Why Homelessness is A Social Problem

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Surname 1 Students Name Professor’s Name Course Studied Course Code Date Why Homelessness is A Social Problem The issue of homelessness is one of the most important societal challenges in the United States today. This issue affects everyone, not just those who are homeless, and it exists everywhere in the world, from the remotest villages to the busiest cities. Even though there are numerous services and resources, such as food banks and shelters for the homeless, the issue still persists. The question of how efforts are being made to lessen the number of homeless persons in the United States will be clarified by this article. Homelessness can be regarded as a social problem since it is a systemic problem, breaches fundamental societal values, has an impact on those in positions of power, and is a social production in and of itself. Crack, outsourcing, stricter rules on housing in skid row, and new homeless shelters are just a few of the reasons why there are more people sleeping rough now than there used to be (Mooney et al., p.2). However, those with "blood on their hands" should be aware that, in the long run, businesses, the government, and taxpayers who are looking out for their own financial interests are also interested in eliminating homelessness. Because of this issue, society suffers, which contributes to an uptick in criminal activity and a decline in the economy's worth. "Homeless" refers to people who do not have a permanent place to call their own. Some people have no choice but to live in homeless shelters, on the streets, or in their cars because they have nowhere else to go. Contrary to popular assumption, there is almost never a connection between substance abuse and homelessness. Being homeless can be caused by a wide

2 range of causes, including mental illness and a lack of resources. Two overarching explanations have emerged for why people find themselves living on the streets: one focuses on structural economic and policy conditions such as poverty, unemployment, and a lack of affordable rented housing, and the other emphasizes individual incapacity, vulnerability, and behavior, as evidenced by theoretical contributions and empirical research findings. Although each of these arguments has some merit, it is crucial to keep in mind that neither of them can fully explain why people end up living on the streets. Some people actively avoid the obligations that come with having a social life by making this lifestyle choice. People being homeless might also be a result of extensive societal activity. According to a research by William Tucker, enforcing rent control results in a shortage of housing options, which in turn increases the number of people sleeping on the streets. Because rent control discourages investment and therefore leads to a shortage of housing, Tucker said that towns with rent control had lower vacancy rates and higher rates of homelessness than those without rent control. Rent control allows landlords to better manage their properties, giving tenants long-term security. As a result, there are fewer rental properties available, which reduces people's options. Homelessness is fundamentally a problem caused by economic injustice and poverty. In areas with high poverty rates, there are more people living on the streets, probably because there aren't enough job and educational options. Some people relied on welfare and other government aid programs to put off what might otherwise be their inexorable fate( Long et al p.1). The problems of poverty, economic injustice, and homelessness persist despite the government's best efforts. Many academic frameworks have been written about the issue of homelessness. There are many different viewpoints on these topics, including functionalist, feminist, racist, symbolic

3 interactionist, and conflict perspectives. Functionalists view poverty, homelessness, and other forms of economic inequality as advantageous. Functionalists would, if anything, view economic inequality as a social asset rather than a societal problem (Gubits et al p.835). Functionalists contend that the poor are essential because they supply a pool of people who are willing to perform the least attractive jobs for low pay (such cleaning and yard work). The wealthy would have more time to engage in leisure activities as a result. However, both supporters and opponents of this viewpoint would agree that severe inequality undermines American values and slows the economy. Conflict theorists claim that this issue has social roots. They view inequality as a natural result of the struggle for power and resources in capitalist systems. Conflict theorists contend that those who are wealthy and powerful use their position to influence politics and the economy. They believe that the system intentionally keeps a divide between the rich and the poor. Theorists of symbolic interactionism contend that social inequality compels people to examine their own self and the societies in which they live. For instance, an affluent person might feel bad for a homeless person (Nilsson et al p.741). They might not be able to get past the fact that this person is homeless and treat them with less than human decency. Symbolic interactionists have investigated how media affects how people behave. The public can be informed about homelessness through the media, or they can be misinformed about the problem. For many ethnic groupings, economic inequality has long been a concern, claim proponents of the race-centered perspective. However, proponents of this theory assert that society did not acknowledge the issue until white people began to be impacted. The perception is that people who are homeless are mostly people of color (Shinn et al., p.1). The opposite is real. Homelessness and extreme poverty know no racial or geographic boundaries.

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4 Subsistence is linked to the effects of homelessness that are felt right away by a person (food and shelter). Homeless people are frequently made to sleep in temporary shelters and eat from trash. Living on the streets carries threats to one's health and safety. The two main causes of death among homeless people are disease and starvation. It cannot be denied that homelessness has a substantial financial impact on our neighborhood. Homelessness can lower property values, turn away potential consumers, and discourage company owners from settling in a town. The increased cost to the government of funding food banks and homeless shelters has a deterrent effect on consumer spending and has a hand in the current economic crisis. Social scientists advise against eliminating support for the homeless in an effort to revitalize business neighborhoods. Focus groups with homeless people were held by University of Central Florida sociologist James Wright and his doctoral students to gauge how they felt about the change. The services would no longer be available since they would be moved to locations with poor access to public transportation. According to the survey, local governments' efforts at downtown regeneration projects fell short of their goal of reducing the number of homeless people living there. The study and analysis that produced these findings make them methodologically sound. We have all worked together to make the situation of the homeless better. Celebrities and public figures frequently organize charitable events to assist the homeless in obtaining the essential supplies. Famous pop singer Cyndi Lauper founded the nonprofit Forty to None with the aim of lowering youth homelessness in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. The average person may help the community by giving their time to food banks and shelters, volunteering there, and donating gently used clothing and shoes. Nearly every town

5 or city in the US has a donation location where you may drop off gently worn clothing and shoes for the homeless. A variety of tactics and laws are being used on the national and municipal levels to tackle homelessness. Several of the biggest cities in the US have taken steps to reduce their homeless populations, including Boston and Chicago. Homelessness is a problem that has been addressed by numerous regional and national organizations, including the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Alliance to End Homelessness (Susser et al., p.228). These groups put up a lot of effort to help individuals in need. Even while repeated efforts have made a dent in the issue, social initiatives to solve it all have not been very successful. A growing number of people are without homes as a direct result of the Great Depression's housing shortage. Families experiencing homelessness increased by approximately 10% between 2009 and 2020, with unemployment accounting for the majority of these cases. Although generally there are more people living on the streets as a result of this, homeless women and children are disproportionately affected. One way to deal with the problem at hand is to prevent homelessness. If we can quickly recognize those who are in immediate danger of losing their housing, we can save people from becoming homeless. Only when it is widely accepted that all societies are obligated to provide their citizens with safe and affordable housing, high-quality medical care, fulfilling and financially secure employment opportunities, and protection from the abuse of power by state and private entities will homelessness be eliminated. We shouldn't have to help people who are homeless. Therefore, those who are about to become homeless should get help as soon as they can. There are many government organizations that offer support with eviction.

6 In conclusion, Homelessness can be characterized as a societal concern due to its wide- ranging effects on society as a whole. Despite efforts to decrease and ultimately eliminate homelessness, the situation continues to worsen. A wish to be homeless is simply one of many factors that contribute to homelessness. Government, non-profit, and commercial initiatives are striving to reduce the number of homeless individuals in the United States.

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7 Work cited Mooney, Linda A., Molly Clever, and Marieke Van Willigen. Understanding social problems . Cengage learning, 2021. Nilsson, Sandra Feodor, Merete Nordentoft, and Carsten Hjorthøj. "Individual-level predictors for becoming homeless and exiting homelessness: a systematic review and meta- analysis." Journal of urban health 96.5 (2019): 741-750. Gubits, Daniel, et al. "What interventions work best for families who experience homelessness? Impact estimates from the family options study." Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 37.4 (2018): 835-866. Shinn, Marybeth, and Jill Khadduri. In the midst of plenty: Homelessness and what to do about it . John Wiley & Sons, 2020. Miler, Joanna Astrid, et al. "Provision of peer support at the intersection of homelessness and problem substance use services: a systematic ‘state of the art’review." BMC Public Health 20.1 (2020): 1-18. Susser, Ezra, Anne Lovell, and Sarah Conover. "Unravelling the causes of homelessness–and of its association with mental illness." Epidemiology and the prevention of mental disorders . Routledge, 2021. 228-239. Long, Alice Emily, et al. "Family homelessness in Dublin: causes, housing histories, and finding a home." Focus Ireland (2019).

Why Homelessness is A Social Problem

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