Homelessness in American - 1645 Words

Homelessness in America Homelessness in America has always been an issue but it has become an even bigger issue over the past years. With a world filled with global conflict, disappearing jobs, higher education cost, and increasing poverty in America, the homeless need our help more than ever. Just last year, the national poverty rate rose to include 13.2 % of the population. Also, 3.5 million people were forced to sleep in parks, shelters, under bridges or in cars. Hunger and homelessness are increasing epidemics plaguing the United States. Because of the high cost of living, high unemployment rates, and low-wage jobs, countless Americans are forced to choose between food, housing, and other expenses. According to recent studies, money†¦show more content†¦According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, families across the country would need to earn a â€Å"housing wage† of $15.37 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. That’s nearly three times the current minimum wage in America. A few other things that contribute to homelessness would be long-term issues like drug addiction, mental illness, and alcoholism. People who suffer from addictive disorders ruin their relationships with family, friends, and often lose their jobs. 6% of the American population suffers from mental illness. When it comes to the homeless population, that number jumps to 20-25%. People with serious mental issues don’t have the ability to handle essential aspects of daily life, such as household management and self-care. Without assistance, women and men have little to no chance of gaining stability. Domestic violence also plays a role in homelessness. 50% of homeless women and children are fleeing domestic violence. When a woman is dealing with domestic assault, she fears for her safety and the safety of her children. She either takes the chance to stay at home and continue to be beaten, or leave the abuse and face having little means of support. Post-traumatic stress is one of the top causes of homeless Veterans. As many as 200,000 military veterans sleep on the street on any given night. Adapting to a â€Å"normal life† back in the U.S. is extremely difficult for those who have served. Because they are unable to cope,Show MoreRelatedHomelessness : An American Crime1276 Words   |  6 PagesHomelessness: An American Crime Imagine that you are homeless. You live on the streets, roaming from place to place. The only clothes you own are the ones on your back and all your possessions fit neatly into a single trash bag. Your daily worries consist of where your next meal will be coming from, or if you are going to be able to find somewhere to sleep that night. You cannot even find a bench in the park to sleep on for fear that you will be arrested. You cannot ask kind strangers for money toRead MoreHomelessness Is A Problem That Affects Many Americans973 Words   |  4 Pages Homelessness is a problem that affects many Americans, whether it is for a day or the rest of their lives. There are no cities in the United States that can shelter all of its homeless, and this is one of the main reasons that we cannot help them like we want to. Often times there are not enough housing for homeless people. Sometimes homeless people are arrested, though, and there they have a warm place to sleep, with the food tha t they need. The case may be that they did this on purpose becauseRead MoreHomelessness Among American Veterans Research2029 Words   |  9 PagesHomelessness Among American Veterans Research Paper An issue that has been around for decades which still remains in the United Sates today is homelessness among veterans. Vanessa Turner has a story that needs to be heard by many. As a homeless veteran, Turner joined the U.S. military in 1997 and later, proudly advanced to the rank of a sergeant. In 2003, Turner suffered from a traumatic injury while serving in Iraq. In suffocating 130-degrees fahrenheit heat, Turner fell into a coma and nearlyRead MorePost 1900 American Homelessness Essay2029 Words   |  9 Pages56million different people were recorded to have used an emergency housing shelter (â€Å"The 2009 annual,† 2010). These numbers do not account for those who did not use emergency housing shelters, but were defined as homeless. The legal definition of homelessness one would have to review the McKinney-Veto act of 1987, it states â€Å"An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence† and places that are not meant to be permanent pla ces of residency such as public space (1987). The historyRead MoreAmerican Journal Reviews of Child and Family Homelessness720 Words   |  3 Pagesand Family Homelessness: Where are we Now? American Journal of Public Health 103.2 (2013): E1-E10. ProQuest. Web. 1 Mar. 2014. Roy Grant, M.A., et al. conducted a review of family and childhood homelessness over a course between a twenty-five year span of the 1980’s to 2013. They reviewed journal articles, government reports, and news stories to find any changes in conditions or the amount of family and childhood homelessness. The review concluded family and childhood homelessness still existsRead MoreRace and Homelessness in New York City1120 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction The most severe form of poverty is homelessness, which is living without a permanent residence. Homelessness refers to people who are using emergency/transitional housing and people who live in unsheltered homes, those living on the streets or in parks, abandoned buildings, cars, subway tunnels or other places that are not meant for human habitation. The homeless population has always been around in the United States. It is a social phenomenon that can be traced back from the colonialRead MoreIs Homelessness Not Just A Problem?1714 Words   |  7 Pagessignificance of the advances in technology is the fact that homelessness is not just a problem in the United States, it has global implications. The people that die and are displaced as a result of homelessness is a major challenge to social justice. Through the tenets of the Critical Race Theory, it’s been statistically qualified and quantified that minority groups are frequently targeted and suffer from socioeconomic neglec t, resulting in homelessness. The Lack of equal access to supportive politicalRead MoreThe Effects Of Homelessness On The Homeless Population1372 Words   |  6 Pages History of Homelessness The term to describe the homeless may have changed over time, however the issue of housing insecurity has remained for some Americans throughout history (Kusmer, 2001). Although the homeless population has always maintained in the United States, homelessness became a national issue in 1870 with the emergence of the â€Å"tramp†: these were men that banded together, rode trains illegally and had negative interactions with law enforcement (2001). The movement of the homeless fromRead MoreSocial Problem Homelessness1065 Words   |  5 PagesApplication Social Problem Research: Homelessness Homelessness is becoming a major social issue in the United States, with many poor families and young people ending up in the street because of several reasons. This condition is leaving many people helpless in the streets and the number keep on rising on a daily basis. Cities like Detroit and New York are among the most populous with poor families and homeless people, making it important for government and other social agencies to find urgent solutionRead MoreSociological Perspective on Homelessness1248 Words   |  5 Pagesdate Sociological Perspective on Homelessness Homelessness is a social problem that is prevalent around the world. Homelessness has existed for much of civilized human history. In the last two centuries, homelessness and changed and expanded. Sociologists who study and research homelessness have argued over its formal definition for decades, though for some, the definition of homelessness seems self explanatory and obvious. The paper will examine homelessness, particularly as a sociological issue