This is a research paper for English 102 but I'm confident that I am struggling in a few categories which would be obvious length, quotes/statistics used and I feel as though the paper could flow better with some adjustments. Anything additional tips of revisions that you believe should be made or taken into consideration would be greatly appreciated.
Homelessness within the United States
By not addressing the population within our country's walls that go day in and day out without a roof over their heads, we are not truly putting our citizens first. It is detrimental to society's advancement that as a nation the issue of how to prevent homelessness as well as help save those who currently are homeless is rectified. There have been many solutions ushered forth by local governments across the country but many of these responses bore a negative implication or simply reaped very poor results across the board as well as some cases not being performed to the extent as the government promised. To try at rectifying the growing homeless population, one needs to understand what the leading causes of homelessness are before it can be resolved. At the root of this malicious demon lay several major contributors to the growth which cover a lack of viable income, mental health or substance abuse problems as well as a non-existent source of affordable housing for the public.
Studies depict a strong relationship linking those who are homeless with the familiar topic of a not having access to a high enough income. "After paying their rent and utilities, 75% of ELI households end up with less than half of their income left to pay for necessities such as food, medicine, transportation, or childcare" (NLCHP 2015). The lack of monetary support from work places many people in a position where they are forced to decide what necessity in life is more important. Renters appear to be at a high risk of becoming homeless as explained here by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, "approximately 40% of families facing eviction due to foreclosure are renters; the problem may continue to worsen as renters represent a rising segment of the U.S. population" (NLCHP 2015). The rising issue pertaining to a viable income is something many people have faced but it is an adversary best laid to rest.
There have been attempts at rectifying the issue plaguing the average household when discussing their financial situations. Across the country there have been countless wage increases to provide the populations with greater income but with these increases to their monetary income, the prices of everything around go on the rise as well. This can pose a great threat to solving the problems hindering people below the poverty line in America. This is not to say that there aren't ways to help lessen the damage dealt by weak incomes. This can be started by aiding the children who grow up within the confines of these lower income neighborhoods. "Children who escape to neighborhoods with better schools, less crime, and more jobs by age 12 outperform siblings who were moved when they were older, and the effect is greater when a child moves at age 6 or younger" (Anft 2018). This explains that the children who manage to remove themselves from the negative influences that often come with lower income areas are more likely to succeed in life in turn decreasing the likelihood of them becoming future members of the homeless population. This is not the only means to aiding in the rectification of this contributing factor, through the reworks of programs for support America can help reduce the pressures that befall those who must decide between food and home. "Address food insecurity and nutrition-related health problems more effectively through the Food Stamp Program" (Bane). By providing a rework of the Food Stamp program more people who genuinely need the help may be capable of receiving it without the pressure that comes in some cases from needing to make an already unlivable wage just to qualify for the benefits.
Tied closely to the lack of viable income is the almost nonexistent, affordable housing within the walls of the United States. The diminishing availability of lower income housing breaths life into the life changing decision between a home or food on the table. As stated before, there have been increases to wages made repeatedly but its not enough. "Wages have fallen so far behind housing costs (in New York, for instance, you'd need at least an hourly wage of $27.29 to comfortably rent a one-bedroom, but the median is just over $20) that many Americans are now forced to spend nearly half their income on rent-far over the 30% deemed reasonable" (Anzilotti 2017). In other cases where the issue is not just the raw cost of the home, the next hurdle is making enough money to squirm through the application process for renting a place when many home rentals require anywhere from three times the rent to as much as five. This standard strips people of the opportunity to even get into a home in many situations even if they could muster the hardships of going without other necessities; if willing to. "An estimated 11 million families in the U.S. now pay more than half their income on rent, a number that has grown steadily as the supply of affordable housing shrinks" (Fessler 2018). The decline in affordable housing runs alongside the higher demand than there are homes available for rent which helps drive prices higher; in turn making them out of reach to even more people. One cannot expect the homeless populations to decline if finding a home, with a job, becomes no longer feasible.
Projects have been launched to aid in the production of affordable housing. Some complexes require a maximum income just to live within their homes, helping protect cheaper living from the people who may not need the lower income housing. "Granny flats" are stand-alone units on single family lots, typically equipped with a bedroom, kitchen, a bathroom and a separate entrance" (Samuels 2014). Housed by single families that are provided with permits so long as they meet the housing criteria needed. This functions as a symbiotic relationship between those who need a place of residence and the family opening their "second house" to them. While the "Granny Flats" concept has a nice setting, its not the most feasible method for aiding in the improvement of the affordable housing situation. Another route proposed by Samuels is to "reduce the number of exemptions from inclusionary zoning laws" (Samuels 2014). This would include removing the loopholes around the units of affordable living required per housing district. "In the District, these exemptions - for buildings with fewer than 10 units and certain neighborhoods that have historic designations, or other building restrictions - have led to a development pipeline that includes 89 projects, representing more than 26,000 units, not a single one affordable" (Samuels 2014) As Samuels explains, there is a wide variety of ways for builders and agencies to get around the required affordable units which by redressing these exemptions to exclude qualifiers such as complex/unit size it could forcefully create more cost efficient homes that the lower income households can reasonably fund.
In other instances of homelessness, some people believe that mental health and substance abuse are two separate contributors to homelessness, while they both can be, there is a close relationship shown to link the two together when discussing people that are without a home. In some cases, it operates much like National Coalition for the Homeless explains, "Addictive disorders disrupt relationships with family and friends and often cause people to lose their jobs" (National Coalition for the Homeless). This disruption between them and loved ones can trickle down and through the rest of their life. Substance abuse is something that should not be trifled with, but it can result in the loss of jobs which leads to the inevitable inability to pay bills. "A 2008 survey by the United States Conference of Mayors asked 25 cities for their top three causes of homelessness. Substance abuse was the single largest cause of homelessness for single adults (reported by 68% of cities). Substance abuse was also mentioned by 12% of cities as one of the top three causes of homelessness for families" (National Coalition for the Homeless). As the surveys depict, substance abuse, be it alcohol or drugs, is at the root of homelessness for many people but for those who suffer from a mental illness that was left untreated find themselves seeking other methods to cope with their problems and this is where the chain that shackles these two causes together comes from. In addition to struggling with both internal conflicts, homeless people who suffer from them face a new world of hardships in comparison to their sober or otherwise mentally healthy companions. "Homeless people with both substance disorders and mental illness experience additional obstacles to recovery, such as increased risk for violence and victimization and frequent cycling between the streets, jails, and emergency rooms" (Fisher and Roget, 2009)(National Coalition for the Homeless). Not only do they face these obstacles in all walks of their respective paths, the help that people believe should be sought after in programs is an entirely new beast of its own. "Sadly, these people are often unable to find treatment facilities that will help them. Many programs for homeless people with mental illnesses do not accept people with substance abuse disorders, and many programs for homeless substance abusers do not treat people with mental illnesses" (National Coalition for the Homeless).
Victims of mental illness and substance abuse needed to be approach in tandem with one another when attempting to rectify this portion of the homeless crisis. Without a joint effort placed forth into both simultaneously there will be no easy way of resolving it. "In addition to housing, supported housing programs offer services such as mental health treatment, physical health care, education and employment opportunities, peer support, and daily living and money management skills training" (National Coalition for the Homeless). Not only does this approach address the two linked issues being spoken of, it targets every major issue the homeless struggle through on their pathway towards rebuilding their lives. Without a stable environment to receive treatment and education, the public cannot expect this situation to resolve itself. "The integration of mental health services and homeless services with these potential access points is key to meeting these individuals where they are and not inhibiting their path to success" (BitFocus 2017).
When the dust settles there is nothing more to be seen than a clear problem within the United States that needs to be addressed. Many obstacles stand between a nation free of homeless and one overrun by them, but without dedicating the funds promised by governments or large financial supporters it becomes more difficult. Where money will not follow, policies need to be reworked and programs should be modified to ensure people that they have the best chance at a life after becoming homeless. This is not to say that many steps have not been taken to try and rectify this growing issue but by first understanding the leading causes of homelessness we can better understand the solutions that need to be put into place. Spread across financial hardships, expensive living and a fury of mental/substance problems, these leading causes of homelessness need to be properly and committedly addressed for there to be any hope of solving this American crisis that we have so quietly slipped into.
Work Cited
Anft, Michael. "How to Change the Story About Growing Up Poor In America." CityLab
Anzilotti, Eillie. "America's Affordable Housing Crisis Is Driving Its Homelessness Crisis." Fast Company
Bane, Mary J. "Poverty Reduction Strategies for the US." Brookings.edu, Harvard Kennedy School
Fessler, Pam. "Why Affordable Housing Could Become Harder To Find." NPR
"Homelessness in America: Overview of Data and Causes." Nlchp.org, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
"Mental Illness and Homelessness: 3 Ways Communities Can Help." Bitfocus, Inc.
Samuels, Robert. "Six Possible Solutions to the Affordable Housing Crisis." The Washington Post, WP Company