Homelessness Is a Condition That Has Affected Most People in America - Paper Example

Thesis: Homelessness is a condition that has affected most people in America; however, the condition is curable.

Introduction

Attention Getter: States such as Alaska, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington State recorded highest rates of homelessness. The total number of people experiencing homelessness in America amounts to more than 3.5 million in one year.

Reason to listen: Increasing unemployment causes homelessness due to poverty and lack of money to pay affordable houses. It is very important to realize ways of earning money and securing employment to reduce homelessness.

Thesis statement: Homelessness is a condition that has affected most people in America; however, the condition is curable.

Credibility statement:

I have read many articles, newspapers, blogs, websites, and other materials regarding homelessness in America and the world.

I have conducted research from books and other materials on the internet.

Preview of the main points:

Discuss homelessness.

Discuss the causes.

Recommend to reduce homelessness.

Homelessness

Homelessness is a state where people do not have adequate housing and shelters. They lack permanent houses and reside on the streets, incomplete buildings and vehicles, single room facilities, and other unstable situations. Section 330 of the public health service Act(42 U.S.C.,254B)(h)(5)(A) defines homelessness as a condition where people lack houses including those who stay in private and supervised facilities at night as well as those living in temporary houses. According to Philips (2012), people living in double up conditions cannot maintain a stable situation, forcing them to accommodate their friends and extended members of the family. Example people who have been homeless such as those released from prison and hospitals are homeless because they do not have a permanent housing to return.

Philips (2012) explains that homeless individuals lack regular and fixed residence during the night. People living in areas not fit for human habitation and in temporary institutions are homeless. People who lose their house due to a court order that has resulted in eviction action directing them to leave within fourteen days are homeless because they will have to live in hotels and other temporary places. The Federal statutes define youths and families living unaccompanied and experiencing continued instability due to frequent moves are homeless.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses a point-in-time count to measure prevalence of homelessness because the method includes those in shelters and outside shelters. According to HUD, 23% individuals living in U.S.A are chronically homeless. They are unaccompanied people with a disabling condition such as mental illness, chronic physical illnesses, and problems with development and abusing certain substances. They have been sleeping in places not meant for human habitation for over three years. More than 1.5 million children in America are homeless in a single year.

Transition

11. Causes of homelessness

a. Most homeless families lack affordable housing, members are unemployed and suffer poverty. Such families abuse substances, suffer from mental illnesses and chronic diseases. According to Front Steps (2017), factors such as domestic violence, loss of jobs, and lacking affordable houses leads to homelessness among most people.

b. According to front steps (2017), the state of homelessness is increasing in America to more than 564,708 people sleeping in emergency shelters and outside their homes in 2016. More than 36,907 being children, 47,725 are veterans. More than 269,991 homeless people are disabled and unemployed. More than 16 states report an increase in homelessness. Most poor people are at higher risks of homelessness because they are unemployed and cannot shelter the burden of house cost.

c.Veterans constitute more than 40% of the homeless population, where at least 200,000 are homeless in one night. The racial and ethnic minorities such as African-Americans remain overrepresented. More than 2% Asians, 4% Native-Americans, 13% Hispanic, 42% African-Americans and 39 percentage non-Hispanic whites are homeless. Approximately 71% homeless persons dwell in central cities, 21% in environs, and 9% live in countryside areas (The National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2018).

DHealth problems reported among homeless individuals

Homeless individuals live in places without adequate resources that lead to various health problems such as alcohol abuse and other drugs. They experience problems with mental health, HIV/AIDS, and other acute health problems such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and pneumonia. Other people suffer stress, high blood pressure, cancer, and diabetes.

Transition

111. Response to homelessness

a. The major response to homelessness remains with McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a major central legislative response Act signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. The Federal Act has initiated several programs to assist homeless Americans regain stability. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act offers emergency shelter, job trainings, transitional housing, education, services for primary care in health, and few permanent houses (The National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).

Conclusion

Review of Major Points:

Homelessness.

Causes of homelessness

Recommendations.

Restatement of Thesis: Homelessness has affected most people in America; however, the condition is curable.

Closure: In conclusion, homelessness has affected most Americans for a long time. Today most organizations and Acts formed give remedies to the condition through education, trainings, and workshops on better means of survival. Some also built permanent houses at cheaper prices.

References

Front steps. (2017). U.S. Homelessness Facts. Front steps. Retrieved from http://frontsteps.org/u-s-homelessness-facts/The National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2018). State of homelessness report. National Alliance to End Homelessness. Retrieved from https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-report/The National Coalition for the Homeless (2009).Substance Abuse and Homelessness. National Coalition for the Homeless, 1-3.

Philips, K. (2012).Homelessness: Causes, Culture and community development as a solution. Salve Regina University, 1-56.