Category: Homelessness

Raising the Minimum Wage as a Way to Solve the Social Crisis of Homelessness

Becoming homeless is something that can happen to anyone, in any point of their lives. It has always been around, seeing beggars and people camped out on the streets was a common think, something you didn’t have to take a second look at. But lately it’s become more apparent due to more news coverage on conflicts that have happening more often within communities on how to resolve the amount of homelessness being seen. Homelessness is inevitable, it will continue to exist, but the question many people are trying to figure out is how can we as a society lessen or even, which precautions can be taken to prevent it from happening to an individual. Homelessness has been surging the past few years due to several reasons, but if there is one best way to solve the social crisis of homelessness, it is this: our society must be willing to pay people a living wage.

In the debate of what is causing the rise in homelessness, there are three perspectives: low minimum wage leads to homelessness, homelessness is caused by not having enough affordable housing, and homelessness is caused by having a drug addiction. On a more common yet reasonable end, a great amount of people has tried to fight for raising the minimum wage which is standing at 7.25 per hour. Minimum wage alone is argued to not be substantial enough to support one person. As shown in a report conducted by ‘Out of Reach 2019’, it shows that in order to be able to afford a modest apartment in your state, the lowest minimum wage would have to be 15.00 per hour and highest being above 20.00 per hour. 15.00 per hour is of double the set minimum wage currently. While others argue that a lack of affordable housing for low income earning people are becoming scarce due to a rise in rent, that in turn is the cause for an increase in homelessness. When working a full-time job and needing to have a side job just to get you by on rent, it raises a high probability in becoming homeless considering an individual would have other responsibilities as well, such as family, school, etc. A real estate listings database called Zillow, conducted research that found communities can expect an increase in homelessness when “people spend more than 32% of their income on rent” (Glynn, Casey). This idea is assumed that wages and salaries would go up at the same rate, but in many places that is no longer the case. On the opposite end of the argument, drug abuse is introduced as a cause that ties in with becoming homeless and staying homeless due to the inability to keep a stable housing. In the journal, ‘Recovery and Homeless Services: New Directions for the Field’, research shows that over a third of individuals who are homeless experience alcohol and drug problems (e.g., Gillis, Dickerson, & Hanson, 2010) and according to the article, ‘Drug Use Disorders and Treatment Contact Among Homeless Adults in Alameda County, California’, two-thirds have a history of alcohol or drug disorder (Robertson, Zlotnick, & Westerfelt, 1997). This being true, when people have a drug addiction, it renders their behavioral and cognitive choices to be able to obtain a job or keep stable housing for themselves. Although drug abuse is a contributing factor, it makes a small percentage of the overall conversation.

States should consider raising their minimum wages to match the rise in rents, this will help lessen the risks of people falling into homelessness so easily. Due to people not getting paid enough to meet the costs of housing and utilities, this in turn, have not only constrained lots of individuals to become homeless, but also put them at risk for becoming homeless. The first cause, that has created affordable housing shortage, is that housing costs are outpacing wages. In the article, ‘Wage Versus Home Price Growth’, it reveals how “in the last six years home prices increased 47% while wages rose 1%” (Evangelou). Statistics have shown that even the normal working person that clocks in 40 hours a week can only afford a one bedroom is 28 states. Considering working full time already can only get you a one bedroom, just imagine someone who needs more than just a bedroom for their family and how much they would have to work just to be able to afford that.

In reference to how the minimum wage is not significant enough to support families, in the article, ‘What It’s Like Trying to Live on Minimum Wage – It’s a ‘Constant Struggle’’, it showcases the struggles of a single mother of six who is a minimum wage earner in Kansas City, Missouri. Dougleshia Nicholson reveals that one of her six sons has asthma and being that, sometimes required her to make a trip to the hospital. Nicholson’s employer, Church’s Chicken, does not offer paid leave and sadly, she can’t afford to miss a working day due to how much she gets paid. She stressed how she eventually would have to pick what is more important at the moment, and what is the best decision. Nicholson “makes $8.60 an hour, $1.35 more than the federal minimum wage, thanks to a recent state increase, she says it’s still not enough money to get by”. Since Nicholson does not make much with minimum wage, she has had no choice but to rely on her family and government for assistance. There are many people like Nicholson where they are earning the minimum wage and trying to support a family at the same time. She is one of the lucky few, who have extra support from family and the government, but even then, she still is short some cash for transportation to and from work. She stated a very relatable point that most people who have the same struggle feel, “You can be doing everything right and it’s still not enough” (Leonhardt).

In addition, homelessness can sometimes suddenly happen or it can happen subtly. Whether a person gets evicted or they were already living in poverty struggling to make ends meet, economists seem to believe that raising the minimum wage will decrease poverty which in turn leads to a lesser probability of becoming homeless. In the paper, ‘Minimum Wages and the Distribution of Family Incomes’, Arindrajit Dube utilizes information from the latest minimum wage statistics and finds an adverse relationship between minimum wage and poverty. Raising the minimum wage by 10% would be able to reduce the number of people living in poverty by 2.4% (Dube, 2017). That is a significant increase in the quality of life, being able to decrease the number of people in poverty, slows the chance of them falling victim to being homeless.

Some readers believe that substance abuse is the main cause of homelessness, substance abuse just makes a small contributing percentage. Homeless activists are first to use substance abuse as one of the causes of the inflating numbers of the homeless. As supported by the National Coalition for the Homeless, the United States Conference of Mayors conducted a survey in 2008 asking 25 cities for their top causes of homelessness. Research showed that substance abuse being one of the “largest causes of homelessness for single adults (reported by 68% of the cities)”. I could see how substance abuse is one of the leading factors of homelessness, taking into consideration that having an addiction to drugs can often cause one to lose their identity and in turn will eventually lead to them losing sight of their priorities.

Although substance abuse is not out of the question, I disagree with it being one of the main causes. I believe a large cause of homelessness is the minimum wage being insufficient to be able to afford decent housing. A research study claims that nowhere in the U.S. could a person acquire a two-bedroom apartment when they “clock in 40 hours a week” and only in “28 of the country’s counties can a 40-hour-a-week minimum wage worker afford a one-bedroom” (Holder). This shows how inadequate minimum wage is when it comes to trying to obtain decent housing not including other bills as well.

Increasing the minimum wage to a living wage is not something a lot of people agree with though. There are lots of bad stereotypes surrounding raising the minimum wage. Raising minimum wage encourages consumer spending and helps the economy grow. In addition, lower unemployment and higher wages would increase tax revenues and when workers earn a higher wage, they are less likely to depend on governmental ‘safety net’ programs. All these pros are substantial reasons to consider raising the minimum wage to a living wage because at the end of the day it is more than a living wage, “A living wage is an antidepressant. It is a sleep aid. A diet. A stress reliever” (Desmond).

Homelessness and Unemployment: Essay

550,000 people are homeless in the United States. That is more than just a statistic. That is 550,000 Americans just like me and you. That is 550,000 people who are struggling to survive. That is 550,000 people who we drive by every day and assure ourselves that they are not our problems. That they did this to themselves. We could be helping, but we choose not to, and that is actually a big problem. What are the causes of this absurd number of helpless and vulnerable people? If we look it up on the Internet, they will tell us that unemployment, poverty, mental illness, and substance abuse are the causes. So in this paper, I am going to talk about one of them, unemployment.

Unemployment is a huge problem in today’s society, especially during the current Covid-19 pandemic. So many people are on the streets. So many people are struggling to pay their bills. In a way, unemployment is a pandemic in itself. Unemployment and homelessness are always going to be linked together. Without permanent and reliable work and income, the likelihood of a person ending up homeless is inevitably increased. So many people losing their jobs is leading to an ever-increasing number of homeless. As of August, there are 13.6 million people in the United States without a job. Think about that for a second. To put that in perspective, that would be over half of Florida without a job. To add to the above statements, according to unemployment statistics, 13.6 million people cannot pay their bills. That is an absurd number.

You are probably saying that they are not trying to change. They should just go find a new job. It is not that easy. First of all, the pandemic is making jobs a lot harder to find. If you cannot find a job, you probably are not going to be able to pay the bills. If you cannot pay the bills, you will not be able to live in your home anymore. You are now on the streets. It is a chain reaction, and it is a huge problem.

Thus, unemployment is obviously one of the main reasons for such a massive problem of homelessness in the modern world. I believe it can be prevented. First of all, we should stop being too selfish and preoccupied with our own problems because we can help change someone’s life for the better.

Unemployment and Homelessness Essay

Introduction

Ruggiero (2008) defines thinking as a mental activity that we have some influence or control over. This is apparent when looking at the situation in which a driver is only driving while he keeps the steering wheel in his hands and monitors vehicle motions. Therefore the practice is only formulated if directed in the minds of individuals. This does not mean, though, that thought should always be done in a positive mood. Evidence demonstrates that subconscious and involuntary thought can produce great effects as well. He also said that the formal definition of thought is any cognitive practice to leads to formulating and addressing a problem, making a decision, or satisfying a desire to understand.

To address a problem or issue effectively, it is necessary to know the facts and grasp the associated values and concepts. Actual knowledge is something already known whereas in most cases, not only is the individual faced with the problem unaware of their solutions, but they are also brand new and designed to meet a specific issue. A person must have both practical know-how and good thinking skills to be an effective problem solver (Kantilal and Espira, 2017).

Problem resolution is a set of techniques that can be used in a variety of areas or areas to produce solutions, both cognitively and behaviourally (Kantilal & Espira, 2017). In general, solving problems involves a series of steps from identifying a problem that leads to a solution creation. The resolution of a problem can be viewed as an organized, directional system. When deciding the course of the solution, however, first the problem must be identified and the intended target and improvements that we want must be pursued (Kantilal & Espira, 2017).

Based on the case given, I got married last year and after had my first child, a problem struck as my spouse’s company is downsizing and will be closed down soon, it also means that my spouse will lose his job once the company is shut down. I as a full-time house maker have not earned any income for the family. In addition, my family and I have to move out of the house we are currently staying because it is paid for by my spouse’s company. There are two objectives to be achieved from the case given which is:

• Get a house to stay as soon as possible.
• Get a job for myself and my spouse.

Analysis of problem(s) / issue(s)

Based on the case study, there are few problems or issues have been identified as follows:

Unemployment

It has been stated that my spouse’s company is downsizing and will be closed down next month. This means that my spouse will be losing their current job due to the company’s shutdown and at the same time, I as a full-time housewife am not earning any income and do not have any jobs for now. Jobs are an important component of life as they give rise to wealth, prestige, identification, social relationships, the nature of time, and meaning (Kalil, 2005). Job losses tend to eliminate these incentives as part of a company’s downsizing and restructuring (Kalil, 2005). On the other hand, insecure and inadequate employment restricts the economic resources of the households and especially the revenues needed to obtain the essential resources and products that are important for sustainable growth (e.g. education, accommodation, water, healthy, cognitively enhanced learning environments). Unstable jobs and unemployment leads to psychological suffering and stress.

Homeless

Based on the case given, my family and I will have to move out of the current house as the house is paid for by my spouse’s company which will be shut down soon. Hence, we can no longer stay in that house. There is no place we can go and we will be homeless if we can’t find a house as soon as possible. The issues that might arise due to this problem the food insecurity for my child, and the health of my child will be affected and endanger the children’s health. Homelessness is particularly detrimental to youth and can impact life opportunities. Starting life in temporary shelters can impact access to universal health care, such as immunization, and temporary shelters with higher disease or injury rates. The cost of moving, processing, and purchasing new items, increased cost of travel, and limited access to services and housing are present in local areas, particularly medical requirements are the additional costs associated with homelessness (Leng. 2017).

Financial Crisis

On the other hand, financial crisis is also one of the issues identified. This is due to the loss of my job of my spouse, where there is no income for the upcoming month, at the same time there are no extra earnings as I am unemployed. This situation will affect the household expenses. Due to the economic hardship estimates, we have had to delay the purchasing of household goods (e.g., health insurance, replacement of breakage mechanics or equipment), have had to cut living standards, borrow for monthly bills, and/or are unable to pay Increased levels of anxiety are strongly related (Davis & Mantler, 2004).

Application of the four stages in problem-solving

Problem solving as a whole requires several steps from identifying a problem to finding a solution. Problems can be perceived as an organized, directed system. We have to define the solution direction, however, first, and then the desired aim or the changes that we would like to see (Kantilal & Espira, 2017). The steps involved are as bellow:

• Recognising and Defining a Problem
• Finding Possible Solutions
• Selecting the Best Solution
• Implementing the Solution

As for the case given, determination of the solution to the problems and issues can be done using the stages in problem-saving as follows:

Recognizing and Defining a Problem

• Recognising Problem 1: It has been stated that my spouse’s company is downsizing and will be closed down next month. This means that my spouse will be losing their current job due to the company’s shutdown and at the same time, I as a full-time housewife am not earning any income and do not have any jobs for now.
  • Defining Problem: Unemployment
  • Finding Possible Solutions
  • Both of us apply for a short-term job.
  • Apply for work Online or offline.
  • Connect with our network.
  • Contact Recruiters.
• Selecting the Best Solution As this problem occurred, getting a job is important to cover the finances for the upcoming days. Hence I and my spouse have to apply for a short-term job including jobs that the wages per day meanwhile applying for a better income permanent job. At the same time, I am not able to apply for an outdoor job as I have to take care of my child at home, hence I will focus on applying for jobs that need to work online or offline (home-based) so that I can focus on taking caring of my child and my job at the same time. My spouse will be applying for jobs in all the ways as suggested in the possible solutions.
• Best solution chosen: Hence, for this problem of unemployment issue, I and my spouse will implement all the solutions suggested
• Implementing the Solution
  • Application for the short-term job: This can be done by seeking part-time vacancies available in shopping marts, retail, and medical stores, or vacancies available as freelance (promoter, cashier, delivery, etc.)(Doyle,n.d.). The probability for my spouse to get a short-term is higher as he has experience working before.
  • Apply for work online or offline: As for this job, I have to apply for jobs like tutoring online, sales, and retail online (promoting goods via social media). For example, Seattle-based Amazon is one of the companies most commonly associated with jobs from home. Jobs are (Rose, n.d.) available mostly on a full-time basis. Current positions available include sales, advertising, account management, human resources, business and merchant development, operations, IT and support engineering, facilities, maintenance and real estate, and customer service.
  • Connect with your network. This is a good time to connect with our network. Use my spouse and my college alumni network, and professional and personal networks to help our job search. Seek the connections to let us know if they come across jobs that would be a good fit (Doyle, 2018).
  • Contact Recruiters. This action can be done by contacting all the available recruiters immediately with an updated resume for a better job. There is a limitation to this solution as the results of getting hired are not instant, time will be taken but the probability of getting hired is high as the recruiters will help to convince the employers to hire the candidates (Willoby, 2018).

Recognizing and Defining a Problem

• Recognising Problem 2: Based on the case given, my family and I will have to move out from the current house as the house is paid for by my spouse’s company which will be shut down soon. Hence, we can no longer stay in that house. There is no place we can go and we will be homeless if we can’t find a house as soon as possible.
  • Defining Problem: Homeless
  • Finding Possible Solutions
  • Temporary move to parent’s home
  • Get a rental house.
  • Get a rental room.
• Selecting the Best Solution
  • Temporary move to parent’s home: As for this solution, moving to parent’s house temporarily is the best solution as it can save the budget used until both of us get a job and save up money for a down payment on a house. The problem that could arise due to this solution is to increase the household expenses of our parents, but the issue can be solved by contributing some portion of expenses to them.
  • Get a rental house Getting a rental house is not an easy task, because the deposit and the rental will be high and it is difficult to afford as we are now facing unemployment and financial crisis. Hence this solution is not applicable for now, it can be done after both of us have a stable job and stable income to pay the rental.
  • Get a rental room. Getting a rental room is much easier than getting a rental house because the cost is much lower for deposits and monthly payments. This solution also is not suitable for the situation now, because we have to save money for our other daily expenses like food and for our child’s medical costs and child care. Thus, it is better to save the money used to rent for expenses and emergency use.
• Best solution chosen: The best solution for this problem is moving to our parents’ house temporarily meanwhile both of us get a job, and find a low-cost rental room.
• Implementing the Solution
  • Temporary move to parent’s home: Inform our parents earlier for them to do preparation and we’ve had to agree to make it more organized for our family which will help us navigate home while retaining autonomy. The agreement will explain any expenses to which we are expected to contribute, for example, a lower lease price, a portion of the food bill or utilities, or domestic duties that they want you to provide during your stay (Caldwell, 2019). We should have an exit strategy in place before we both get in with our family. Have a particular date or objective that determines when we move out to explain that after we have saved enough to deposit a rental house, we are moving out (Caldwell, 2019).

Recognizing and Defining a Problem

• Recognising Problem: This is due to the job loss of my spouse, where there is no income for the upcoming month, at the same time there is no extra earnings as I myself am unemployed.
• Defining Problem: Financial Crisis
• Finding Possible Solutions
  • Get a personal loan.
  • Getting reparation from the company ( IF GIVEN)
  • Get a welfare assistance
• Selecting the Best Solution
  • Get a personal loan This can be done by applying personal loan like Aeon Credit, but this may only make the problem worse where it can also come with high interest rates and a new monthly payment. These extra payments will extend the timeline of the financial hardship. At the same time, it is difficult for the loan to get approved as one of the requirements to apply loan is to have a minimum RM 3000.00 income per month.
  • Getting reparation from the company (IF GIVEN) Reparation will be given to my spouse as he is losing his current job due to the shutdown of the company. The amount of reparation can be used to cover the expenses needed while both of us get a job or the amount can be used as the down payment to rent a house.
  • Get welfare assistance As for this solution, there is some program from the government which is giving financial aid to housewives.
  • Use of money in savings Use the money saved in the bank previously for household expenses and bill payment while getting at least a temporary job for living.
• Best solution chosen: The solutions to overcome the financial crisis are I will apply for welfare assistance for housewives and we will use the savings temporarily. If my spouse gets his reparation from his company, my spouse and I will be using the money received as a backup for emergency financial use. If there is no reparation given, the solution to use it as a backup is ignored.
• Implementing the Solution
  • Get welfare assistance I will apply for welfare assistance for financial aid sponsored by the government to housewives. Hence with the amount of financial aid received, we could able to use it for daily use.
  • Use of money in savings Withdrawal of the previous savings in the bank for the use of bill payments, and daily expenses.

Relation to the evidence-driven decision-making cycle

The steps of the Evidence-driven Decision-making Cycle can be grouped into three main stages. We will now explore these stages in brief by looking at the steps inherent in every stage based on the case given above.

Stage 1:

Trigger: The case indicates my spouse’s company is downsizing and will be closed next month, and at the same time we have to move out of the house as it is paid by the company.

Explore data: It can be known that process triggered leads to job loss for my spouse, no home for the family to stay and a financial crisis.

Question:

How to get employed after the job loss to survive?

Where to move and stay?

How to overcome the financial crisis?

Stage 2:

Assembly:

Jobs available online/ offline, short-term job vacancies available, and networks that could help in job job-seeking process.

Parents’ house for temporary stay, rental house/room

Availability on loan application and financial assistance, available amounts of savings.

Analysis:

These companies online are available for vacancies, there are people to reach for job seeking, and job vacancies platforms are available online

The rental house/room is expensive and a down payment is needed

There are loans, and financial assistance available

Interpret: It can be concluded that for the problem of unemployment, job seeking is needed to survive financial problems by applying for all the possible pathways via online, offline, and also short-term jobs. Besides it can be concluded that moving into your parents’ house saves more money and cuts costs rather than renting a house. At the same time, it can be seen that financial aid from agencies and the government do help with extra expenses and living.

Stage 3:

Intervene: To solve the problems of unemployment, homelessness, and also the financial crisis faced, applications for jobs online and offline have to be done including contacting recruiters and accepting short-term vacancies that give daily wages for living and daily expenses. Besides, moving into my parents’ house temporarily to avoid extra expenses on a rental house and also apply for welfare assistance through government agencies and used previous savings meanwhile, the finances were stable.

Evaluate: The decision made is good as it can solve the problems faced which is getting a job as soon as possible, accommodation is guaranteed and financial issues are covered.

Reflect: Based on the case, it can be reflected that saving is important for emergency use and always having a backup plan.

Conclusions

The importance of having the ability to think well can only be appreciated when an individual is faced with various situations in his life where the circumstances require skills like analyzing, solving problems, and making the correct decisions. Book At times, a problem can manifest itself in different ways. An example is a situation where we see ourselves in conflict with where we are at present and where we want to be. When we can identify the difference between the situation we are in at present and the situation we desire, we can define the problem, which we can thereafter attempt to resolve to achieve our goal. BOOK There are four stages involved in problem-solving in order to focus on the process of attaining the solution rather than the solution itself. Besides, the decision-making process can be always related to the Evidence-Driven Decision Making Cycle to make effective and correct decisions. Thus, one needs to have good thinking skills for problem-solving and decision-making.

References

1. Caldwell, M. (2019, June). Moving Back in With Your Parents? Here’s a 7-Step Survival Guide. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from https://www.thebalance.com/a-guide- to-moving-in-with-your-parents-2386043.
2. Davis, C., & Mantler, J. (2004). The Consequences of Financial Stress for Individuals, Families, and Society. The Consequences of Financial Stress for Individuals, Families, and Society (pp. 1–28). Ottawa: Doyle Salewski Inc.
3. Doyle, A. (n.d.). Easiest Part-Time Jobs to Boost Your Income. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/part-time-jobs-to-boost- income-4126475.
4. Doyle, A. (2018, April 26). What to Do When You Lose Your Job. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://www.careertoolbelt.com/top-20-things-to-do-if-you-lose-your-job/.
5. Kalil, A. (2005, August). Unemployment and Job Displacement: The Impact on Families and Children. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/unemployment-and-job-displacement-the-impact-on-families-and-children/.
6. Kantilal, H. K., & Espira, A. (2017). SBFS1103 Thinking Skills And Problem Solving. Open University Malaysia.
7. Leng, G. (2017). The Impact on Health of Homelessness. The Impact on Health Of Homelessness. Local Government Association. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://www.feantsa.org/download/22-7-health-and-homelessness_v07_web 0023035125951538681212.pdf
8. Rose, J. (n.d.). The 10 Best Jobs Working From Home. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jrose/2019/01/22/work-from- home-jobs-from-remote/#2a6d380928f4
9. Ruggiero. V. R. (2008). The art of thinking: A guide to critical and creative thought
10. (9th Ed.). Essex, UK: Longman Publishing Group.
11. Willoby, S. (2018, December 4). You Just Lost Your Job… Here’s What to Do Next. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://medium.com/swlh/you-just-lost-your- job-heres-what-to-do-next-f48bc2f1db49.

Navigating Homelessness in New Hampshire and Beyond

Homelessness in New Hampshire

For my research paper, I have chosen the topic of homelessness. More specifically, the homeless problem in the state of New Hampshire and the issues that are currently unresolved regarding the matter. I’ve always found it alarming that although we live in one of the richest countries in the world, homelessness and poverty continue to be a very legitimate issues. I am aiming to get a comprehensive picture of what is being offered to the homeless in our area and country at this time. Prior to learning more about how our state and country are dealing with this issue, I have always been sure there are things that we could be doing differently. I aim to identify some areas of improvement on this topic by gathering as much information as possible.

Discrepancies in Addressing the Issue

Through doing a small amount of research thus far, I stumbled upon an interesting fact. In the early to late 2000s, there were several calls to arms to end homelessness on a state and national level. Despite the fact that these calls to arms were made and presumably some sort of an action plan was put into place, the number of homeless has increased. (Kenny). It seems as though an important factor that will need to be touched upon is money. After all, money is at the root of what this issue and its lack of an easy solution comes down to.

Someone who is developing a housing complex would generally prefer to turn them into apartments for rent-paying customers rather than voluntarily turning them into shelters for the homeless. What it may come down to is that people who have the capital to do such things are generally unwilling to volunteer their money and resources for such a cause. Perhaps we may need to be allocating more tax dollars to this effort.

Likely, there would be many taxpayers upset by this concept, but it is certainly an idea. I did, however, come upon some interesting info, “Cost studies have demonstrated that it is more expensive to keep people on the streets, incurring the high costs of crisis intervention, emergency room health care, and revolving-door intervention programs than it is to provide permanent supported housing that produces much better outcomes.” With this knowledge, it makes you want to take a deeper look at the real reasons why we have yet to make much-needed improvements on this issue.

Underlying Causes and Solutions

Off the top of my head, I am aware that two major causes of homelessness are mental illness and substance abuse. Being that these factors are a root cause of homelessness for many people, I believe it is necessary to provide the homeless with help regarding these areas, which could, in turn, help get them back on their feet. This would once again cost money, but if the help that is being provided to the homeless is effective, it could prevent the continuous costs that were mentioned in the quote I provided earlier.

Personal Reflection and Action

After putting some thought into this issue and its need for improvement, it made me consider what I could possibly do to help aid this matter. A couple of years back, I was required to volunteer at a soup kitchen when I was at a drug and alcohol treatment center in New Haven, Connecticut. The homeless problem there is very abundant, but from what I saw, there were a good number of soup kitchens located throughout the city. Nevertheless, it seems like we need to be doing more to tackle the root of the problem. It felt good to be helping out there, and it is definitely something I would like to revisit in the near future.

Works Cited

1. Kenny, Jack. “The Nagging Problem of Homelessness in New Hampshire.” New Hampshire Business Review, 2018, www.nhbr.com/March-16-2018/Homeless-in-New-Hampshire/.

Reforming Homelessness: A Comprehensive Approach to Addressing Mental Health

The Depth of Homelessness and Untreated Mental Illness

Homelessness plagues the streets of every urban area in the United States; many of these people have health issues that have been left untreated. “Approximately one-third of the total homeless population includes individuals with serious, untreated mental illnesses according to a research summary compiled by the Treatment Advocacy Center” (Treatment Advocacy Center). With a lack of government and community assistance, how are these people supposed to re-establish themselves as members of society?

The Decline in Mental Health Support

This is not a new issue, years of neglect have caused a plethora of issues that all need to be addressed:

A 2017 analysis of psychiatric inpatient capacity by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) detailed a 77.4 percent decline in psychiatric beds since 1970. Similarly, my organization found that state psychiatric hospital beds are now at their lowest level since the 1850s, with less than 12 such beds per 100,000 population nationally.

With advances in medicine, more educated doctors, access to statistics, insurance, and government officials that have ways of helping these individuals, something must change. Fellow citizens are willing to help those caught in this situation. The logic behind not providing more assistance is we are saving money, and our taxes should be used to fund other things, such as roads. However, it is much more expensive to deny help to those that need it.

Local Initiatives in Addressing Homelessness

Though officials believe that they are saving money by releasing patients from mental hospitals, there is a significant cost to the patient and to society at large. “In 2001, a University of Pennsylvania study that examined 5,000 homeless people with mental illnesses in New York City found that they cost taxpayers an average of $40,500 a year for their use of emergency rooms, psychiatric hospitals, shelters, and prisons.

This doesn’t just affect those that are homeless; their families and loved ones feel the impact and see the unfairness that has been allowed to happen:

Over the past 20 years, my organization, the Treatment Advocacy Center, has worked with more than 30 states to modernize their civil commitment standards to include factors beyond overt dangerousness. This reform effort gained vital advocacy support from families who had faced the nightmare of seeing an obviously ill loved one denied care simply because they had not yet become violent. As evidenced by these families’ experiences, demanding immediate evidence of danger delays the provision of care, often leading to unjustifiable deterioration and unnecessary criminalization. Mental health and other disabilities can be linked to homelessness; state and local governments must balance tax budgets to give assistance to those that are incapable of finding places to live.

As stated before, families don’t want to see their loved ones neglected. However, you don’t have to be related to someone in order to have sympathy for them. “This study measured Americans’ willingness to pay an additional $50 in taxes to improve health care and social services for individuals with serious mental illness”. Obviously, without government intervention, our taxes will not suddenly make a change and create ways to assist the homeless.

In some places, like Seattle, they are taking this problem head-on. “Create 15,000 units of affordable, workforce, and permanent supportive housing to move people off our streets and under a permanent roof”. This is simply the best solution; if people are homeless, create homes for them. The same principle is applied to the workforce; if people need work, they create jobs. It seems simple, but it is the way to go our solving it. This isn’t the most unique solution, but it still has the potential to assist a lot of people in their journey to making a life of their own. Seattle knows that you must not only address the current issue. They must also prevent the issue from getting worse, so they chose to take another step:

But the City of Seattle is deploying new and unprecedented resources in coordination with our partners at King County to make progress – from doing more to prevent people from falling into homelessness to building thousands of new affordable housing units to deploying new bridge housing and shelter units, picking up trash and waste. With faith in his citizens’ vitality, Seattle’s Mayor, Mark Leno, is willing to put in a huge amount of money to force change:

On December 18, 2017, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced more than $100 million in investments to build and preserve 1,450 affordable homes in neighborhoods across Seattle, including the construction of 896 new homes in nine new buildings. These Office of Housing investments represent a spectrum of different housing types for low-income residents, including permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness, apartments for low-income individuals and families, transit-oriented development, and homes for first-time homebuyers.¨

Naturally, not everyone can agree on a solution, no matter the problem. Higher taxes have always been, and likely always will be, opposed by the citizens paying them. In the words of Jeff Stein:

¨The abrupt reversal enraged some supporters of the ‘head’ tax, who argued that wealthy corporations in the city could afford to pay more to address homelessness. The measure, passed unanimously by the city council last month, levied a $275-per-employee tax on companies with at least $20 million in gross annual revenue.

Clearly, it is stated that the vote passed, but it didn’t come without backlash. Big businesses are established to make money, and if you tax them, they will oppose. The cost, besides the money, is that the rich will be slightly less rich. This does not outweigh the aid it will give. But even after the new revenue is becoming available, will the government use it correctly? Some people doubt that.

For example, Bruce Miller was quoted saying, ¨Bruce Miller, a Seattle resident since 1971, said he traditionally supported tax levies, but no longer will. “I feel like city government doesn’t understand and respect taxpayer dollars, and doesn’t take responsibility for them,” said Miller, to applause”. This is not the case with more money; local governments are using the money they are receiving to fund what they are saying they will fund. It is time to trust local governments with our money and allow them to provide for those that the citizens cannot.

Public Housing and Preventative Measures

Another approach to solving homelessness is to create public housing for people who can’t afford their own. Seattle is not the only major city battling homelessness. New York is also searching to find their own way of addressing this expanding issue. The city has been happy with the results of its new program and continues to expand it. So much so they are using their permanent housing as a way to prevent the further fall of those who were neglected. The Coalition for Homelessness says this: “Another proven solution developed in New York City and replicated nationwide is the “housing first” approach to street homelessness, which builds on the success of permanent supportive housing”.

The second alternative is to fight the problem before it happens. By having the housing, you can almost count on people still becoming homeless. So to prevent the issue from growing, they chose to help prevent addiction, help victims of abuse, and raise awareness of what really causes homelessness.

An organization known as “Raising the Roof” is helping to spread this message by saying, “Primary Prevention is an “upstream” approach that targets groups who are at risk of becoming homeless due to factors such as abuse, addiction, and unemployment. This model minimizes entry into homelessness by offering targeted awareness campaigns and support” (Raising the Roof). With these two methods combined, New York is on its way to pulling the homeless off the street and helping those in damaging environments to recover.

As great as it would be to be able to provide a house for someone until they can get back on their feet, there is no way to give every single person a house of their own. The mentally ill, drug addicts, alcoholics, and victims of abuse could potentially all be in the same house. Without much thought, red flags go up in a person’s mind, even those who need a place to live. Even those who support public housing are weary of it. “I’ve learned that many communities are still engaged in the so-called “Housing First’ debate.”

Communities continue to examine whether Housing First is the right way to address homelessness, saying things like, “We already have a Housing First program; we don’t need any more.” Or “One size doesn’t fit all. Housing First isn’t for everyone.” Or even, “It’s immoral and harmful to put people who drink into housing.” (Usich.gov). While it is a legitimate concern, it has been discussed and decided the benefit it would offer outweighs the danger. The housing would be supervised, would the residents would be encouraged to beat their addiction and become a functioning members of society.

The other two solutions show promise and have benefits of their own none of them would be possible without funding. As the saying goes: money doesn’t grow on trees, so a tax would have to be implemented to make these things possible. Funding this noble cause will not only benefit the city’s culture but will also help businesses by giving them employees to help them grow. The following quote still reigns true:
Though officials believe that they are saving money by releasing patients from mental hospitals, there is a significant cost to the patient and to society at large. “In 2001, a University of Pennsylvania study that examined 5,000 homeless people with mental illnesses in New York City found that they cost taxpayers an average of $40,500 a year for their use of emergency rooms, psychiatric hospitals, shelters, and prisons.

We must use our benefits to help those that lack the ability to help themselves. Without doing so, who is to say that you might have a mental breakdown, fall into addiction, and have nowhere else to turn? Essentially we are creating a safety net for ourselves while lifting those around us. The stereotype of homeless people, who are lazy and let themselves get there, is plaguing society; some people are just trying to get by and have a better future. They may have lacked the knowledge of what it truly took to reach their dreams, but why should we, the people reaching our dreams, not want others to succeed? Take this quote as your proof that not all homeless people are slackers:

The fact that our City sidewalks are home to families and children is unacceptable. In 2016 nearly 2,100 students in San Francisco were identified as homeless. These are children who are being educated in our schools during the day yet have no permanent place to call home at night to eat dinner, do homework, or rest. This must change. Not only must we do what we can to assist parents, but we must also focus on the impacts of homelessness on children and offer support services that meet students where they are and lift them up to where they can and should be” (Leno).

Our own students seeking and striving for education are left with little to no money and no place to sleep. How, as a society, can we allow them, who we encouraged to get a higher education, to fall into a broken system? A system that requires nearly perfect execution of loans, debts, and personal accounting to live in poverty. Join the movement, donate if you are not required by the tax, don’t judge those who have been forgotten, see them in a new light, and help them obtain what you have worked hard for. They will surprise you with what they are willing to do for another chance in the land of opportunity.

References:

1. Treatment Advocacy Center.
2. Leno, Mark.
3. Raising the Roof.

Exploring the Complex Issue of Homelessness in America: Unveiling the Shadows

Rising Homelessness Rates

Homelessness in America is snowballing for the first time in over a decade. The rate of homelessness is continuously growing by 0.7 percent, leaving roughly 553,742 Americans homeless. Conferring to the January Point-in-Time tally, the major subset of this latest statistic is of unaided children, accounting for roughly 15 percent of those who are displaced.

Underlying Causes and Solutions

There are numerous common reasons for homelessness, such as encumbering chronic health circumstances and domestic violence conditions. Nonetheless, the most noticeable cause of homelessness in America is, by far, that individuals cannot access housing that they can pay for. The National Alliance to End Homelessness acknowledges this circumstance and suggests numerous methods in which this prevalent issue can be deciphered. The most operative way out is a community effort to gather data on local regions and use that data to select the most valuable techniques in which to apportion funds, programs, and amenities.

Being homeless is not just a dearth of shelter; it is also living in perilous circumstances. The high cost of housing has put pressure on Americans fiscally; most families are repaying just about half of their salaries for housing. With the augmented amenities and programs such as Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these programs have moved their emphasis to more lasting housing resolutions for the homeless. With the $4.5 billion of federal subsidy allocated to homelessness, it will not answer the homeless subject in America because of a dearth of reasonable housing; it will aid in increasing assistance programs that are obtainable for those who require affordable housing.

Impact and Personal Stories

Homelessness is a severe problem that, as a nation, we ought to always be conscious of. Homelessness has no identity; it could affect an individual at any point and time in life. It is more than just not being in possession of shelter; those who are sheltered still face possible homelessness at some time in life. In order to drop the homeless population, homeless persons ought to be offered a place to live to have a healthier life. By having a safe place to call home, the homeless can feel protected and recognize they will not be in any sort of vulnerability.

Along with that, underprivileged persons can start to adjust to a new lifestyle that will hearten them to be sober from drugs or hunt for a job. These shelters can comprise small bed-sitters, like studio-size, a kitchen for the homeless to learn how to prepare meals for themselves, and a free clinic for drug testing to ensure the homeless keep on sober or get recommended medication. If homeless individuals live in a shelter, their lives will advance. By staying in a safe shelter, the homeless will increase their health and get themselves organized to hunt for a job.

Homelessness was at a record high from 2012 -2013; reports designate that families doubled and grew to about 7.7 million persons; this was an upsurge of 3.7 percent. With employment cuts and increased cost of medical insurance, a lot of individuals fiscally could not afford to sustain their rent or monthly premiums. According to an editorial authored by Magtalas, “3.5 million people experience homelessness in America each year, 610,042 people were homeless on a single night in January 2013, and 6,197 children are under the age of 18, homeless, and have no parent looking after them.”

The Homeless population continues to grow; the state of California, for instance, they have the highest number of homeless persons, 22 percent of its entire population is homeless, and that translates to 136,824 persons on the street with nowhere to stay. As shown from all this data, homelessness is very real, and it can affect anybody at any time during their lifetime. For some individuals, homelessness is a choice, but for a lot of individuals, homelessness is not.

Controversies Surrounding Homelessness

Numerous aspects bring about being homeless, such as job cuts, physical and mental incapacity, and different hardships, which could be subjective, and drug addiction can hasten people’s slide into poverty. The Homelessness in America website offers the statistics that are required to be acquainted with homelessness in America. The website displays how the homeless are susceptible to health dangers, violence, and aggravation by the police, and it takes up for the homeless by affirming, “homeless is not an intrinsic excellence of trait, and it is not connected with and precise identity.”

Even though some people may be opposed to supporting the homeless population, they contend it is not one’s obligation to aid individuals who may elect this way of life of being homeless. A number of homeless individuals elect to be poor and throw away assistance from good-intended persons and organizations. An individual holds liability if he or she chooses to use drugs and substances. At some point, these happenings may lead an individual to not having any money and resources due to drug usage or being unprepared to take care of a kid.

In supposition, the earnestness to shrivel the homeless population is great. Once the shelters are existent, the homeless persons will keep off the streets and enhance their lives. While living in the homeless accommodations, these individuals will obligate to achieve employment and continue living free from any dependence they may have. Not only will it advantage the lives of the homeless, but as well the community as a whole.

Works Cited

1. ‘Addiction: Homelessness linked to previous health problems.’ The Practitioner 28 May 2007: 27. General OneFile. Web. 30 January 2019.
2. Brinkerhoff, David B., Rose Weitz, and Suzanne T. Ortega. Essentials of Sociology. 9th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011. 160. Print.
3. Holden, Constance. “Homelessness: Experts Differ on Root Causes.” Science 232 (2012): 569. Gale Power Research. Web. 30 January 2019.
4. “Homelessness.” Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 30 January 2019.
5. The State Of Homelessness in America (2015) from National Alliance to End Homeless: http://endhomelessness.org/library/entry/the-state-of-homelessness-in-america-2015. Web. 30 January 2019.
6. Quigley, J. M., & Raphael, S., Magtalas M. Homelessness in America http://www.homelessnessinamerica.us/ Web. 30 January 2019.

Addressing Homelessness through Awareness, Support, and Change

Understanding Homelessness

Imagine feeling lost, having nowhere to go, and not having the funds to buy your next meal, including not bathing and wearing the same filthy clothes for weeks. You’re spending each night behind an abandoned building, a bench in a public park, or even a vacant house. As the sun rises, you awaken by the noisy traffic, car horns honking, and chatter from nearby people. When you get hungry, you beg for money to eat a cheap meal, but people pass by as if you don’t exist. Yes, this is the life of a homeless person. Homelessness is a critical issue that requires everyone’s attention. Due to the causes and effects, every adult’s responsibility is to contribute money and time to a homeless organization.

The Face of the Displaced

Everyone would agree with the saying ‘home sweet home.’ yet hundreds of homeless people in the world have no home of their own. We all have seen a homeless person’s possession in a plastic bag or shopping cart. Being homeless doesn’t discriminate. It consumes all ages, races, genders, and even those who were once wealthy—homeless means you can’t afford shelter or goods for basic needs of life. There are numerous reasons why a person becomes homeless, and a lack of education is one of the causes of becoming homeless.

If a person’s education level is low, it’s impossible to get a high-paying job to support themselves, which leads to the next cause of low income. Some people don’t make enough money to pay rent and buy necessities that could include clothes, personal hygiene items, food, and the list goes on. The final cause is unable to obtain a job. The homeless community includes ex-offenders who have paid their debt to society, yet they are without a job due to their criminal history and are left with nowhere to go.

Causes and Effects

When there are causes, there are also effects. An effect of being homeless is addiction to drugs. Homeless people are eager to escape the pain of reality by consuming illegal narcotics. Additionally, starvation is an effect since the poor have no job or even a low-paying job; they cannot provide food for themselves and their family. Lastly, Mental health issues are an effect. People with severe case of psychological problems are at a higher risk of becoming homeless. Homelessness hurts, and it can weigh heavily on the mind and heart. The feeling of worthlessness is embarrassing and prevents the homeless from seeking help.

Breaking Stereotypes and Providing Support

There are a lot of stigmas connected to the homeless that are difficult to overcome. We believe that homeless people choose to walk away from everything they once had to live a carefree life. However, that is far from the truth. Or Perhaps we think homeless people choose not to seek a job. Homeless people sought to find employment. Either it was a low-paying job, or they were denied because of their criminal background or education. The point is Homeless people are trying to make it in a world that requires high standards. Homeless people are phenomenal people; they just lack the knowledge and qualifications as those who do succeed in life.

If people become homeless as a repercussion of lack of education, going to jail/prison, and employment problems, should we not, as a society, make a more substantial effort to help these people in need? Homeless people with little to no source of income create an opportunity for crime, which we want to prevent. A way to avoid it is to offer genuine support to people before they find themselves homeless—for example, a family of ten family members who need food. There should be a 24/7 organization that helps in times like this situation. A family should know that there is at least one organization or program they can turn to.

Every adult should donate money and time to an organization that supports the homeless so they can continue to provide for those in need. Giving money to an organization is crucial because it allows the homeless to gain nutrition so they can grow physically and mentally. We should give to the less fortunate to change their lives for a brighter tomorrow.

References:

1. National Alliance to End Homelessness. Homelessness in America: Facts and Figures.
2. Cutler, D. M., & Lleras-Muney, A. Education and Health: Evaluating Theories and Evidence. National Bureau of Economic Research.
3. Koegel, P., Melamid, E., & Burnam, A. Childhood Risk Factors for Homelessness Among Homeless Adults. American Journal of Public Health, 84(9), 1446-1452.
4. Kertesz, S. G., McNeil, W., & Cash, J. J. Unmet Need for Medical Care and Safety Net Accessibility Among Birmingham’s Homeless. Journal of Urban Health, 81(3), 142-160.
5. Culhane, D. P., Metraux, S., & Hadley, T. Public Service Reductions Associated with Placement of Homeless Persons with Severe Mental Illness in Supportive Housing. Housing Policy Debate, 17(2), 357-380.

Exploring the Complex Web of Homelessness: Causes and Consequences

Understanding Homelessness Causes

Anyone on the planet can turn homeless due to a large number of different reasons and explanations. The principle of causation of homelessness can turn destructive. This is a common social issue with a variety of social factors, such as a lack of affording a household to be in. It’s important to protect homelessness because we live in a homeless region/area of the country, and it’s very common around the globe. The lack of affordable housing, public assistance, mismanagement, and mental illness is one of the main causes of homelessness in the US.

The Plight of the Homeless Community

This next homelessness topic starts off with the homeless community. The community of the homeless should have abundant resources provided, and the homeless should be taught and educated for job opportunities. Frederick Brown states that California is doing a poor job of sheltering the nation’s largest homeless population. The non-sheltered population also has an increased risk of exposure to diseases. www.scpr.org is a public radio station based in Pasadena, California. This is a member of the Public Radio in Southern California. “Los Angeles Police are for leads after a homeless couple was sprayed with acid in Devonwood, according to the police from the source. The quote/citation is important because “being sprayed with acid” is an example of assault and battery, which you can face charges for. An assault that was committed is a crime.

The Shelter Crisis

It’s important to care about this situation of non-sheltered homeless people because we as human beings want to prevent homelessness and provide them with shelters so they can be in a good spot with a good temperature. According to www.usnews.com Christopher Weber is referring to the 33,318 homeless people in Los Angeles who have no access to shelters at night and instead stay in vehicles, tents, and the streets. USnews.com, the website is an American media company that publishes news and articles about what’s going on. USnews.com is observing homelessness due to the number of homeless individuals there are in our country.

Cost vs. Benefit: Shelters and Housing Solutions

Shelters are certainly useful in that they provide beds and roofs to people who don’t have them, especially on cold and rainy nights where sleeping outside could be fatal for some. But shelters are incredibly expensive to operate. Nationally, the average monthly cost of serving a family in an emergency shelter is $4,819. Providing them with a voucher for housing, on the other hand, is just $1,162. Shelters might be good for emergencies, but does having a bed to sleep in mean that someone has a home?

References:

1. National Alliance to End Homelessness. Homelessness in America: Facts and Figures.
2. Brown, F. California’s Struggle with Sheltering the Homeless.
3. Los Angeles Police Investigate Acid Attack on Homeless Couple.
4. Weber, C. Homeless Population in Los Angeles: Lack of Shelter Access.