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Homelessness in the united states essay
Homelessness and sociological perspective
Homelessness and sociological perspective
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Homelessness is a huge problem throughout the United States. It is difficult to see how many people are homeless in communities across the nation. In Fort Morgan alone we have an unseen homeless population. Homeless people go without help because they are judged and looked down on regardless of their story. They go without their stories being told and being judged on a daily basis. Many times, the truth is, homeless people are not what people’s perceptions of them are. By definition, homeless means a person or persons who lack permanent housing. According to the US Department of Housing there were more than five hundred thousand people who were homeless in the US in 2015 (Johnson). In Morgan County alone, there are three hundred to four One of the main things that homeless people struggle with is trying to figure out what and when their next meal will be. They struggle with personal hygiene, they have nowhere to shower, shave or take care of themselves (Peacefrog). Personal security is another big struggle (Peacefrog). They must figure out where they are safe, where they can sleep without getting arrested or beat up. In many cities there are laws against sleeping in public places, and little protection for the homeless, being outside all of the time increases the risk of a homeless person suffering from violence or abuse (Peacefrog). Often, homeless people are not seen as suitable for jobs. The homeless are often rejected and discriminated against When homeless people are judged for having pets, they do not realize that, that pet is probably their only friend. Susan Porter, a Rising Up board member, said “homelessness is not something that just touches people that made a terrible decisions or people who just are not really with it, it touches all of us.” A lot of times homeless people are embarrassed and ashamed to ask for help because of the way that they are treated and because it is embarrassing to ask for help with something like this from a
The number of people in extreme poverty has been increasing since 1999, accounting for 39% of people in poverty, and making less than half the amount of income a person considered in poverty makes. With this amount of people living in poverty, it's no wonder why there are so many homeless people today. The reason people are in poverty is because of inflation since the 1970s, and the loss of affordable housing projects. This accounts for almost all homelessness, but there are also other factors that can contribute as well. There are many people with addiction problems that make them homeless.
Many of the homeless population are not homeless by choice, many have lost the only job in the household, many are military veterans that have not assimilated back to civilian life, and some are homeless due to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. It can happen to anyone of us. A hurricane, earthquake or wildfire that is out of control can destroy your home within minutes. We must never say never when it comes to the possibility of being homeless, especially when we consider the impact that natural disasters have. Worldwide natural disasters render middle class people near poverty and the poor, homeless.
The homeless population is growing in America. There are more and more Americans living in boxes, sleeping on park benches and panhandling on the streets each day. These people tend to make us, the non-homeless, feel uncomfortable and unsafe. They are also placing increasing stress on the nation's economy. In short, the homeless are a burden on the rest of society.
“Homelessness is a symptom of systemic poverty” (www.kansascity.com). Since 2012, the homeless rate has risen more than 7% in Kansas City, MO alone. According to a 2012 count survey by the homeless coalition services, roughly 2,434 unduplicated individuals were homeless in Kansas City. Of those 70% were sheltered and 30% were on the streets. Since reported on any given night here in the metro more than 3,000 adults and 7,500 kids are homeless in our area. We are not sure why the rate has risen so much over the years. “Maybe because the declining economy is almost certain for the external event most commonly said to make people homeless” (Shumoky, Neil Larry). Many people who are homeless are, victims of domestic violence, after deciding to leave an abusive relationship, they often have nowhere to go for those who have few resource. Also, Lack of money needed for housing and having to wait on a list for assisted housing means they have to chose between staying with an abuser or living on the street with their kids. People with HIV/AIDS, those people often get depressed and suicidal. The cost for medications and treatments for people living with HIV/AIDS get too high for people to keep up with. They also are at risk of losing their jobs because of discrimination or absences health-related. A few more are people with a mental illness and substance abusers. Also, Veterans, who once served in this country. They were also effected by the economic crisis that hit a few years ago. Many also dealing with PTSD, are unwilling to get the help needed because of the shame surrounding mental illness. So many turn to alcohol/drugs as an escape from the terrible and haunting memories of the war. Some of their families give up on them. Not being ...
Homelessness in the United States has been an important subject that the government needs to turn its attention to. There has been announced in the news that the number of the homeless people in many major cities in the United States has been increasing enormously. According to United States Interagency Council on Homelessness reported that there was an estimation of 83,170 individuals have experienced chronic homelessness on the streets of the United States’ streets and shelters on only a single night of January 2015, which is a small decrease of only 1% from the previous year (People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness, n.d.). The United States must consider this subject that most of the people underestimate it and not pay attention
One needs to recognize that homelessness impact’s a person’s ability to enjoy basic needs and freedoms. It has important consequences for the way that society perceives and treats people. One of the biggest effects of homelessness is the breakdown of a community itself. Many people do not
“Homeless is more than being without a home. It is tied into education needs, food, security; health issues both mental and physical, employment issues, etc. Don’t forget the whole picture.” (“Boxed In” 2005 pg. 108)
Many of the homeless may have faced a loss in society such as losing a job, losing a loved one, they may also have drug and alcohol addictions where they lose all their money and then do not have money to pay off their bare necessities. Some homeless may even have a mental illness not knowing how to deal with the world or they may just have been simply psychologically abused and abandoned by their loved
“3.5 million people will experience homelessness in a given year,”(Los Angeles Homeless Services). This shocking number is one of the sad truths in today’s society. Homelessness is caused by a wide range of things including financial issues. The life of a homeless person is hard and comes with set-backs and the constant need to overcome them. Homeless people go through many challenges in surviving without a home. They can suffer from health issues, hunger, and poor emotional well-being.
Over half a million people are homeless in the United States. A quarter of these homeless people are under the age of eighteen, or also known as children. 50 percent of the homeless that are over eighteen years, are fifty and older with health and injury prone problems. One in five homeless people suffers from untreated severe mental illness, and half of these people self medicate themselves. Eight percent of the homeless population are veterans, and forty-five percent of that number is blacks or Hispanics. Most people think that being homeless means begging for money on the streets with a sign, or sleeping on the sidewalk with your dog or cat and maybe even a bag to store some things in; but what does “being homeless” actually mean? Homelessness in the United States and is a bigger problem than most people think.
Homelessness is a vast predicament in America and around the world. It is severely overlooked as people don’t really think of homelessness as real world problem. However, there have been ways that people have tried to fix the problem. They have come up with homeless shelters, emergency shelters, food banks and soup kitchens. These solutions have limitations though, which will hopefully come to an end.
The city in discussion is New Haven, CT, where there are a number of people identify themselves as being homeless, residing in the streets. In the meantime, the number of homeless people continues to rise. A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation. According to Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, a count conducted in 2016 for the state of Connecticut counted, 3,911 people were in a homeless shelter or transitional housing on the night of the count. It represented an overall decrease of four percent statewide from the following year, however, there are a still a
People classified as homeless are described as citizens whom are unsheltered or without a home. When someone is sick or has fallen ill, health care and clinics are available but if that person does not have an address or said health care benefits their medical issues go untreated. Homeless people who do not have proper health support tend to have a continual declining health. Physical sickness is not the only hardship that the homeless go through alone. One article (“Homelessn...
Homelessness is increasing more every year. In fact, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, over 640,000 people experience homelessness every night. (Hunger and Homelessness in North America) By definition, the homeless are groups of people that do not have a home. They can be people who are mentally ill, unemployed, veterans, or even children born into unfortunate families. Since they have nowhere to go, the homeless usually live inside abandoned buildings, in the streets, or in makeshift homes, such as a cardboard box or homemade tent. Although some work to find a decent home, many still suffer from depression or are psychically disabled and cannot work. (Overview of Homelessness in America) These people do not choose to be homeless, instead they become homeless due to a series of unfortunate events; namely losing their source of income or becoming homeless by birth. One instance of this occurred in the life of Hazel Washington. Hazel was fleeing an abusive relationship when she moved in with her relative and his girlfriend, but she was not told about their impending eviction. Because of this, her roommates took everything she owned an...
This great nation of awesome power and abundant resources is losing the battle against homelessness. The casualties can be seen on the street corners of every city in American holding an ?I will work for food? sign. Homeless shelters and rescue missions are at full capacity. There is no room at the inn for the nation?s indigent. Anyone who has studied this issue understands that homelessness is a complex problem. Communities continue to struggle with this socio-economic problem while attempting to understand its causes and implement solutions. The public and private sectors of this country are making a difference in the lives of the homeless by addressing the issues of housing, poverty and education.