Currently, there are very scores of homeless individuals in Tempe; the authorities of the city have put in place a number of strategies to help address the problem of homelessness among the residents. Although several proposals have been instituted to address the problem, this paper only looks at three of them: the National Coalition for the Homeless (2006), Lois M Collins, Desert News, and Fehr-Snyder, The Arizona Republic. The paper seeks to explain why the National Coalition for the Homeless is the best among the three strategies. The National Coalition for the Homeless (2006) is the most effective strategy as it seeks to address the problem of homelessness through various means, including volunteer work, advocacy efforts, and contributions. Firstly, the strategy requires people to volunteer their time to work directly with the victims of homelessness in the city to help them meet their immediate needs. People can volunteer their time to work with children in various programs, share hobbies, and help build houses and shelters among others (Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2011). This is extremely important and can help victims of homelessness to acquire some of the basic needs they lack. The strategy also promotes advocacy, which requires people to work together with homeless individuals to push for positive changes in programs and policies on the federal, state, and local levels. The changes, if well enacted, can lead to development of workable strategies for addressing the issue of homelessness in the city (Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2011). The strategy, by advocating for the inclusion of homeless individuals in developing policies and programs, ensures that the designed strategies have a positive impact in addressing the problem. Lastly, the strategy encourages people to extend their concern and support to homeless individuals by making contributions to help them meet their daily basic needs. People can contribute a variety of items, including clothing, household goods, books, and immaterial items, such as job opportunities and trainings (Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2011). This is important in the sense that it brings comfort to homeless persons. Lois M. Collins, Desert News, is also a good strategy for addressing the problem of the homelessness in Tempe. However, it is not as effective as the National Coalition for the Homeless (2006). The former strategy encourages people to donate the excess part of what they own, including food, tools, and water, to needy and homeless individuals (McNamara, 2008). The problem with the strategy is that it does not have the power to mobilize people to donate their belongings to the homeless, as most people wish to keep what they have in excess for future needs and unforeseen eventualities.
Most individuals would suggest creating a homeless shelter, but that solution is unrealistic due to budgets, and the lack of funds from the community and Calvary Chapel. The cost of these solutions is reasonable and within reach. The solution will provide jobs and offer a sense of self-esteem most homeless have lost. The homeless as well as the community will thrive from this program and lives will be changed. Individuals, who were stuck on the street cold and alone, will be given the opportunity to go out and make a change in their lives. Although, many might suggest that many homeless are ex drug addicts or alcoholics, there are many who do not have the financial stability to survive and live a life of normality but will do what it takes to change their situation. Hess suggests that, “What many people need is an opportunity to get back on their feet and develop their own income” (Feuer, 2012, para.15). My solution offers this opportunity and by implementing it, homeless will have the power to change their
There are an estimated 2,981 homeless people in San Antonio each day. Out of these, 1,243 were unsheltered and a staggering 31% of those are people with families. In addition, the average age of a homeless child in San Antonio is 6 years old. An overall picture shows that homelessness has dropped nearly four percent from 2012 to 2013. Further, an average of 610,042 people are homeless across the United States on any given night. “Of that number, 36 percent – 222,197 people – were in families, representing a drop of 7 percent for that group” (Chappell, 2013, p. #). More than a third of these people were not found in shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, or under bridges. Although, there has been a small decline in homelessness, it’s still necessary to drastically change these statistics by solving the causes of homelessness. Sleeping in vacant buildings and under bridges is unacceptable. These statistics are very alarming and a solution needs to be found.
Here in Tahoe, we are lucky enough to experience a great quality of life, and only a few have to face the horrible life of poverty and homelessness. However, nationwide, even right outside the basin, homelessness is a growing epidemic across the country. There are many ways one can become homeless; for the most part poverty. There are also different concentrations of homeless in different types of terrain, such as urban or suburban areas. Last, there is the ever- growing homeless population, and how much money it costs us for others to live in poverty. These are the questions we ask ourselves about homelessness, and the only way we can help is to know the facts about this lingering subject.
.... The homeless community is a growing problem that only worsens with time. If we don’t make an effort now, to help the most vulnerable among us, then we are only contributing to this problem. With our unsure economy, nothing is guaranteed, so just be considerate for others who are in an inferior situation, because who knows when you might need a hand.
Homelessness in America has always been an issue. There have been plans to help solve this issue in San Antonio, Texas, but it does cost local taxpayers millions. It is a tricky situation to solve because some people are innocent and have no other solution to help solve their necessitous situation. Although many people who are impoverished may not be bad, we should eradicate the chronically homeless because many of them are without a roof for their decisions or blameful addictions they can not control and is costing San Antonio’s taxpayers millions.
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
Although most people know what homelessness is and it occurs in most societies, it is important to define because the forces of displacement vary greatly, along with the arrangement and meaning of the resulting transient state. The Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defined a homeless person as “an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation, such as streets, cars, movie theaters, abandoned buildings, etc.” Resent surveys conducted in the U.S. have confirmed that the homeless population in America is extremely diverse and includes representatives from all segments of society, including: the old and young, men and women, single people and families, city dwellers and rural residents, whites and people of color, employed and unemployed, able workers and people with serious health problems. The diversity among people that are homeless reflects how difficult it is to generalize the causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless people. Robert Rosenheck M.D., the author of Special Populations of Homeless Americans, explains the importance of studying homelessness based on subgroups, “each subgroup [of homeless people] has unique service needs and identifying these needs is critical for program planning and design.” Despite these diversities, homelessness is a devastating situation for all that experience it. Not only have homeless people lost their dwelling, but they have also lost their safety, privacy, control, and domestic comfort.
With the rising number of homeless rising every night it is becoming harder for the shelters to house them since they do not have enough space or resources available to help. Since 2013 there has not been a new report done to count how many homeless people are living in Phoenix, but one thing that is known is that an “anticipated 250 families in Maricopa County are homeless every night”(Taylor ). There are currently 13 shelters that house the homeless each night in Phoenix, AZ, many of them not only provide housing but also “services such as alcohol and drug rehab treatment along with clinics’ (Phoenix Homeless Shelters & Services for the Needy.) Though the shelters do provide some help there is not enough of them to provide the assistance and housing needed to help the homeless. The number of shelters is not enough and more need to be built with proper staffing and resources to help keep the homeless people out of the unforgiving Phoenix heat and possible death. If
This group has been a crucial piece for the homeless right to shelter. Before this group, homeless people have struggled to find places to stay and usually would sleep in the streets. But because of the the Coalition, homeless people have the option to sleep in shelters. The organization helps on average 3,500 men, women and children who are homeless in a day. They are actively giving support to the homeless by “provide emergency food and blankets, eviction prevention, crisis services and individual advocacy, permanent housing, job training and special
...is to understand the factors that lead people into homelessness, that keep them homeless, and how they can recover from homelessness. Advocates for the homeless have proposed policies range from taking preventative measures, such as making housing and health care affordable, to policies that deal with individuals that are already homeless, such as rapid rehousing and redefining what it means to be homeless. Although many of the experts disagree on how the homeless epidemic should be handled, many acknowledge that the federal government plays an inexpendable role in helping the homeless. Homelessness is, obviously, a complex issue, but like all difficult issues it must be undertaken. It has become clear that homelessness is not something that will eradicate itself given time, homelessness will continue to grow and evolve unless an outside force stops it in its tracks.
Kenyon, Thomas. L. What you can do to help the homeless. New York: Simon & Schuster. 1991. Print.
...At its root, homelessness is the result of the inability to afford and maintain housing. Government funding should be put into place that can incorporate an investment in creating affordable housing. This includes supportive housing, which is permanent housing coupled with supportive services. In order to maintain housing, people exiting homelessness must have income. Cash assistance programs are available through federal and state government, and career-based employment services can help formerly homeless people build the skills necessary to increase their income. Mainstream services, including the Workforce Investment Act, should be used for this purpose (Ten Essentials). Lastly, programs must ensure that the homeless have access to these services but are able to attain independence as soon as possible as well. To do this there must be instant access to housing.
Homelessness has not always been such a substantial issue. Homelessness “did not emerge until the 1980s” (Stergiopoulos et al., 2016, p.1). “There are between 700,000 to 800,000 people that are homeless on any given night” (Stergiopoulos et al., 2016, p.4). This issue has many involving factors; the following discussion will answer the question created by Open Arms Ministry of are there examples of effective programs, coalition, cities, communities that eliminate or attempted to eliminate homelessness? To prepare, there will be a definition of homelessness, new homelessness, usual care and a description of the issue of homelessness. This will be continued by the discussion of effective strategies that have helped end homelessness
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.
A 1990 New York Times poll reported that 68 percent of urban Americans see the homeless in the course of their daily routines; nationally, the figure was 54 percent, an 18 percent increase in just four years (Blau, 1992, p. 3). Living so close to New York City and growing up in Jersey City, NJ, seeing a homeless person on the street turned out to be an every day occurrence, one I always hoped to avoid. Shopping carts filled with garbage bags and raggedy clothed people were of no surprise and became of no importance in my life. My father however, always had an extreme compassion for the homeless, mainly because he was once homeless. He constantly inspired me to reach out to them, not by words but by his actions. Blinded by ignorance, my mother and I never understood why my dad chose to keep his business in the heart of Jersey City; it’s hard being a hairdresser, let alone being one in the middle of poverty and economic depression, yet, he persisted and still to this day his business exists there. My father always talks about how one day he is going to open a large apartment building, bring all the homeless of Jersey City together and allow them to reside there. He knows most of the homeless around his work by name, their stories and has seen so many come and go, live and die. My father is well known in the Jersey City community for all his efforts over the 20+ years and is acknowledged by many as a man with a large heart. Being older and more enlightened to our society’s problem, I see now wh...