wg2ww - 5 Things You Absolutely Must Know About Homelessness

15th September 2009

5 Things You Absolutely Must Know About Homelessness →

worth multiple <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

abbyjean:

1. Homelessness is not a recession-induced phenomenon. Remember the 90s, when the economy was booming? Real estate was on the up and up and it seemed everybody was profiting off of something, right? Well, not really. Homelessness has been a consistent presence in the U.S. since the 1980s. The 1980s is when the gap between the rich and the not-so-rich began to steadily widen. So while chronically homeless people were more noticeable on our streets thanks to de-institutionalization, income inequality and persistent poverty have been major — and silent — causes of homelessness since the Reagan years.

2. To end homelessness, we need more affordable housing. Today, there is no county in America where a person earning minimum wage can afford the median cost of housing. This lack of affordable housing stock means people who already have trouble making ends meet must use a larger portion of their income to pay for housing. Until the creation of decent, affordable housing becomes a priority at the federal and community levels, it is likely that more households will be “house poor” and thus vulnerable to falling into homelessness.

3. We need both sandwiches and solutions. Amid the global recession, more and more people are in need of food, shelter, and assistance. We cannot allow the basic needs of people in need to go unmet. Efforts to provide shelter beds, warm meals, clothing, short-term rental assistance, and other “band-aid” solutions are critical for those who are struggling to survive. But remember: sandwiches alone will not solve anything. If you regularly participate in street outreach or volunteer at a homeless shelter, consider taking your involvement a step further by becoming involved in advocacy efforts. We will not achieve the system-wide changes necessary to end homelessness by continuing to focus on band-aid solutions, necessary though they may be.

4. Stereotypes are wrong - most homeless people fly under the radar. If the word “homeless” brings to mind a scruffy man with layers of clothing sitting on piece of cardboard, panhandling, then you need a reality check. This stereotypical image is not always inaccurate, but in no way does it represent the vast majority of homeless people in America. In fact, families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population, most of these families are led by a single mother with 2-3 children. One study found that 1 in 50 children in America will face homelessness.

5. You can get involved by getting mad. Mad enough to do something. Do you think it’s unacceptable that we live in a country where people are forced to sleep on the streets, scrape to make ends meet, and choose between medical care and paying rent? Then congratulations, you are now a homeless advocate! To get you started in this new role, take a look at 10 actions you can take to end homelessness.

(condensed by me)