Term Paper on "Homelessness in United Stated"

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[EXCERPT] . . . .

Homelessness in the Unites States

The extent of homelessness

Homelessness is a serious problem in the United States. Present statistics estimate that approximately 3.5 million people, of which 1.35 million are children, are likely to be homeless in any given year. (How Many People Experience Homelessness?) Studies have also established that "...1% of the U.S. population experiences homelessness each year..." (How Many People Experience Homelessness?) Furthermore the figures also indicate that the incidence of homelessness is on the increase in America with homelessness rates tripling between 1981 and 1989.

More recently The National Law Center for Homelessness and Poverty reports that over 3 million men, women, and children were homeless over the past year. (Homeless.org)

The most appropriate definition of homelessness is the federal definition of homelessness as stated in the McKinney Act of 1987. A person is homeless is they

Lack a regular, fixed, and adequate nighttime residence (or)

Live in a shelter or transitional housing residence for homeless persons (or)

Live in a temporary residence for persons waiting for institutionalization (or)

Are sleeping in a place not intended for human beings (or)

Will be evicted within one week from their home (or)

Will be discharged within one week from institutions where they have lived for more than 30 days in a row and they have not found a place to live and they have no money or other resources to find a place to live.

Stop the Criminalization of Homelessness!)

In terms of gender distribution, men have traditionally constituted the majority of the homeless. However there was also an increase in the number of homeless families in the 1990's in various regions of the Unites States. One of the most severe areas was New York City

Further studies also indicate that there has been a shift in the ethnic and racial distribution of the homeless. " A 1960 survey by Temple University of Philadelphia's poor neighborhoods found that 75% of the homeless were over 45 years old, and 87% were white. In 1986, 86% were under age 45, and 87% were minorities." (Wikiapedia: Homelessness in the United States)

2. The causes

The causes of homeless are primarily related to economics and the lack of finance. However the causative factors can include a host of social as well as political elements. In terms of the history of homelessness in America, the first major occurrence of homelessness on a large scale took place during the Great Depression. "Large-scale unemployment led to Hoovervilles or outright homelessness across the United States." (Wikiapedia: Homelessness in the United States) The economic crises of the 1970s also resulted in high unemployment rates which increased levels of homelessness.

Another central cause has been the failure of various urban housing projects to provide affordable housing for poor people. The number of people who were homeless increased dramatically in the 1980s, when federal funds were withdrawn from low-income housing and social assistance programs. (Homelessness in the United States)

According to reports there is at present a lack of… READ MORE

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