Essay Sample about Homelessness

Many people are to believe that homelessness just comes from lazy people unwilling wanting to work and get a better life which is not 100% true, there are many reasons why homelessness is still around,for example for the lack of affordable housing, unemployment, poverty, mental illness and the lack of need services.

4 causes of homelessness:

(3) poverty: Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education. Often it is housing, which absorbs a high proportion of income that must be dropped. According to the United States Census Bureau, the national poverty rate in 2016 was 12.7%. There were 40.6 million people in poverty. While the poverty rate has been slowly declining since 2014, a couple of factors account for continuing poverty: Lack of Employment Opportunities – With unemployment rates remaining high, jobs are hard to find in the current economy. Even if people can find work, this does not automatically provide an escape from poverty

(2) unemployment: 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. Losing a job, or even dealing with a drastic cut in hours or wages, can lead to significant hardships for families and individuals. This can be an extremely tough pill to swallow, and if people have nowhere else to turn, they often times end up without a place to stay.

(1) lack of affordable housing: When housing supply does not meet demand, prices increase. The lack of housing supply is also one of the leading causes of homelessness across the state, as vulnerable populations struggle to compete for housing at the low end of the market. According to a recent survey by the state Department of Housing and Community Development, California will need to build 180,000 homes per year through 2025 to meet demand. Currently, approximately 80,000 homes are built each year. When the housing supply does not meet demand, prices increase. Awareness of California’s affordable housing crisis has increased exponentially in recent years as home prices and rents have skyrocketed, in many cases locking even middle-income families out of the housing market. For low-income families, the implications are even more severe, as they may be forced to forgo necessities or live in substandard or overcrowded conditions in order to afford shelter. The lack of housing supply is also one of the leading causes of homelessness across the state, as vulnerable populations struggle to compete for housing at the low end of the market.

(4) mental illness and the lack of needed services: Lack of treatment for the most seriously mentally ill causes the kind of delusions and bizarre behavior that makes living alone or at home with families untenable. As a result, many become people with untreated serious mental illness become homeless and communities are forced to bear the cost of that. Mental illness is a major contributor to homelessness. In a 2008 survey performed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 25 cities were asked for the three largest causes of homelessness in their communities. Mental illness was the third largest cause of homelessness for single adults (mentioned by 48% of cities). For homeless families, mental illness was mentioned by 12% of cities as one of the top three causes of homelessness.

(5) substance abuse and the lack of needed services.: Substance abuse often leads to homelessness. Addictive disorders disrupt relationships with family and friends and can cause job loss. For people struggling to pay their bills, the onset or exacerbation of an addiction may cause them to lose their housing.

Many people stereotype the homeless population as all alcoholics or drug abusers. Although a high percentage of homeless people do struggle with substance abuse, addictions should be viewed as illnesses and require treatment, counseling, and support to overcome. Substance abuse can cause homelessness, but it often arises after people lose their housing. Prevalence Stare at Narrowing down accurate and recent numbers on the prevalence of substance abuse is extremely difficult. Yet, most statistics prove that substance abuse is much more common among homeless people than in the general population. HUD’s 2013 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report states approximately 257,000 homeless people have a severe mental illness or a chronic substance abuse issue. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2003) estimates, 38% of homeless people were dependent on alcohol and 26% abused other drugs.