Category: Response Papers (Apr 20) (Page 1 of 2)

When I was younger, I remember being asked, “What are the basic necessities of life?” To which I responded with, “Food, water, clothes and shelter.” Chapter 9 in the CQ Researcher touched on the last factor listed, emphasizing its great necessity and complexity– homelessness.

When they hear the word “homelessness,” people often think of someone who is unemployed and fail to realize the group of people who fall underneath the homeless umbrella encompasses a much larger, diverse population (example: those suffering with mental illnesses; didn’t have the resources to go forward with their education or were prone to drug usage).  To the surprise of many, individuals who are considered homeless can also be underemployed. In other words, someone can have a job, but because they are not paid enough, they can not afford a roof over their heads. This is because rent is so expensive in New York City and with elements such as gentrification coming into play, the problem is seen to be growing. Families are being put out of their homes and displaced since they can no longer afford rent and if the cost of rent continues to rise, families barely making ends meet will face an even greater struggle. They will have a hard time affording food and healthcare, which are also needed to survive.

Homelessness is a prevalent issue in New York City and because of how it’s shown through the stereotypical personas in media, the idea of it is often misconceived. Those who are underemployed, have mental illnesses and couldn’t go far in their formal education because of structural discrimination are often unaccounted for when people think of homeless individuals. People should not have to worry about where they would be able to sleep or if they’ll be able to have their next family dinner at their dining table or in the streets.

Upon reading this week’s chapters regarding the topic of homelessness, it struck me how many different factors besides poverty is a cause of homelessness; insufficient resources, discrimination, and unaffordable housing all contribute to the issue of homelessness. Thus, solving the issue of homelessness is a more complex process that needs to address the various contributing factors.

The “Housing the Homeless” and “Opening Doors” approach which avoids shelters and instead provides housing for those who have lost their homes is only beneficial to a portion of the homeless population, mostly those who struggle financially and economically. However, this doesn’t address the problem for those who are homeless due to other factors such as lack of education, mental illness etc. For these people, in order to help them keep their homes, we need to address the root of the problem to prevent a repeated cycle of homelessness.

Similarly, combating discrimination in housing is another example of getting to the root of the problem. Not only to people of color and different race face discrimination, but this is also a severe issue for disabled people as well. As a result, minorities and the disabled are forced to settle in poor neighborhoods and are unable to receive the same comforts, security, and opportunities.

Overall, the issue of homelessness is complex and multifaceted and needs to be addressed from all facets in order to be fully solved. A more active role by the government and our public officials to enforce policies, provide rehabilitation, job training etc. is needed to reduce homelessness and to ensure that every person is able to have a place they can call home.

Chapter nine of the CQ Reader poses the interesting question of causation versus correlation between unemployment and homelessness. The chapter makes the claim that, “experts agree that poverty is the main cause of homelessness,” but expands this point later by defining the many facets of being poor. Poverty is multi-dimensional, and though widely agreed to be the cause of most homelessness, a statement without qualification of the mitigating factors of poverty– both economic and social– is devoid of critical context necessary to intelligently understand the problem.

On the subject of homelessness, I find myself less knowledgable than I would like– after all, isn’t one of the most present sights of the City men and women in tattered clothes asking for spare change? Maybe this is a symptom of the wider New Yorker avoidance of the homeless, or perhaps just indicative of my own intellectual blindness, but reading this chapter was my first actual exposure to studying homelessness. The biggest takeaway that I have from this reading is the importance of recognizing the many factors that contribute to homelessness and how this reflects on the view of, and aid to, homeless New Yorkers as a whole by policymakers. It is a misconception that only economic factors, specifically joblessness, lead to homelessness.  As the chapter says, a recent study found that 17% of the adults in homeless families were working at least part-time. This points potentially to the issue of underemployment, meaning that some people are working and still unable to afford to support themselves due to rising housing costs combined with general economic inequality. To interject something personal to my research project, this is a concern that has been cited in some of my interviews with adjunct professors– they are aware that their financial situation puts them in the vulnerable position where many could end up on the street if not for taking on freelance or other work (one of my interviewees makes the majority of his money moving furniture). The point is though, that not everyone has the same ability to harness and outsource their labor and remain off the streets like the professors I spoke to. This inability can be related to social factors such as mental illness, disability, trauma, or substance abuse. Homelessness seems thus, to me, an effect of inadequacies in social welfare policy, namely in the lack of funding for education, job training, mental health treatment, programs to aid abuse victims, and income inequality as a whole. This is all to say that many, including myself, are sometimes guilty of simplification of solutions to complex issues like homelessness. Statements such as “get a job” or “tax the rich,” though attractive, seem to lack the nuance that comes from actual understanding of the issue at hand, but do reflect the obstacles in thinking that need to be surmounted in order to make progress in aiding those afflicted. Increased funding is an obvious (and expensive) solution, but in this era it does not seem likely. Rather, I tend to believe that change will come from making people realize the wide and tragic effects of poverty and homelessness. Ultimately, isn’t it what stems from chronic poverty (misery, crime, political upheaval) that makes people afraid? In my opinion, the threat to mess with money or with the normal rhythms of someone’s day is likely to produce at least more interest in reforming social policy in the areas of homelessness and disparate income than is relying on pure sympathy.

I was surprised by this week’s readings at seeing just how complex the issue of homelessness is. The reasons behind it are not necessarily limited to poverty alone as I once believed, with factors like education, mental illness, and drug abuse all playing a role. Therefore, while it’s clear that we must look for a long term solution to the problem, I’m also aware that there is no one panacea or cure all solution, especially given that the reasons behind homelessness can be so diverse and multifaceted.

The housing first initiative outlined in Peter Katel’s “Housing the Homeless” chapter represents a novel approach to the homelessness problem. It seeks to provide quick housing for individuals who have lost their homes in order to avoid shelters and other temporary settlements. While the concept is great, and will certainly be beneficial in helping those who have become homeless for economic reasons in getting back on their feet, it fails to address a huge portion of the homeless population that has become homeless for non-financial reasons. Those who suffer from mental illness, limited education, or other problems, for example, will still be unable to keep their houses once they get them, and so the cycle will continue. For this portion of the homeless population, a different kind of support system is needed. Services such as rehabilitation (for drug abusers), psychiatric care, and job training need to be offered in conjunction with proper housing in order to permanently end the cycle of homelessness for certain individuals.

While having a place to call home is extremely important, equally important is the quality of the neighborhood and area where one lives in. As is described in Kenneth Jost’s “Housing Discrimination” chapter, one-third of African Americans living in cities are in fact living in highly segregated neighborhoods. This is important in the context of homelessness because the neighborhood you live in dictates the opportunities you get, and, by extension, the socioeconomic status you occupy. Barring minorities from privileged white-only suburbs with superior school districts and other resources prevents them from attaining economic opportunities and being part of an environment that is conducive to employment and prosperity. Therefore, laws such as the Fair Housing rule must be enforced to ensure equality in housing practices.

A more active role by the government, especially with regards to addressing the diverse reasons behind homelessness and actively preventing housing discrimination through the aforementioned laws, may be able to affect significant changes in the state of homelessness within a matter of years. At the end of the day, having that safe space to call home is one of the most important humanistic needs, and with some planning and a solid approach we can empower homeless individuals to not only get their homes back but also to have the means necessary to keep them.

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.

New York is a state with the second largest homeless population in the United States, and we know it all too well. From the homeless men and women on the streets who stay out in the cold, to the people who are stuck in homeless shelters for years without sufficient assistance to get them back on their feet, the issue of homelessness is one that we have acted against but have not been able to solve.

The issue of homelessness is complex – while poverty may be the prime cause of homelessness, there are many things that cause poverty. The lack of a high-quality education for everyone regardless of their socioeconomic background, the lack of jobs due to a stagnating industry, or even social issues like the abuse of drugs or certain mental illnesses make it extremely hard for people to maintain jobs and pay for housing. It’s even worse as the issue of housing discrimination is very prevalent and has been here for decades. For instance, African Americans have been blocked from moving into majority white neighborhoods for decades now, and while fair housing laws have been passed, the issue is still largely there. Professor Douglas Massey from Princeton University states that an alarming one-third of African Americans living in cities are in fact living in highly segregated neighborhoods.

The government itself hasn’t been able to do much in reducing racial segregation in housing. The Section 8 Voucher Program, which provides assistance to low-income families in dire need of housing does try to solve the issue, but it falls short. The waiting list for it is as large as 25,000 in a city like St. Louis and there is a rental cap imposed that makes it hard for families to find decent homes. Furthermore, landlords do not necessarily have to accept these tenants because while the city enforces the law, the county does not. When it comes to the federal level, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has also not quite done absolutely all they can to minimize the issue of housing discrimination in the US. Like Professor Jargowsky has said, “they work so much with the housing authority, and the housing authority works with the developers.” Instead of the people’s needs being met, they appear to be shoved aside.

HUD has not done so well regarding homelessness either. While their assessments have pointed out that homelessness has indeed dropped since the recession in 2007, it fails to take into account the many people who have come up with their own refuges outside of the formal housing shelters such as those who have “doubled up” or in other words, have been staying with different family members or friends. To me, it seems like the problem of homelessness is being grossly underrepresented and while the issue is definitely hard to solve, we shouldn’t be pretending that we are solving it by skewing the numbers.

As a greater society, we have a duty to provide basic needs to the members of this society. It is up to the people and the government, elected by the people, to determine what those basic needs are. As with everything, there are differences in opinion. Chapters 9 and 11 in the CQ reader express the importance of having a roof over one’s head. Housing is an extremely important bare minimum. Without it, it is almost impossible to find the motivation to do much else.

Homelessness is an issue that we literally face every day. Chapter 9 delves into the idea of housing the homeless. The best way to house the homeless is to understand what their needs are and what caused them to be homeless in the first place. According to experts, the main contributor to homelessness is poverty. A lack of education, jobs, and underemployment are all factors. If one does not have access to proper education or a job, they cannot afford to pay rent or purchase a home. Not only is it a monetary problem, but homelessness is a social problem as well. Mental illness or substance abuse make it difficult to keep a job or afford housing.

Housing First and Rapid Re-Housing, in theory, appear to be a great tag team providing housing and financial aid, respectively, to those who have recently become homeless to prevent them from being on the streets or in a shelter. While the cost of these programs and effectiveness is debatable. I believe that these programs could flourish with an additional element. These programs need to be complemented by some sort of education component. Since a cause of homelessness is a lack of education, which makes finding employment difficult, I believe that classes teaching basic skills such as computer, writing, and resume building can improve these peoples’ chances of getting out and staying out. Additionally, individuals and families need the emotional support, guidance, and group therapy to deal with everything that is presented before them.

Not only is homelessness a major housing issue, but housing discrimination is as well. When racial segregation in housing was legal in the 1930s and 1950s, white families were receiving mortgages with great interest rates, while black families were being denied. This allowed white families to move into comfortable suburban areas and it left black families in the dust. Although now racial segregation has declined, it still exists in many cities across the United States. Reading Kimberly’s story at the start of Chapter 11, I was completed shocked by her experience living in public housing in Baltimore and how she succumbed to the realities of her surroundings. Although she was given a Section 8 voucher, not everyone is as fortunate and not all landlords accept them. This makes it incredibly difficult for families to find good, diverse neighborhoods to live in. Although I do not have an answer, and I do not know who does, both homelessness and housing discrimination are serious issues that needs to be resolved.

How can anyone accomplish anything without having a home? Our homes are our security blankets, our private little corners that we can go to in order to re-charge, so that we can face the big world out there. Based on this outlook, everybody deserves a home, especially the child going home after a harrowing day at school. Those who don’t have a home because of adjustment problems such as drinking, drugs, or crime, will never make adequate progress without having a home. As such, after reading Peter Katel’s chapter on “Housing the Homeless” I firmly agree with the concept of “Housing First.”  This procedure allows for quickly placing individuals in housing and avoiding transitory homeless programs such as shelters. The author provides research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that children perform better in school, and that adults show better recovery and response to treatment when given a permanent home first. The economic issues that force individuals into public shelters take a long time to resolve; step one in this process is having a home. People need a stable shelter in order to build their confidence, make improvements in their lives, and develop within society. Placing the homeless in permanent housing and providing supportive services will give them a base from which they can begin to solve their life problems. Without a home base, there is no “home run” solution.

Related to having a home is movement out of undesirable domiciles, such as shelters, slums, and public projects, that discourage personal and social growth. The location and quality of a home is important because they help create an environment of hope. The article by Kenneth Jost on “Housing Discrimination” points out that in order to have fair housing the houses that people are placed in should be equivalent and that people should not be precluded from living in nicer neighborhoods, such as in suburbs, based on gender, racial, sexual, disability, or financial discrimination. Putting the homeless, the poor, minorities, or immigrant groups in poor neighborhoods, segregated from well-to-do white neighborhoods, keeps them from being exposed to the wealth of beauty, safety, and educational opportunities that are available in safer suburban areas. It should be the job of the government to ensure that people of all backgrounds can live together in any neighborhood, and to also ensure that all neighborhoods are well integrated. Laws such as HUD’s “Fair-Housing Rule” and the “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule” need to be implemented; the latter allows governmental funds to help improve the housing situations for desegregated poor and minority groups. Although historically there have been laws against housing discrimination based on religion, race or disability, these laws have not prevented the growth of segregated, exclusive neighborhoods. Instead, minorities have primarily been confined to poor and low income housing in poverty and high crime areas. These areas are often limited with regard to their access to good educational systems and jobs, thus preventing the growth of these individuals in society. Having a house to live in is a step up from homelessness, but it is not just the presence of a house but also the quality of the environment in which the house is placed that makes a difference. An integrated environment with opportunity for all is what is important in helping to create a safe home base in which to grow.

Homelessness is a universal problem, one which cannot, should not, and hopefully will not continue to be ignored to the extent that it is.  Contrary to popular opinion, homelessness is a not a problem unique to the mentally ill, addicts, or minorities, rather it can and does afflict people of all backgrounds.  And simply put, both homelessness and housing discrimination are affliction which are preventable, with an increase in awareness and efforts being made by the general population as to their existence and extent.

You would be hard pressed to find a politician who is willing to advocate for the continuing of the existence of a homeless population.  Furthermore, if asked, no one would support, at least barring economic differences or racial issues stemming from their own biases, housing discrimination.  To this end, it makes no sense that we, as a community, claim to wish to see the end of homelessness, as described the CQ reader, such as that of single mothers or children, but continue to allow one of the primary causes this issue.   In that we fight homelessness, but oftentimes sit contentedly, thinking that the Civil Rights Act in the ’60’s was enough effort made to fight the issue of minority suppression in the United States. So that rather than perpetuating the injustice which we oftentimes turn a blind eye to,  while hypocritically claiming that we are an accepting community who wishes to see all people on equal footing to some extent,  it would behoove us to take meaningful steps to rectify this situation.

This is where the issue becomes far more complex.  While the measures taken by the Bush and Obama administration are admirable,  they are equivalent to cutting out a metastasized cancer without even trying to treat the original tumor.  The assertion that studies done to determine the causes of homelessness were inconclusive is unacceptable, and if not being redone, must be conducted again.  It is folly to try to find people places to stay without taking steps to ensure they or others don’t end up on the streets.  Considering that homelessness existed before the Reagan era, which the text cites as the period of a fundamental shift the American economy,  there must be a universal, continuous, underlying cause, which must be identified and rectified.

In regards to housing discrimination, this is an issue less to do with homelessness, although it does cause it, but rather with race relations in the United States.  Landlords will not be able to change, unless there is a fundamental shift in our society in regards to how the races view each other.  This can be helped, not necessarily solved, by a changing in our educational system.

Both homelessness and housing discrimination are symptoms of greater ailments, and it is time that we targeted the underlying problems rather than what these problems cause.