Executive Summary
Due to the income disparity, insufficient accommodations, and racial inequality, the homelessness crisis in the US has been exacerbated. Many of these issues are overlapping and cyclical, pushing the people on the bottom further down. Housing policies that increase affordable housing access through vouchers and new facilities must be developed nationwide. Adequate support to those struggling due to unemployment, poverty, mental illness, or substance use should be awarded to provide a chance to break from the cycle.
Introduction and Problem Statement
Homelessness in America is rising as poverty, lack of affordable housing and mental facilities, substance abuse, illness, and systemic racism contribute to this issue. Homeless Americans are mistreated by their compatriots and deal with pervasive prejudice and discrimination. Many homeless people find themselves stuck in a loop because they do not have the resources to help get them out of the situation. To recommend the most appropriate and effective policies, the causes should be analyzed in detail.
Background
While housing can be defined as a human right, thousands of people in the US do not have access to it. Homelessness does not always last for extensive periods and is often hard to fully encompass given its various extents: from “literally homeless” to “precarious housing” (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020, p. 8). Hence, the accurate statistics are difficult to estimate since many surveys only account for the literally homeless; in 2017, a single-count survey yielded approximately 564,000 people (Larkin et al., 2019). Homeless populations consist of various social groups: families with children, transitional age youth, especially LGBT+ representatives, students, domestic violence escapees, immigrants, refugees, and older adults (Larkin et al., 2019). Therefore, the reasons for homelessness are just as diverse as its population, which should be considered in searching for causes and solutions.
Findings and Analysis
Causes
Poverty and Unemployment
As mentioned, homelessness often affects the most vulnerable population. The US has the most significant disparity in income among the developed Western nations, with the bottom pay bracket giving 75% of their income to rent (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). The situation is further exacerbated by stagnant incomes: a 350% increase in minimum wages since 1970 does not meet the consumer price hike of 480% (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). As this population is already vulnerable and strained by trying to keep up with rental prices, any costly emergency may lead to housing loss. Low salaries do not allow to save up; additionally, low-wage income is often unreliable and volatile (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). In turn, unemployment, especially if prolonged, induces homelessness, often resulting in a vicious cycle (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). Although most homeless are ready to join the workforce, they are struggling to do so due to not looking presentable or having a permanent address (Simone, 2022). Additionally, homelessness leads many people to develop mental illnesses that limit their capacity to secure employment (Larkin et al., 2019). Thus, homelessness and poverty go hand-in-hand, with many factors perpetuating each other.
Affordable Housing
Rising housing costs are a global concern and lead many people to become homeless. Homelessness was especially strongly correlated with rental costs in larger cities like “New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Seattle,” where prices are disproportionately high (Glynn & Fox, 2019, p. 573). Coupled with the income inequality, the housing crisis continually churns homeless individuals who cannot afford these rapidly growing prices.
Addiction and Mental Health
There is a circular relationship between homeless, addiction, and mental health. Mental illness and substance abuse are among the top predictors of homelessness (Tsai et al., 2017). Concurrently, approximately 30% of homeless individuals in the US struggle with mental health issues; 38% of homeless people depend on alcohol; 26% use other substances (Larkin et al., 2019). Additionally, the incapability of finding stable housing worsens addiction and mental health issues (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). Lastly, when most people who have been institutionalized are released, they face a heightened risk of becoming homeless since few ‘safety net’ or integrative programs exist (Simone, 2022). Therefore, an individual with an addiction or mental illness faces more difficulty finding permanent housing while being more vulnerable to being homeless.
Systemic Racial Inequality
Homelessness, racism, and social exclusion intersect to underline many of the previously discussed causes. Systematic racial inequality in the US has led racial minorities to be more prone to homelessness than the white population (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). Race discrimination worsens issues such as income disparity, the ability to get a rental, and incarceration rates (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). Thus, systemic racism perpetuates the already extant obstacles for struggling individuals.
Solutions
The potential solutions for homelessness may be divided into two major categories: ending the current crisis and preventing the future ones. Shinn and Khadduri (2020) argue that the US has the means to end homelessness if the right policy choices are made. The community should offer reliable and long-term support to individuals housed in rental units to prevent the new instances of homelessness by developing the Housing Choice Voucher program (Shinn & Khadduri, 2020). Moreover, Simone (2022) suggests providing supportive and licensed housing for those struggling with severe mental illnesses and fighting discrimination in accommodation. All homeless people should have access to the shelter system to stand a chance for recovery (Simone, 2022). Lastly, homelessness prevention can be achieved with rental assistance and eviction prevention programs for those in precarious housing situations (Simone, 2022). Hence, first and foremost, helpful policy choices entail appropriate housing responses.
Moreover, the issue of vulnerable populations should be addressed separately. Simone (2022) states that over 40% of those “released from state prisons… were released directly to shelters” and calls for drastically rethinking institutional discharge policies (p. 45). Discharge planning should be proactive and have sufficient support to prevent people who have been released from “prisons, jails, nursing homes, and hospitals” from homelessness (Simone, 2022, p. 45). Further, homeless individuals combating substance use addiction and mental health issues should be awarded the appropriate counseling and therapeutic services (Tsai et al., 2017). In other words, institutional change is required to help those in most need by providing targeted services.
Conclusions
In conclusion, homelessness is a critical issue that must be addressed to avoid propagating the problem in the future. Poverty and unemployment, lack of affordable housing, addiction, and ineffective post-institutional integration, all exacerbated by pervasive racism, are the major causes of homelessness. Governments and communities have an opportunity to develop effective systems that prevent the proliferation of homelessness, but nationwide implementation is mandatory. Appropriate housing and vulnerable populations help policies are needed to provide sufficient support.
Recommendations
The most crucial area to address in combating homelessness is housing security. Communities must develop housing policies to withstand trials and make sure the people housed in these units are afforded mental health services, can access employment, and break from the cycle. Housing vouchers and more housing buildings should be available to those trying to leave the shelter system. Moreover, proactive policies should take care of those released from institutions and those in a precarious financial situation to prevent individuals from entering the shelter system.
References
Glynn, C., & Fox, E. B. (2019). Dynamics of homelessness in urban America. The Annals of Applied Statistics, 13(1), 573–605.
Larkin, H., Aykanian, A., & Streeter, C. L. (Eds.). (2019). Homelessness prevention and intervention in social work: Policies, programs, and practices. Springer Nature Switzerland.
Shinn, M., & Khadduri, J. (Eds.). (2020). In the midst of plenty: Homelessness and what to do about it. Wiley Blackwell.
Simone, J. (2022). State of the homeless 2022: New York at a crossroads(pp. 1–51). Coalition for the Homeless.
Tsai, J., O’Toole, T., & Kearney, L. K. (2017). Homelessness is a public mental health and social problem: New knowledge and solutions.Psychological Services, 14(2), 113–117.