The causes are varied. At the most basic economic level, poverty and unemployment cause homelessness. The poor simply cannot afford adequate shelter. With estimates of the number of absolute poor (those who cannot meet their most basic needs) reaching 1,200 million people world wide- which is about equal to estimates of the homeless- poverty and homelessness are linked almost by definition.
Beyond basic economics, there are political causes as well. Because the poor often do not carry much political weight, a government may not feel the political pressure to improve its housing and anti-poverty policies. Many governments are elected because a small number of wealthy people pay to have them elected. They want things a certain way. They want to maintain the statue quo and do not want to lose their privileges. The government will not put much energy into eradicating poverty because that is not what the wealthy people want.
Q. Wouldn�t homeless people leave if there were no services for them?
This is like saying, �If there are no doctors, there will be no illness.� With the exception of public meal programs, which do draw crowds, homeless facilities reduce, nor increase, homelessness in the surrounding areas.
Q. Why don�t the police do something?
Homeless people have lost their homes, not their civil rights. Homeless people cannot be told to move until there is a place to move on to.
Q. Don�t charitable groups take care of the homeless?
The role of charitable and voluntary groups is not to substitute for government responsibility. The growth of homelessness has far outstripped the capacity of charitable organizations.
Q. Why don�t homeless people just get jobs?
Most likely available jobs are at minimum wage, with not enough for housing. To look for any job, homeless persons also need an address, phone, a place to clean up, and transportation.
Q. Why aren't the homeless working?
About 20 percent are working regularly. Studies show that 40 percent are ready for work but can�t find a job. Some are not able to work. Others want to work, but need assistance with the problems that led to their homelessness.
Q. Aren�t homeless people responsible for their homelessness?
Most are not. Some are. Those who are on the street because of bad decisions along the way should not be made to stay there indefinitely. If someone has an accident from making an illegal turn, should they be left on the street?
Q. Wouldn�t the homeless be happy if we could just get them all together somewhere?
Somehow, people are mistakenly considered to be in a single group once they have become homeless. The only common denominator is their lack of a home. Creating a homeless ghetto is not the answer.
Q. Aren�t homeless people living on welfare?
Only 20% to 30% receive general relief, which by the way, requires work assignments. It�s not a �free ride.�
Q. Why not let their families take care of them?
Families are often no longer available. In many cases, the breakup of the family or the need to flee from abuse is what led to homelessness. In other cases, families themselves are destitute.
Q. Don�t some people just choose to be homeless?
We have never met someone who set out with homeless as a goal, or someone who made �homelessness� their choice during Career Day.
Q. Why can�t we eliminate homelessness once and for all?
Probably for the same reason that poverty can not be eliminated once and for all�It�s often said that the poor will always be with us. Those who are homeless have fallen from poverty into destitution. As long as there are not enough jobs, housing, and support services for the very poor, there will be people who are homeless.
SOURCES
Second Chance Program. 1 Jan. 2002. Second Chance Program. 20 July 2002
www.secondchanceprogram.org
Share International. 22 July 2002
www.shareintl.org
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. Overview of Entitlement Programs: 1992 Green Book. Washington, DC: U.S.
Government Printing Office: Out of Print.
