blot09

Reham Hassan, Mohammad Kamal, Sophia Tsang, Chamandeep Kaur
Professor Blot
MHC 353 Seminar 4: Shaping the Future of New York
20 March 2009
Annotated Bibliography
Books
Hurley, J. (2002). Opposing Viewpoints: The Homeless. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven
Press.
Opposing viewpoints: The Homeless does exactly just that. It is an impartial layout of opinions from both sides by experts, policy makers, and regular citizens. One of the aspects addressed is the problem of increasing homelessness, but the causes are highly disagreeable. Some reasons suggested include the changing economy resulting budget cuts, welfare and unemployment, and discharging of mental patients. This book will be useful in exploring some methods that the government and society can help to fight homelessness.
Nunez, R. (2004). A Shelter Is Not A Home… Or Is It? New York, NY: White Tiger
Press.
A Shelter Is Not a Home…Or Is It? particularly addresses homelessness in New York City, offering insight into the causes of poverty. Through intensive research of over 23 years, Nunez explores the history of NYC shelter system and examines the failed policies of affordable housing. In the book, he explains that most shelters have become permanent places for residency of poor families because of inadequate funding from the federal government for low-income housing. Nunez offers a possible proposal to efficiently help homeless families find permanent housing. This source will be especially helpful for our research of current problems with shelters, however it suggests that the problem isn’t necessarily the shelters but the lack there-of.
Internet Sources
Staten Island Advance. (2008, December 6). Homeless shelter on Staten Island has its
share of problems. Staten Island Advance. Retrieved from
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/homeless_shelter_on_staten_isl.ht
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This Staten Island advance article points out some of the issues being faced in shelters through the example of a homeless woman from Staten Island. Along with describing the problems, such as crowdedness and drug and alcohol use in the shelters, the article sheds light on particular aspects of policies. Some changes described are switching hours, which would transform drop-in centers to day-only facilities, where clients would receive counseling and other services, then be assigned to local beds in churches or hotels, or get sent to public shelters in other boroughs at night. Thus, this article will be helpful in further research of shelters.
Coalition for the Homeless. (2008). Policy and Research. Retrieved March 17, 2009,
from http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/policyandresearch.html
This Internet source describes the Coalition for the Homeless, which is an advocacy organization. The information that will be useful is their policy research, which analyzes the New York City shelter system. For instance, the site speaks of the Bloomberg administration that has a plan to reduce emergency shelter and other services for homeless individuals, which will cause difficulties to help the increasing number of homeless people in New York.
2 Chapters from an edited book
Jeter, V, Kronenfeld, D, & Phillips M H., (1986). A Model of Services to Homeless
Families in Shelters. Housing the Homeless (322-334). New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers.
The chapter reviews data gathered from the Urban Family Center about homeless families, the ideal services to be offered to that particular demography, and a closer look at the finances of the proposed shelter. The article identifies the changing population of the homeless served. This may serve as a model for our proposed policy changes.
Kaufman, N. K., (1986). A Model of Services to Homeless Families in Shelters. Housing
the Homeless (322-334). New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers.
The article defines the problem and causes of homelessness, and suggests a broad policy approach and discusses the accomplishments of the policy in progress in Massachusetts. It reinforces the idea that adequate shelter is a constant in the equation to solve homelessness with the variable being jobs. Successful policy approaches like this one may help direct us in our own policy goals.
Articles
Triplet, W. (2004, June 18) Ending Homelessness. CQ Researcher. Volume 14. Retrieved
March 19, 2009 from
http://library.cqpress.com.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/cqresearcher/document.php?id
=cqresrre2004061800.
This article discusses whether the problem of homelessness is solvable and the different measures that have been implemented to try and resolve the problem. It is difficult to come up with one measure that can help all the homeless because the homeless population is so diverse. Despite the diversity of the problem, many homeless advocates say that the federal government has not devoted enough resources to eliminate it. There are many differing viewpoints on how to address homelessness. Some believe that homelessness can never really be eradicated, but most believe that if proper programs are put in place, such as housing projects or increased welfare aid, then the homeless problem can really start moving towards a solution. Having background information on past efforts to help homelessness, will help us shape our policy approach.
Mooney, J. (2008, May 18) Doors Close, Doors Open, and the Homeless Trudge On.
New York Times. Retrieved March 19, 2008, from

sq=%20Doors%20Close,%20Doors%20Open,%20and%20the%20Homeless%20
Trudge%20On&st=cse.
This article is about New York City’s plan to move the main homeless shelter located at the former Bellevue Hospital, to the Bedford-Atlantic Armory in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. This move has raised objections among many because Manhattan is the borough with the largest homeless population and to move the shelter to another borough would put many of the homeless out on the streets again. We may tailor our policy approach to address this problem.