What Causes People to Become Homeless?
As the recession in the United States continues to wreak economic damage, homelessness has become an even more pernicious issue, resistant to easy answers. Although figures are hard to quantify due to the transitory nature of the homeless, the number of homeless people in the U.S. is estimated to be between 600,000 and 2.5 million. Understanding the causes of homelessness may help create ways to solve the problem.
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Poverty
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The most obvious and quantifiable cause of homelessness is poverty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 43.6 million people were living in poverty as of 2009, which represented an increase of nearly four million people from 2008. This means that 14 percent of the U.S. population is classified as living below the poverty line, either unemployed or underemployed, and often lacking access to public housing that forces them onto the street.
Unemployment
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Though unemployment has started decreasing, the jobless rate in the U.S. as of February 2011 was 8.9 percent, according to "Business Week". With many jobs being eliminated during the recession, and with employers wary of hiring during the economic crisis, millions of people have been unable to secure full-time work to support their families and pay for housing. The domino effect of unemployment and underemployment (people who want to work full time, but can't find a position), has caused rent and mortgage defaults and added to the ranks of the homeless.
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Mental Illness
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Although there are no hard figures available, various government and organizations estimate that more than 40 percent of homeless people suffer from some type of mental disorder, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and sociopathological illness. People with mental illness often lack access to health centers and clinics that might treat them; without a stable and supportive environment, they frequently end up living on the streets. Mentally ill people require constant treatment and monitoring to control their ailments. Many large cities don't provide the free health facilities and transportation infrastructure needed to treat mentally ill people and provide training to keep them from returning to the streets.
Domestic Violence and Abuse
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Women who become the victims of domestic violence and escape their situation, often with their children, may lack the resources and support necessary to keep their family in affordable housing. Although there are many domestic violence shelters, they are often filled to capacity and are forced to turn away people in need. Similarly, victims of sexual abuse, often young men and women, may flee from their living situation, and without money and work to keep them safe, find themselves on the streets.
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References
- PBS.org: Facts and Figures: The Homeless
- U.S. Census Bureau: Income, Poverty and Health Insurance in the United States: 2009 - HIghlights
- "Business Week": U.S. Economy: Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Declines
- National Coalition For the Homeless: Why Are People Homeless?
- Anxiety, Panic & Health: A National Shame: The Mentally Ill Homeless
- Committee To End Homelessness: Causes of Homelessness
Resources
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