When I think of homelessness in New York, I think of the homeless people on the subways reciting their life stories to each car. And I think about how almost every person in the subway car averts their eyes. We all look away when in reality most of us want to help. We also know that giving the change in our pockets won’t solve the issue of homelessness.

The only way to solve an issue is to know its cause, and there are numerous reasons explained in the reading. Disability, a history of trauma, mental illness, and substance abuse all cause many people to be homeless. Another major issue is that being employed is not enough to stay off the streets. While unemployment causes many to be homeless, there are just as many people who are employed and are still homeless. This is because they have to put far too much of their income towards rent. More than 11 million households spend more than 50% of their income on rent. It is an unsustainable way to live; they simply don’t have enough money to pay rent, buy food, and afford healthcare. Eventually, their low-incomes cause them to lose their homes. Raising the minimum wage is one way in which some people believe people can get out of poverty and be able to afford rent. On the other hand, by raising the minimum wage, rent may be raised even higher. In order to see a decrease in homelessness, there needs to be more affordable housing.

Not only should people have a roof over their heads, but they should be living in communities in which they are given the opportunity to succeed. A solid education, good health care, and quality job prospects are essential. Segregation is still a huge issue within communities, and it is causing concentrated poverty. Our current system is setting people up to fail. Something has to change.