Why Are People Homeless? / Summary and Thoughts

The article "Why Are People Homeless", published by the National Coalition for the Homeless in July 2009, has given a wider picture upon why homelessness is being one of the major concerns in the United States. Several poverty and housing statistics have been given in order to represent the two severe factors - the increasing shortage of affordable rental housing and the increase in poverty that are contributing to the rising amount of homelessness. This is very true as the linkage between poverty and homelessness has long been inseparable. Poor people often struggle to own permanent accommodations and unable to afford for sufficient food, childcare, health services and education. This, together with the rise in rental costs have forced many families to make difficult choices in which housing is given up in order to prolong the limited resources of other basic needs. Besides that, the plummet of both the nation's and world's economy has reduced work opportunities and caused wage decline, leading to fall incomes and making low-income workers more prone to being homeless. Another crucial factor, which is the effect of globalization and its reduction in manufacturing jobs of the secondary sector and expansion in the higher-skilled service sector, has left these workers unemployed and poor. Moreover, the inconsistency progress of many support groups such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) due to policy change and inflation have contributed to the decline in public assistance. This has diminished the amount of Government-funded cash for supporting the poor, hence causing these people to struggle with affording medical care, food and especially, housing. The demand for assisted housing and federal support for low-income housing have, hence, increased which exceeded the capability of the Government. This has left tons of people homeless or housed by inadequate shelters or poor housing arrangements. Other factors such as domestic violence, mental illness and addiction disorders, which have either forced people to choose to be homeless or disabled them from obtaining access to supportive housing and treatment services were also investigated in the article.

According to the article, homelessness can result from a very complex combination of circumstances where choices between food, shelter, healthcare and education are required to be made. In my opinion, people often have no control over the driving force of poverty and sometimes need to entirely rely on the help and support of the Government and society. It is almost impossible to avoid the fluctuation of economies and their inevitable effects related to declines in job opportunities and wages problems, which frequently lead to unemployment and hence, homelessness. However, other factors such as domestic violence or addiction which we can be completely aware of and have the control over should not be one of the reasons of homelessness. Personally, i think this article, besides addressing the main causes of homelessness which mainly associate with economic and political aspects, also helps everybody recognize the fact that homelessness can be reduced by staying conscious and living healthily.