Homelessness

  Defined as living in housing that is below the minimum standard or lacks secure tenure. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: living on the streets (primary homelessness); moving between temporary shelters, including houses of friends, family and emergency accommodation (secondary homelessness); living in private boarding houses without a private bathroom or security of tenure (tertiary homelessness). Also include people who sleep in a public or private place not designed for use as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

People who are homeless are most often unable to acquire and maintain regular, safe, secure and adequate housing due to income that is inconsistent or lacking altogether. Homelessness and poverty are interrelated. There is no methodological consent on counting the homeless and identifying their special needs; thus, in most cities only estimated homeless populations are known.

Historically, the majority of homeless have been men (50–80%), with single males particularly over represented. Women, children and families are also having a significant represented in this population.

It is way too easy to make snap judgements or speculations as to the cause of homelessness. Laziness, alcoholism, and drug additions are easy explanations to justify homelessness as a self-inflicted condition.  A just result of actions of people that don’t have the ambition or drive to help themselves. 

Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is simply contrary to human nature for anyone to desire to be cold and hungry and without hope.

There are many causes of homelessness.  Alcoholism, drugs, lack of employment, mental health, disabilities, abuse, trauma and tragedies in one’s life……   The causes can be listed for pages.  More importantly we must look at the effects.

Homelessness can be systemic.  A person knows what they live. They can only teach what they know. Homeless families perpetuate homeless people,  that perpetuate homeless families.

Drugs and alcoholism can simply be a cause but are as likely to result as an outcome of homelessness. Escape is often found chemically when physical escape seems impossible.

Homelessness is often found as the escape.  An escape from an abusive environment, an escape from a life less desirable than living on the street.

Trauma and tragedies in one’s life can often result in a person’s inability to cope with the simplest of life’s duties and tasks.  A serviceman returning from battle only to find maintaining a structured life an impossible task, homeless not by desire, but through an inability to cope with the simplest of life’s needs.

SO WHAT SHALL WE DO?