Homelessness: Who Are The Homeless?

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Homelessness: Who are the homeless? (Final Draft)

Many people become homeless because of reasons beyond their control. Some people have lost their jobs and cannot afford to pay for housing. What is homelessness? Homelessness is defined, by The Steward McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, as someone who do not own their own home or one who can not afford to pay for housing without depriving themselves of essentials needs (as cited by Mind Disorders, par. 1). However, there is a new meaning to homeless today. This paper will show what is considered as homelessness and why many people become homeless.

All people that are homeless do not live on the streets. Homeless people can be someone who stays with a friend or a family member, someone living in overcrowded conditions, someone living in poor conditions that affect their health, someone living away from their loved ones because of certain conditions. People that are in temporary housing are considered homeless. Natural disasters can cause someone to become homeless, such as Hurricane Katrina. Many people today are homeless because they have lost their homes to foreclosure because of the job crisis. According to data taken in 1988 it was estimated that approximately 500,000 to 600,000 people were homeless (par. 6). Homeless people are viewed as filthy, dirty people with unwashed clothes and living in cardboard boxes in alley ways or in old cars. This is not always the truth. There are well educated people that are homeless; for some reasons they cannot get themselves back up from a fall below poverty.

Homeless children in school are recognized by their learning disabilities and their display of the lack of food. They are emotional disturbed and sometime they are very dis...

... middle of paper ...

...e number of people that is homeless, the things that happen to the homeless on the streets and other places, they will be able to find a way to help or end this dilemma.

Works Cited

Bodine, Alicia. "Effects of Homelessness.” eHow.com 2009. 3 Nov. 2009 .

Gaia, Blue. "About Homeless People after the 911 Situation." eHow.com 2009. 3 Nov. 2009

.

"Homelessness-Definition." Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders.” Advameg 2009. 3 Nov. 2009 .

Kelly, Elizabeth. The Long-Term Effects of Homelessness on Children.” Department of

Education, 28 Jan. 2009. 3 Nov. 2009

.

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