Homeless People In America Essay

There are more than 500,000 homeless people in America (Johnson). There are many reasons and causes for people to end up living this way, but the biggest cause is tragic life events, for like loss of loved ones, job loss, domestic violence, divorce, and family disputes. Other reasons for homelessness are depression, untreated mental illness, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), and physical disabilities ("Top Causes of Homelessness in America."). Many people see homelessness as a bad thing and an issue, but it does serve a purpose in society.

Homelessness, while widely acknowledged, continues to be an ever-prevalent issue within society. This urged me to take action. In order to compromise an accurate, precise claim, I needed to heavily research and analyze the various aspects of this issue -- specifically regarding the causes of homelessness, addressing the stereotypes and stigmas surrounding it, and by finding solutions at a personal, local, and national level. Initially, I intended to include pathos as a primary theme throughout my sources, but I eventually found logos as a more prevalent, more central theme that appeared throughout each source. Presented primarily through statistics, logos stands as the central theme.

Homelessness is one the most ignored problems in the United States with citizen and politician. Homeless people are walked by and ignored. Nobody ever thinks that they will be homeless. Due to the economy, people live paycheck to paycheck making house payments very difficult. Most people will want to believe most homeless people are drug addicts or alcoholics, but most people will be surprise to know that it is no all true. Veterans with PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) have a high risk of becoming homeless. Homelessness is cause by drug and alcohol dependencies, the economy and veterans who suffers from PTSD or other forms of mental illness.

The subject of homelessness is not universally discussed in society because many people are either ignorant or unwilling to get involved to help. Although it is taboo, every day people are faced with or see homelessness. Many times driving under freeway passes or through highly populated cities, the homeless population can be seen everywhere. California has the densest homeless population in the United States, which is Skid Row in Los Angeles. In the state of California, the effects of homelessness continue to be an ongoing challenge for not only citizens but law enforcement and elected officials. There are many causes for homelessness, but the biggest reasons include mental illness and incarceration, family and financial struggles, and substance abuse.

Regardless of what either side of the issue sees the solutions to homelessness to be, it is an established fact that individuals who are homeless are at increased risk for substance abuse, mental illness, health problems, and are often the victims of

While circumstances can vary, an individual’s first choice is rarely to choose homelessness due to the inability to afford housing or other unforeseen circumstances. The support of friends, family, and community programs/shelters are first suggestions when a person becomes displaced. When these suggestions become inadequate, living on the streets is the next favorable/affordable option. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, on a night in January of 2015, there were 564,708 people homeless in the United States (para 3). On a larger scale, more than one million people are homeless in America and of that population, 50 percent are chronically addicted to alcohol, drugs, or both (Substance abuse mental health, 2011 para 6). Research has brought more attention to risk factors that contribute to homelessness such as the epidemic of substance abuse.

For instance, a study published in 2009 discusses the importance of understanding the different aspects of this population in order to effectively help end youth homelessness. The study notes that are two typical forms of youth homelessness: children living in homeless families and unaccompanied youth. The first group, children living in homeless families, is essentially children who “live in families without a home” (Aratani, 2009, p. 4). Unaccompanied youth, then include those who are runaways, throwaways, and independent youth who have no contact with their family. Additionally, there is a multitude of factors that have been known to contribute to homelessness. These factors include, but are not limited to, lack of affordable housing, economic insecurity, behavioral health, etc. Research has found that the main contributing factors for children living in homeless families are the lack of affordable housing, poverty, and domestic violence (Aratani, 2009). Similarly, mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing are the top contributing factors of homelessness among unaccompanied youth (Aratani, 2009). In addition to analyzing the factors that can cause homelessness, the article explores the impact that homelessness can have on youth. For example, homelessness can often lead to food insecurity since food supplies can be scarce, which can then have a negative impact on the child/youth’s overall health. Also, it can lead to juvenile delinquency, troubles with school, and “a greater risk of experiencing mental health problems” (Aratani, 2009, p. 7). When determining what programs and other resources are best fit to help end youth homelessness, it is important to understand the causes and impact of homelessness among youths in the United

According to the National Coalition for the Homelessness, approximately 3.5 million people experience homelessness in a given year. Over 500,000 people were recorded homeless in the United States in 2015. In just our 5 months into 2016, we have already doubled that number. There 's now well over 100 million homeless people in the US. Roughly 300,000 of those people are children. Homelessness alters people 's lives in many ways. It is an epidemic that is beginning to spread into the industrialized countries. “The world of the homeless is a tough and interesting world.” says actor Paul Dano.

The issue of homelessness in America has been evident since the early 1600’s. Across the country men, women and children spend their nights on the streets not knowing when or if they will ever find a permanent home. States and federal officials or city councils have tried to alleviate or at least reduce the number of homeless over the last several decades at a city, state or national level but it continues to be an ongoing problem. There is a multitude of factors that account for the growing homeless population that affects each state in the country differently. Though there are many contributing factors that contribute to the amount of people living on the street at any given night in the U.S. An effective way to address the problem of homelessness in America is to continue creating affordable housing, maintaining assistance programs, and continue creating workforce

In her memoir, the Glass Castle, Jeanette Wall’s discusses and explores many different concepts that affected her family dynamic and her development. One of these matters is homelessness. Individuals are able to live in a stable environment, sleep in a warm bed, wear clean clothes, and enjoy proper meals; but not all of these basic needs are enjoyed by everyone and their families. This undesirable situation is portrayed in Jeannette Walls novel. Jeannette vividly depicts homelessness by exploring its causes, its impact on daily life, and its effect on her family. Unfortunately, homelessness is still a major issue in many American cities. The issues that lead to this circumstance could include anything from substance abuse, disabilities or mental illness.

Before we can get into the details of the things that can be done to help the homeless, first we must understand the scope of people affected by homelessness and the magnitude of homelessness in our country. On a single night in 2016, 549,928

Each year, a pool of thousands of homeless youth get commonly overlooked and misjudged throughout the United States. “In the 2013-2014 school year alone, it was reported that there were approximately 1.3 million homeless youth enrolled in the public-school system” (United States). Despite the enormous number of children homelessness affects, the public eye remains ignorant on the topic. Some people try to go blind to the number while others decide to look down upon those it hurts, rather than assessing and improving the situation. Until society gains knowledge of both the causes and effects these adolescents face daily, the ever-growing epidemic will continue to show no signs of improvement.

over a million people are homeless all over the world. 643,067 people experiencing homelessness of any given second. Most people are spending the night either in homeless shelters or in some sort of short-term transitional housing. Slightly more than a third are living in cars or under bridges or are in some other way living unsheltered.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates the homeless population to be at, “a low of 250,000 to 350,000 nationwide” (Fogel 386). The Community for Creative Non-Violence however claims it’s at, “a high of 2 to 3 million” (Fogel 386). Even if the homeless population is around 250,000, that is a lot of people who need somewhere to stay. The lack of attention from the government on this problem is disappointing. With such a large homeless population the government can't just keep ignoring this problem. People are suffering every day on the streets while the federal government is just trying to indirectly solve the problem by letting the individual states deal with it. The government needs to establish a specific federal department that deals with homelessness if they ever hope to get rid of this

Being homeless, a struggle known by too many in the United States, in fact there are estimated numbers of 633,782 people being homeless in just the United States alone. These people have found their self’s homeless for many different reasons like bad decisions, not a high enough paying job, or no job could be found,