What are the complex problems to end homelessness? GIF OF MAN HOLDING PAN HANDLE SIGN
Ending homelessness is a complex problem with no easy solutions. There are many factors that contribute to homelessness, including:
Lack of affordable housing. This is the biggest driver of homelessness. People cannot afford to live in the communities where they work, and there is a shortage of affordable housing units available. Even though you see a lot of apartment buildings being built, some have mandatory housing. You still have underlying issues to get homeless off the streets.
Poverty and income inequality. People who live in poverty are more likely to experience homelessness, as they may have difficulty affording housing, food, and other basic necessities. The slightest change in income. Whether they lost a job or not, DSS sanctioned them, and the next thing you know, they are homeless.
Mental illness and addiction. People with mental illness and addiction are more likely to experience homelessness, as they may have difficulty maintaining employment and housing. Most are on some kind of government program. If they miss an appointment, they lose the benefits needed to sustain housing.
Domestic violence. Domestic violence is a major cause of homelessness, especially for women and children. Unfortunately, most domestic violence shelters in Suffolk County, New York, operate at full capacity, limiting the service they provide to people who are actively being abused.
Incarceration. People who are formerly incarcerated are more likely to experience homelessness, as they may have difficulty finding employment and housing. In Suffolk County, NY, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office has a program called S.T.A.R.T., which is an excellent program to train and place newly released inmates into employment.
In addition to these factors, there are a number of other challenges that make it difficult to end homelessness, such as:
Fragmentation of services. There are many different agencies and organizations that provide services to the homeless, but these services are often fragmented and difficult to access.
Revolving door of homelessness. A lot of the chronically homeless need time to adapt to their new home, the time needed to adapt is a lot longer than their comfort zone will allow. Let’s face it, people don’t like change, even if it’s for the better. If someone has been homeless for years, that becomes their comfort zone. The next thing you know, they are too uncomfortable and are back on the streets again.
More people are going homeless. Unfortunately, for everyone we get off the streets, there is at least one going homeless or leaving their new abode.
There are different types of homeless people. There are different types of homeless; the ones that instantly come to mind are the ones in the streets hanging out and/or panhandling. You also have homeless people in tents, staying mostly out of sight, and homeless people in cars and camp grounds. We also get calls from homeless couch surfers.
Lack of coordination. There is often a lack of coordination between different agencies and organizations that provide services to the homeless. This can make it difficult to ensure that people are getting the services they need.
Short staffed. Agencies that help the homeless have a revolving door of employees and/or volunteers. We are always unstaffed.
Stigma and discrimination. People who are homeless often face stigma and discrimination from the general public. This can make it difficult for them to find employment and housing.
Despite these challenges, there are a number of things that can be done to end homelessness. These include:
Providing supportive services to people who are homeless. This includes providing mental health and addiction treatment, job training, and other services that can help people get back on their feet. Unfortunately, before we can help them in this area, they need ministering, and we need to try and convince them of the benefits of getting off the streets. No matter what you do or say, some will never get off the streets.
Addressing the root causes of homelessness. This includes addressing poverty and income inequality, domestic violence, and incarceration.
Changing public attitudes towards homelessness. It is important to educate the public about the causes of homelessness and to challenge the stigma that is often associated with it. The most common public shout out the window to the homeless is, GET A JOB, YOU BUM!
Ending homelessness is a complex challenge, unfortunately it is not possible to end homelessness completely.
Matthew 26:11 New Living Translation
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.
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