How to End Homeless
Homeless is a state of being without a fixed place to live. Whether it be on the streets, in shelters, in abandoned buildings or other unsuitable living situations, these individuals lack the safety, security and access to services necessary for maintaining health and wellbeing.
The causes of homelessness are multifaceted, including poverty, addiction, mental illness, job loss, domestic violence and discrimination. However, the most fundamental cause is a lack of affordable housing. It’s been demonstrated time and again that when communities invest in affordable homes, the rates of homelessness decline.
Although the current system is failing, there are solutions. The most important step is acknowledging that homelessness is a human rights issue. Only then will communities be able to develop strategies that will make a real difference for people experiencing it.
It’s also important to understand that there is a difference between economic and relational poverty. A person’s ability to survive is determined by their access to social capital – the network of friends and family that they can tap into for support in hard times. When a person’s connection to this network of support runs dry, it can be devastating. This is what’s called relational poverty and it’s one of the biggest reasons why homelessness is increasing across America.
The reality is that most people who experience homelessness are not living on the street or in shelters. Instead, they are in “hidden homelessness.” They’re living on the edge of stability, relying on the kindness of others to meet their needs as they move from couch to friend to family member and back again. Any change in their financial situation – reduced hours at work, unexpected health care or repair bills, higher rent – can push them into the margins.
A person is considered homeless if they spend 90 days or more in an emergency shelter, transitional housing program, single room occupancy facility, motel, camp, car or any other place not meant for human habitation (McKinney-Vento Act definition). Individuals who are exiting prison or hospital and have no housing to return to may also be considered homeless.
There are many ways to get involved to help end homelessness. You can start by making a donation to a local organization that is working toward this goal or by joining a coalition like Funders Together or SchoolHouse Connection, which believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of youth homelessness. You can also learn more about what’s happening in your neighborhood by downloading NCS’s Street Sheets, guides to community-specific resources and services.
In the United States, most states have laws that require public funds be spent to provide housing for those experiencing homelessness. But only a few have gone further, and obligated their public authorities to eliminate homelessness on the grounds of national or international human rights obligations. We must take a more holistic approach to end homelessness and put housing at the center of the solution. We need to prioritize affordable, available and sustainable housing that meets the specific needs of the people who are homeless – or who are at risk of becoming homeless.