Part 1
Homelessness in Alaska is one of the major social problems which related to the people's condition without any regular private shelter or house. In the contemporary years of depressive prosperity in the US, a majority of the individuals are enjoying their joyful lives, better health and wealth, however, there is a group of people who are hungry and lack houses 1 . Based on a study Homelessness Counts that was done by the National Alliance to end homeless in the years 2007, it was indicated that establishment of 2005 baselines for measuring progress was the right move to fight homelessness 2 . Statistics have shown that the US and other regions globally have severe homeless 3 . The problem is currently considered a global issue that has called the need to come up with strategies to address it. The problem of homeless has become vast where about 100 million people globally were homeless in 2005. Poverty is a major contributing factor that results in increased rates of homeless in the US and across the world. The primary cause of homelessness is increased industrialization, the racial inequalities, natural disasters and medical problems.
Experts have indicated that there are two distinct types of homelessness including, chronic and periodic. The chronic homeless tend to have long lasting impact to the society. In the recent years, there was about 124, 000 chronically homeless population in one month in the year 2007. In comparison to the US population currently, 306, 134, 045, it implies only a particular portion of the people in the US; however, it gives a warning that even in the most developed states with the advanced capitalist economy there is the homeless problem 4 . The majority of the chronic homeless people are associated with mental illness and drug abuse. The local and the national government have tried to come up with initiatives that have established affordable houses for the unemployed. In addition to this, the unemployed access the unemployment income that goes to pay for their house rent which has significantly helped in reducing homelessness in the US. Supportive housing has further been established to offer necessities to the homeless individuals.
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Part 2: Letter
Dear Governor,
I am Vick a resident of Alaska and I would like bring to your notice about the increased rates of homelessness which has become a major issue affecting the local community. A vast number of the citizens tend to spend their night in the shelter for the homeless people while others are seen in places not conducive for human accommodation. Due to increased homelessness rates in the society, there are increased violent crimes, theft and drug abuse which has compromised the security level.
It is true that homelessness is not a contemporary issue in the US but emerged in the American society around 1640 5 . In the early years, the concept of homeless was closely related to the moral issue and obligation, and the homeless people had to visit town to town with the aim of proving their worth, however, in the recent years, it has become more of a social problem 6 . Homelessness is further traced back to the industrial revolution around 1820 that cause the massive migration of people from rural to urban areas hence resulting in increased rates of homelessness because of job searchers and to earn a living.
Studies have shown that there is an inextricable connection between health and homelessness. Arguably, health problems might cause an individual's homelessness and exacerbate by experience. Housing is critical to address the health needs of the local people experiencing homelessness 7 . The primary causes that result to homelessness are grouped into personal, structural, and homeless peoples own causes. The main reasons that people leave their families include the family and peer pressure to leave, loss of their contemporary dwelling and violence at home. Homelessness is further associated with increased risks such as lack of personal security and privacy, lack of facilities for hygiene, lack food, cannot access education and cannot get employed.
Homelessness has been shown to be a major social problem to the entire population. The following are possible solutions to address the problem. Rapid Re-housing is suitable to eliminate homelessness. The policy enables the homeless people to get a permanent house in addition to critical support services to maintain the home. Transitional housing is also sufficient to address the homeless problem where they are endowed with impermanent housing for the particular audience of the entire homeless population. The target population, in this case, includes the working class who seem to be on the verge of setting up to change their residence into an enduring and inexpensive housing.
Bibliography
"Homelessness -- Thinking Globally, Acting Locally". 2017. Huffpost . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/homelessness-thinking-globally- acting-locally_b_1450679.html.
Folsom, David P., William Hawthorne, Laurie Lindamer, Todd Gilmer, Anne Bailey, Shahrokh Golshan, Piedad Garcia, Jürgen Unützer, Richard Hough, and Dilip V. Jeste. "Prevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system." American Journal of Psychiatry 162, no. 2 (2005): 370- 376.
Sosin, Michael R. "Explaining adult homelessness in the US by stratification or situation." Journal of community & applied social psychology 13, no. 2 (2003): 91-104.
Tompsett, Carolyn J., Paul A. Toro, Melissa Guzicki, Natascha Schlienz, Marc Blume, and Sylvie Lombardo. "Homelessness in the US and Germany: a cross ‐ national analysis." Journal of community & applied social psychology 13, no. 3 (2003): 240- 257.
1 "Homelessness -- Thinking Globally, Acting Locally". 2017. Huffpost . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/homelessness-thinking-globally-acting- locally_b_1450679.html.
2 Tompsett, Carolyn J., Paul A. Toro, Melissa Guzicki, Natascha Schlienz, Marc Blume, and Sylvie Lombardo. "Homelessness in the US and Germany: a cross ‐ national analysis." Journal of community & applied social psychology 13, no. 3 (2003): 240-
3 Folsom, David P., William Hawthorne, Laurie Lindamer, Todd Gilmer, Anne Bailey, Shahrokh Golshan, Piedad Garcia, Jürgen Unützer, Richard Hough, and Dilip V. Jeste. "Prevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system." American Journal of Psychiatry 162, no. 2 (2005): 370- 376.
4 " Homelessness -- Thinking Globally, Acting Locally". 2017. Huffpost . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/homelessness-thinking-globally- acting-locally_b_1450679.html.
5 Sosin, Michael R. "Explaining adult homelessness in the US by stratification or situation." Journal of community & applied social psychology 13, no. 2 (2003): 91-104.
6 Folsom, David P., William Hawthorne, Laurie Lindamer, Todd Gilmer, Anne Bailey, Shahrokh Golshan, Piedad Garcia, Jürgen Unützer, Richard Hough, and Dilip V. Jeste. "Prevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system." American Journal of Psychiatry 162, no. 2 (2005): 370- 376.
7 Sosin, Michael R. "Explaining adult homelessness in the US by stratification or situation." Journal of community & applied social psychology 13, no. 2 (2003): 91-104.
