How to End Homelessness?

Homelessness is a complex social and public health phenomenon that is beyond the lack of a place to live in. The absence of a permanent shelter inhibits access to the most basic needs such as food, water, and health services. The United Nations describes the lack of shelter as an inhumane violation of fundamental rights and the degradation of the security and freedom of a human being. Homeless people are likely to be exposed to dangerous and unhygienic conditions that reduce their quality of life. The homeless are highly susceptible to injuries and extreme weather events, which cause adverse health effects such as chronic infectious diseases, skin problems, and dental problems (Boston University School of Public Health, 2016). Homeless people also experience extreme social disadvantage, which increases the likelihood of their generations being homeless and adopting coping mechanisms such as theft, prostitution, and drug trade. Children who grow up in these conditions are likely to develop mental health and behavioral disorders. Therefore, nations must address this issue and find long-term solutions to eliminate it finally. 

The definitions of homelessness are categorized into four by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, 2017). They include: 

1. “People who reside in places not fit for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily lived. 

2. People who are losing their primary nighttime housing within 14 days, including a motel or hotel or a doubled-up situation and lack the resources or support networks to have a residence. 

3. Households with children or unaccompanied youth who lack a permanent residence and are likely to be unstably housed for a while. 

4. People who are fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, have no alternative residence, and lack the resources or support networks to obtain permanent shelter.” 

Homelessness can also be defined by its severity as chronic, intermittent, and crisis or transitional homelessness. Most homeless people can find shelter at temporary or emergency shelters, navigation centers, or informal or unsanctioned encampments. 

Objectives 

The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the factors that catalyze homelessness, determine some of the most effective ways of eliminating it, and review the significant debates that shape the policy decisions that affect homeless people. 

Causes of Homelessness 

Homelessness is caused by the interaction of complex factors at the individual, relational, community, and societal levels. It is linked to various social-economic conditions such as poverty, lack of primary education and training, criminal justice system interaction, drug and alcohol addiction, non-conforming gender and sexual identity, disruptive personal experiences such as divorce, unemployment and low levels of income, and barriers to housing and social support (Mabhala et al., 2017). People with mental illness, physical illness, or criminal convictions are more vulnerable to homelessness since they have difficulty finding employment to sustain themselves financially. Most adolescents struggling with their sexual identity made up the higher proportion of those who sought help for emotional distress. 

Data to support that Homelessness is a Challenge is a Problem 

Despite being one of the wealthiest nations, the number of homeless people in the United States keeps increasing year after year due to economic and demographic fluctuations. It is challenging to estimate the number of homeless people since homelessness can take various forms. Collecting quantitative data for the extent of homelessness is a controversial topic as most policy-making institutions tend to underestimate the number to keep the issue manageable. At the same time, organizations that support homeless people overestimate to ensure the problem gets the attention it deserves. Despite being a tedious and tasking activity, data collection of the homeless is essential to help policymakers understand the homeless and develop and monitor policies that tackle it. To ensure that the number of homeless people is reduced, data on homeless households and the number of people threatened by homelessness has to be collected to determine how to provide them with sustainable accommodation or ensure they are not left homeless. Most organizations use the HUD’s Point in Time (PIT) count to determine the number of homeless individuals. The PIT count has two significant objectives: conducting an unduplicated population count that meets the HUD criteria of homelessness and capturing demographic characteristics and the risk factors related to homelessness. 

The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that the number of homeless people in 1984 in the United States ranged from 200,000 to 300,000. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimate, between 2.3 and 3.5 million people experience homelessness in America (Fulton et al., 2010). Another count in January 2019 identified 567,715 homeless people on a single night (Shneider, 2020). Most homeless people congregate in cities and urban areas in search of better economic opportunities and access to facilities for the homeless. They depend on shelters and soup kitchens that are run by the government and private donors to survive. Due to inadequate funding by the government and a lack of private donors, most homeless people sleep on the streets or in their cars. The current government programs are inherently flawed, making shelters challenging to keep up with the increasing demand. 

The State of Homelessness in Colorado 

Like other cities, Colorado does have some problems with homelessness. In addition to having detrimental effects on the homeless people themselves, they affect the surrounding communities. According to the Auraria library (2020), Colorado had a total homeless population of 10,940 on a given night in 2017. The family households estimated to be homeless were 993, while the rate of homelessness per 100,000 populations was 197. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health (2017), Colorado had the third-largest percent increase in homelessness nationally in 2016. Out of the 10,550 homeless population in 2016, 7,611 were sheltered, while 2,939 were unsheltered. The homeless population comprises families with children, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically ill individuals. It was also observed that people of color make up most of the homeless population despite being the minority population in Colorado. A large percentage of the population was made up of men as opposed to women and children. Another study carried out in 2019 found that Colorado had the highest number of homeless people in rural areas (Kafer, 2021). The rural homeless population is one of the most underserved populations as traditional sheltering options such as emergency shelter options are not available. 

According to Western Slope now (2021), Denver has the No.38 highest rate of homelessness among the cities in the USA. The figures rose as a result of the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. By July 2020, Denver’s homeless population had increased from 3,631 to 4,171 people in one night, with more than 100 tents and tarp shelters being set up in downtown Denver. Homelessness negatively impacts Colorado’s economic and environmental capabilities. Homeless people often require publicly-funded services and institutions. For example, the city and county of Denver spend nearly half a billion dollars every year on shelters, health care, and supportive services for homeless people within the Metro Denver area (Dickhoner & Valis, 2021). This is proof of the high price cities pays to tackle homelessness. 

Colorado struggles to address homelessness due to the high cost of housing combined with the high cost of living, creating an untenable situation for many families. For example, the cost of housing in Denver has skyrocketed while the average household income for many families remains constant (Zubrzycki, 2018). A 2016 study found that Colorado tenants spend over 30% of their pre-tax income to cover their rent leaving less than $ 1000 for other day-to-day expenses for those earning a minimum wage (Colorado Department of Public Health, 2017). Families living in constant poverty are unable to own homes. The landlord-tenant laws in Colorado are more favorable to the tenants. A bill drafted to ensure that landlords provide tenants with a month-to-month notice before requiring them to vacate failed to amass enough support at the state legislature. The Coronavirus pandemic affected the incomes of so many Colorado residents, which in turn spiked up the rate of evictions. By June 1, 2020, more than 800 eviction cases were filed in courts by landlords (Kenney, 2020).In Denver, homeless people surged to 1700 people per night, with informal encampments set up even during the day. 

The shelters available are not enough to accommodate the surging homeless population. Some of them prefer to live in their cars or motels. Homeless families are also reluctant to go to shelters out of fear that they will be separated from their children. Motels have also become unaffordable as property values continue rising in Denver. 

How the Colorado Government and Organizations are Addressing Homelessness 

The state of Colorado is in both the assessment and intervention stages of addressing the issue of homelessness (Quinton, 2021). The city of Denver shelters the majority of the homeless people in Colorado. In 2005, the leadership of the town of Denver led by Mayor John Hickenlooper announced a ten-year plan to end homelessness. The Denver program, which was rolled out in 2016, has successfully housed over 280 struggling people, which has had a ripple effect on state spending on police, jail, ambulance, and detox services (Dickhoner & Strohm,2021). Since then, not-for-profit organizations and private citizens have partnered with government entities to tackle the issue of homelessness in Denver. One of the ten-year programs is the Denver Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond Initiative, run by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, a collaboration between the city and private investors. The investors buy bonds from the city to raise funds to provide affordable housing for homeless people who had encounters with the police. The investors were to be paid back with interest as the participants gained financial stability. Beneficiaries of the program were selected randomly from a list generated by the Denver Police Department. The list was then passed over to The Urban Institute, a Washington Think Tank that shortlisted 724 individuals from the total 4000. The 724 individuals were then split into two,361 for a control group that would receive the regular services as the rest of the community and 363 who would receive extra support that included housing, counseling, and health care services that would enable them fully transition into independent housing. Out of the 363 who received additional support, 285 of them successfully transitioned into permanent housing. The program also reduced homeless people's encounters with the police, funding for detox programs, and shelter visits which are long-term benefits of reducing homelessness. 

Also, the Denver police department has an internal team that collaborates with other city agencies to keep the homeless population safe. The Homeless Outreach Team of the police department has developed a mechanism to handle encampment enforcement to ensure it is not treated as criminal or unlawful behavior. Over time the ‘Early Intervention Team’ has transitioned into the Department of Public Health and Environment from the Department of Public Safety to handle public urination, trespassing, unauthorized camping, and obstruction of walkways. 

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Parks and Recreation invest in initiatives that help tackle homelessness. One of the most significant initiatives is the Wellness Winnie which provides equitable behavioral health and support services to homeless and housed individuals. Their collaboration with DOTI ensures that the public space is cleaned and sanitized through their encampment clean-up programs. The Denver Health department also provides uncompensated care to the homeless population. 

The City of Denver recently passed the Homelessness Resolution Fund and the Caring for Denver Initiative to support services and housing for the homeless population. The function of the Homelessness Resolution Fund is to provide shelter and other essential services to the homeless population. Although the Caring for Denver initiative offers grants to organizations that address mental health and substance abuse, some of the organizations that have been allocated funds actively deal with homeless individuals. 

In 2018, the Colorado Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, started constructing permanent shelters for homeless Veterans in Aurora (Denver post). 

When the Covid -19 pandemic erupted, it presented unprecedented policy challenges. Homeless people were at greater risk of contracting the virus. The City of Denver had to find ways to manage the increase in the homeless population effectively. They converted the National Western Complex, which had unused space, into a temporary shelter. 

Having no source of income or an unstable income is a key driving factor of homelessness. Re-employment has been found to increase the psychiatric morbidity of homeless individuals. Long term employment increases their chances of attaining stable housing. Therefore, states need to invest in employment and training programs that target homeless individuals. Most available programs connect individuals to long-term work programs complemented by a housing strategy and other additional services that ensure a smooth transition into permanent housing. The Denver Day Works Pilot Program by the City of Denver provides at least 90 days of work experience for homeless people to seek permanent employment. 

Homeward Pikes Peaks (HPP) attends to the needs of homeless individuals dealing with substance abuse who reside in Colorado Springs by offering them recovery and housing services. Their program has the Housing First Program, Harbor House Residential Program, and Harbor House Clinic Program (Colorado Department of Public Health, 2017). Housing First is designed to provide vouchers for apartments and management of mental health and substance abuse for homeless individuals and their families. The Harbor House Residential Program is designed to help homeless people struggling with substance abuse live sober in a shelter that can house up to 30 people. The Harbor House Clinic is similar to the residential program only in that it offers outpatient substance abuse treatment with a focus on pregnant women and women with dependent children. 

Neighbor to Neighbor is an organization that started in 1970 when neighbors united to prevent a large family from evicting. The initiative morphed into a not-for-profit organization that prevents homelessness in Larimer County by assisting families in getting affordable housing and becoming self-sufficient to maintain the state of homeownership (Colorado Department of Public Health, 2017). The Rural areas of Colorado have smaller budgets for homeless people, which prompted the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless to create the Rural Initiatives Program referred to as the Continuum of Care that runs seven rehousing programs, a transitional housing program, and rapid growth rehousing programs and a permanent supportive housing program. 

Improvements that can be made to Tackle Homelessness in Colorado 

Most Colorado City Governments have enacted legislation that criminalizes homelessness. Law enforcement agencies enforce ordinances that target homeless people. Camping, begging and panhandling, loitering, storage of belongings in public spaces, sleeping in public spaces, trespass, and sanitation are some activities for which homeless individuals are penalized (Adcock et al., 2016). This enforcement is not only inhumane but also perpetuates the cycles of poverty. Most homeless people lack the financial capacity to pay fines, which leads to jail time, inhibits their future ability to obtain secure housing, permanent employment, and reduces their chances of pursuing education or any form of training. Some alternatives have worked more effectively to reduce homelessness, such as the housing first programs, rapid re-housing, and recovery courts. These methods save both taxpayers money and significantly improve the lives of homeless individuals and the surrounding communities. Getting homeless individuals to shelter as quickly as possible helps them deal with the other underlying issues such as substance abuse, mental health issues, and illnesses better. Despite being very expensive, research has proven its long-term benefits to both the economy and its effectiveness in ending homelessness. 

Conclusion 

Homelessness is a severe social problem whose extent and seriousness have not been addressed accordingly. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed its costly effect on human life, economic competitiveness, and health. Research must be carried out to inform policy changes that will effectively eliminate homelessness. Future Research Areas that would assist in ending Homelessness in the future include; 

Many studies have proven the effectiveness of permanent supportive housing for homeless people. However, there is little focus on individuals and families with high service needs, which models effectively ensure they transition into stable housing, and how to deal with neighborhood opposition to permanent supportive housing models. While poverty and lack of affordable housing are key factors that contribute to homelessness across all populations, it is essential to determine the specific needs of these populations. 

Various HUD studies have found it challenging to determine which households are under the threat of homelessness. Future research needs to find methodologies that effectively predict the threat of homelessness to enable policymakers to come up with prevention programs against homelessness. Data on households that double up or have shared arrangements is essential in pinpointing a probability of homelessness occurring. It is also important to determine the impact of such arrangements and homelessness on the education of children and adolescents. 

Homelessness is highly correlated to service systems such as foster care, military service, and the criminal justice systems. There exists a gap in research in identifying the risk factors for these groups of people and how to effectively connect them to housing. 

The termination policy laws on homelessness in different states have both positive and negative effects. Most of these laws criminalize homelessness with the intention of managing the adverse economic and environmental effects homelessness has on cities. However, most of these laws do not factor in the socio-economic factors that lead to homelessness and the effect implanting the laws has on homeless people. For example, in 2012, the Denver City Council passed an ordinance referred to as the camping ban. When the police arrest those who are found occupying public spaces, they respond by either taking them to jail or the hospital. In the long run, this approach is ineffective in curbing homelessness. A cost-benefit analysis of these laws is essential to adequately inform law enforcers, lawmakers, and community leaders on how to effectively enact laws that affect homeless people and how to connect individuals to the appropriate services. 

References 

Adcock, R., et al. (2016).  Too high a price: What criminalizing homelessness means in Colorado . University of Denver.  https://www.law.du.edu/documents/homeless-advocacy-policy-project/2-16-16-Final-Report.pdf 

Auraria Library. (2020, November 25).  Research guides: Homelessness: The homeless in Colorado . Research Guides at Auraria Library (UCD, MSCD, CCD).  https://guides.auraria.edu/homeless/colorado 

Boston University School of Public Health. (2016).  Homelessness, its consequences, and its causes | SPH . Boston University.  https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles/2016/homelessness-its-consequences-and-its-causes/ 

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. (2017).  Homelessness and health . Denver: State of Colorado. Retrieved 12 October 2021, from https://cdphe.colorado.gov/sites/cdphe/files/PSD_SDOH_Homelessness_long.pdf 

Dickhoner, B., & Valis, L. (2021).  The Economic Footprint of Homelessness in Metro Denver | Common Sense Institute . Common Sense Institute. Retrieved 12 October 2021, from https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/the-economic-footprint-of-homelessness-in-metro-denver/ . 

Dickhoner, B., & Strohm, K. (2021).  PERSPECTIVE: We can do better to tackle homelessness . Colorado Springs News, Sports & Business | Colorado Springs Gazette, News.  https://gazette.com/opinion/perspective-we-can-do-better-to-tackle-homelessness/article_63044c6a-faae-11eb-a0ca-6b412e8ffd95.html 

Fulton, M., et al (2010).  A study of homelessness  [Unpublished undergraduate dissertation]. Worcester Polytechnic Institute. https://web.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-031610-141453/unrestricted/A_Study_of_Homelessness.pdf 

Goodison, S et al., (2020). The Law Enforcement Response to Homelessness: Identifying High-Priority Needs to Improve Law Enforcement Strategies for Addressing Homelessness. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved 12 October 2021, from 

Hernandez, E. (2018, December 18).  Colorado singled out in federal report for high number of homeless families with children compared to other states . The Denver Post.  https://www.denverpost.com/2018/12/17/colorado-homeless-families-hud-federal-report/ 

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA108-6.html . 

  https://www.westernslopenow.com/colorado-news/new-study-colorado-has-no-11-highest-rate-of-homelessness-in-the-nation 

Kafer, K. (2021, July 6).  Kafer: We need tough love for those living on the streets . The Denver Post.  https://www.denverpost.com/2021/07/06/kafer-we-need-tough-love-for-those-living-on-the-streets/ 

Kenney, A. (2020, July 13).  Coronavirus homelessness has already hit Colorado . Colorado Public Radio.  https://www.cpr.org/2020/07/13/covid-19-homelessness-has-already-hit-colorado-she-was-one-of-the-first/ 

Mabhala, M., Yohannes, A., & Griffith, M. (2017). Social conditions of becoming homelessness: qualitative analysis of life stories of homeless peoples.  International Journal For Equity In Health ,  16 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-017-0646-3 

Quinton, S. (2021, August 12).  How Denver tackled homelessness while saving money . The Pew Charitable Trusts | The Pew Charitable Trusts.  https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/08/12/how-denver-tackled-homelessness-while-saving-money 

Shneider, B. (2020, July 6).  Bloomberg . Bloomberg - Are you a robot?.  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-07-06/why-is-homelessness-such-a-problem-in-u-s-cities 

Western Slope Now. (2021).  New study: Colorado has No. 11 highest rate of homelessness in the nation .WesternSlopeNow.com. 

Zubrzycki, J. (2018, July 27).  Colorado sees surge in child homelessness . Colorado Trust.  https://www.coloradotrust.org/content/story/colorado-sees-surge-child-homelessness