Homelessness in America: A Sad Reality, an Unmet Challenge

[Written December 2007]

The United States is blessed with unrivaled abundance. It is tempting for any great society, once it has achieved such immense prosperity that further advancement seems both unnecessary and impossible, to rest on its laurels and live comfortably off of its largesse. However, it is most essential that this Nation recognize that its abundance, while a great fortune, is but a beginning. The great effort that has produced America’s wealth must now be matched by an equally intensive, collective effort to ensure that all are afforded the opportunity to access the fruits of that wealth for the purpose of securing for themselves and their families the minimum standard of living which all should enjoy in a prosperous society. There are some who mask indifference and selfishness in a grotesque rhetorical cloak of proclamations of “personal responsibility” and “self-sufficiency,” arguing that every man is responsible for himself, and in the event of the unfortunate circumstances and difficulties that life will most assuredly bring, should not expect the help of others. This view, dubbed “egoism,” commands allegiance to a doctrine of social Darwinism that most sensible people would reject, and under which many people with much to contribute to society would perish in the face of adversity because they had nowhere to turn for help. The achievement of American prosperity has not been the work of one man or one generation, but the totality of the cumulative effort of all men and every generation. The enjoyment of prosperity, thus, must not be reserved for those who escape or easily overcome hardship; it must be, to the fullest extent possible, afforded to all. The relative ease and comfort with which most Americans live their lives is indeed reason for pride; but the hidden despair and emptiness characterizing the lives of many others is cause for embarrassment, but it must also be a call to action. This Nation must reject the notion that further advancement and the achievement of a higher level of prosperity is impossible; it must also emphatically oppose the suggestion that it is impossible for all to benefit from and share in that prosperity.

The scourge of homelessness is a national embarrassment. Quite often, indeed too often, “that’s just the way it is” is accepted as justification for what is on its face an abominable reality; many past evils would still exist today had this answer been accepted. Homelessness is indeed a reality, but is it a necessary reality? Should a great nation, having achieved so much and still striving for greater achievement, ignore this most fundamental travesty? Should a false sense of national helplessness be permitted to perpetuate individual hopelessness? Should a nation of compassion neglect those in need of it; a nation of wealth ignore those who lack it? Should a man, himself flawed and susceptible to the indiscriminate sword of circumstance and hardship, look down upon another because he suffers, or should he help lift up those who have fallen? There are fundamental questions that go to the very core of a Nation’s identity. The suffering and the anguish of those who live on the streets, in shelters, dilapidated cars, abandoned warehouses and disgusting dumpsters is real. The alleviation of such needless suffering is possible. The empowerment of the powerless, the helping of the helpless, the granting of hope to the hopeless, and the assurance of a home for the homeless; these are causes to which this Nation must commit itself if its greatness is to be sustained and its conscience satisfied.

The federal government defines homelessness as “someone who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence” (“General”). This, of course, excludes a number of people who are effectively homeless: those living in their automobiles or taking up residence in cheap and ill-maintained motels or dangerously over-crowded houses and apartments. Using the legal criteria, mindful of its flaws, there are an estimated 3 1/2 million Americans experience homelessness each year. Aside from the definitional inadequacy, it is also difficult to accurately count the homeless (Rossi 3). Of the 3 1/2 million who experience homelessness each year, 1 1/3 million, or 40 percent, are under the age of eighteen. 800,000 are veterans. 25 percent reported suffering physical or sexual abuse as children; 27 percent were in foster care or group homes as children; 21 percent were homeless at some point during their childhood. Further, 54 percent have been incarcerated in a correctional facility at some point in their lives. Between 10 and 20 percent are considered to be chronically homeless, meaning that they have been continuously homeless for more than one year (Blau 23-25). A more basic breakdown of the homeless population is as follows:

Homelessness in America: The Numbers

Classification % of total homeless population
Single adult males 41%
Families with children 40%
Single adult females 14%
Unaccompanied Minors 5%

Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2005

It is important to note that the “families with children” category is the fastest-growing group, and is projected to soon become the largest group of the homeless population (Blau 29).

Homelessness is not a simple problem, and there is no simple cause. There are a variety of contributory factors which cause and perpetuate homelessness. Among these, mental illness is the most consequential. Approximately 22 percent of the adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe mental illness, namely schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression (Seager 71-72). Many of these individuals do not need to be institutionalized and could lead largely independent lives; however, without access to the crucial mental health services necessary to manage their illnesses, they will not be able to support themselves and their condition will worsen (Seager 79). Another unnoticed but very significant contributory factor is domestic violence. Battered women are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. Approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness nationwide are fleeing domestic violence (Jencks 42). Individuals released from correctional facilities are also at a very high risk for homelessness; indeed, some individuals are homeless when they enter correctional institutions, so they will most certainly end up back on the street. Many leave prison unprepared to re-enter society, lacking the training and skills needed to become gainfully employed and unable to get jobs because of their criminal record. Indeed, it is evident that homelessness breeds crime, for newly released individuals who have nowhere to turn are highly likely to revert to lives of crime out of habit and pure desperation. This should be a sobering reality for those who would deny that homelessness is a problem that affects everyone. Finally, drug abuse is perhaps the most widely acknowledged factor. It is estimated that 65 to 80 percent of all homeless adults suffer from chronic alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, or a combination of all three. These conditions are often complicated and exacerbated by serious, unaddressed medical problems (Baum 37).

The grotesquely high prevalence of homelessness among veterans is something that should shock the conscience of a free society and mobilize action by its government and citizenry. It is a common, but inaccurate, notion that Americans take care of those who take care of them. Combat veterans have rendered honorable and courageous service to their Nation, and when they return home they should receive whatever assistance they need to reintegrate into society. One of every four adults sleeping on the streets tonight served the Nation in combat. Many suffer from combat-related mental and physical disabilities, with several hundred thousand suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The inadequacy of the veteran health system is a large contributory factor to veteran homelessness. Further, 50 percent of homeless veterans have an addiction, as many veterans try to cope with their difficulties by succumbing to the allure of the temporary solace of drugs and alcohol (Snow 42). The federal government must address this issue. The Nation’s veterans deserve no less.

Equally disturbing is the prevalence of homelessness among American youth. As noted earlier, at least 1 1/3 million minors, 60 percent of them under the age of 14, endure prolonged homelessness at some point during the year. Approximately 20,000 minors are “chronically homeless” (Snow 76). For homeless youth (and by extension, society), the consequences of homelessness are particularly significant. Homeless youth are: nine times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than non-homeless youth; at a much higher risk for physical and sexual assault or abuse and physical illness; far more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicide; more likely to become involved in prostitution, gangs and criminal activity, drug abuse and other dangerous behaviors; and far less likely to attend school on a regular basis, as an estimated one-third of homeless children have a school attendance rate of less than 60 percent (Snow 42).

These statistics are sobering, but they do not begin to capture the suffering that homelessness entails. They do not, unfortunately, compel immediate action to solve the problem because common myths continue to exist about the homeless. Everyone, regardless of how compassionate they may consider themselves, has subscribed, whether consciously or unconsciously, to these myths. There is a widespread view that the homeless are lazy, but to assert this is to ignore the facts outlined in this paper. The causes are much more complicated, and far less convenient. If the homeless were by and large lazy, the view that they do not deserve help would perhaps be justified. However, the overwhelming evidence supports the assertion that unfortunate circumstances, medical illness, domestic violence, lack of education and opportunity, addiction and powerful personal demons are the major contributory factors to homelessness. Some argue that we should not help the homelessness because some will abuse the help. This is a grossly simplistic attempt to justify inaction. Society does not kick children out of school or abolish the public education system because some children do not take advantage of opportunities to learn and abuse their right to learn; likewise, it would be equally foolish to not help the homeless because some would abuse that help and fail to take advantage of the genuine opportunities for improvement that it provides.

Homelessness is not inevitable. It can be prevented and addressed. Current efforts too often focus on managing homelessness rather than preventing and ending it. In order to dramatically reduce and eventually eliminate homelessness in America, several steps should be taken and principles adhered to. Efforts to address homelessness should be undertaken primarily at the state and local level, with minimal federal control. The federal government should supplement state and local efforts with flexible funding, not supplant such efforts with burdensome regulations and restrictive dictates. The federal government should dramatically improve its data collection functions in order to get a better idea of the true magnitude of homelessness in America. Furthermore, efforts should be geared toward ending homelessness, not just managing it. The homeless should be directed to services that they need to get their lives back on track: mental health treatment, substance addiction rehabilitation, job training, supportive housing, and employment placement services. Finally, there should be sufficient funding in place to provide these services to the homeless.

Homelessness is a difficult problem that will not yield to easy or simplistic solutions. There are those who cannot be helped, but this does not mean that those who can should not be helped. Millions need help, and most would use that help to get their lives back on track. The traumatized veteran, the innocent child, the broken addict--they are all in need of compassion and understanding, but they are in need of more. They are in need of empowerment. They are in need of opportunity. Only when America finds the wisdom to dispel the false notions about the homeless can it effectively help the homeless. Sympathy and kind gestures are necessary, but they are not enough. Action, education, understanding and constructive compassion is needed. The conquest of homelessness and the extension of prosperity to all the people is not an effort held hostage by the limits of national ability but rather by the absence of national will. America is strong enough to end homelessness if it is bold enough to make the effort.