. As more settlements were established, chaos erupted resulting in an Indian uprising known as King Philip’s War. The war was one of the biggest causes of homelessness in colonial America. As time went on, there was an upsurge of homeless people during the urbanization period. However, railroads and telegraphs were also introduced during this period, and mill factories and mines provided some sort of job security (Ravenhill, 2016). The government responded to homelessness and the housing crisis by creating strict vagrancy laws. The housing crisis significantly decreased during the Civil War but then rises in the following economic depressions. Post-Civil War, freed slaves were supposed to be allocated land but only one percent received the allotment. The situation created a gap in homeownership, where 27 percent more whites had homes than African Americans (Sparks, 2017). Institutionalized racism became a key cause of homelessness. The United States government had failed to honor most promises with Native Americans and placed them in reservations. In addition, lack of adequate resources and chances for better lives was also a main cause of homelessness. During the Great Depression, homelessness increased significantly; 25 percent of Americans were unemployed. Most families were always migrating in search of work; additionally, migrant workers from the drought-stricken Midwestern states increased the number of homeless people. The government created programs that helped most of the white citizens acquire homes; however, African-Americans were regarded as credit risks and not granted loans. The main causes of depression during the Great Depression were economic instability and immigration (Sparks, 2017). The contemporary period refers to the1980s to present day. Homelessness continued to rise and was no longer limited to the unemployed populations. Most employed homeless individuals ended up on the streets due to insufficient compensation and the rise in the cost of living. 

Policies that Address Homelessness in the United States and Canada 

In 2017, Bergen County in New Jersey declared the end of chronic homelessness. The reason behind their success is the $11 million facility where the homeless residents in the county can reside while they receive treatment and housing assistance (Walker, 2017). The one-stop facility is a housing first policy; the approach has been successful in ending homelessness in most states. The Housing First policy dictates that individuals are housed first while receiving assistance instead of requiring them to be sober or employed before they are given shelter. The policy has proven successful in helping individuals stay housed for the long term. On the national level, the Housing First policy has recorded considerable gains; by January 2014 chronically homeless individuals living in the streets numbered 84,291 and their number has decreased by 21 percent since 2010 (Walker, 2017). However, despite its gains, the policy needs more funding since the number of low-income housing has fallen considerably. The government needs to increase funding to build more low-income housing, and transitional housing for the individuals already living on the streets (Walker, 2017). 

In Canada, the Housing Partnering Strategy is responsible for addressing the housing crisis and homelessness (Employment and Social Development of Canada, 2018). The Housing Partnering Strategy is a distinct community-based program aimed at counteracting and minimizing homelessness in Prince George, Canada. The HPS aims at providing support and funding to more than 60 specific communities in all provinces (Employment and Social Development of Canada, 2018). The HPS promotes community efforts that provide communities with the freedom to invest in proven programs that reduce homelessness at all levels. The objectives of the program are achieved through three regional funding streams; aboriginal homeless, particular communities, rural and remote homeless communities. The streams focus on providing the needs of the homeless and people at risk of homelessness at the local level. Additionally, the HPS helps homeless individuals acquire part-time and full-time employment and maintain stable housing. The three national funding streams, Innovative Solutions to Homelessness, Surplus Federal Real Property Initiative and the National Homelessness Information System support the establishment of innovative approaches to addressing homelessness Employment and Social Development of Canada, 2018). The funding streams achieve this through data collection and by providing organizations with federal facilities that they can use to solve the crises. 

References 

Employment and Social Development of Canada. (February 23, 2018). Government of Canada takes action to address homelessness in Prince George, British Columbia. Retrieved from https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-takes-action-to-address-homelessness-in-prince-george-british-columbia-674980803.html 

Ravenhill, M. (2016).  The culture of homelessness . Routledge. 

Sparks, T. (2017). Neutralizing Homelessness, 2015: Tent cities and ten year plans.  Urban Geography ,  38 (3), 348-356. 

Wright, J. (2017).  Address unknown: The homeless in America . Routledge. 

Walker, A. (April 4, 2017). Cities are taking a new approach to homelessness. Retrieved from https://www.curbed.com/2017/4/4/15112866/homeless-affordable-housing-crisis-hud