Question regarding the homeless issue . . .?

Question

Give me your ideas, thoughts and whatever stereotypes you may or may not have, would know about the homeless issue.

When you answer this question, please state your age (if possible, I'd greatly appreciate it), gender, what area you're from, what do you know about homelessness and why you feel that way. Do you know someone that's experienced homelessness and how did they get that way? Have you been homeless before? Only serious replies, this is another social ill that's affecting us in America today. This is NOT a time to bag on others, or if you prefer, you can privately email me.

Besides substance abuse, mental illness, unemployment, incarceration and the usual, do you know who today's homeless happen to be and how they got there? You'd be surprised.

I happen to be a community college student with quite a lot of majors at one time: Corrections/social services, Administration of Justice and Liberal Arts. My sociology instructor happens to be a children's social worker.

Answer 1

I have been homeless twice in my life.  Once as a teenager, as a form of rebellion, it was my choice and only lasted a year or two.  It was easier then because I had friends to help me out.  The second time I was around thirty and was recently divorced. I had a decent job in broadcasting, but could not afford a car payment, rent and food and what not, so I lived out of my car for a couple of years.  I blame it  on society and the high cost of living, everything just goes up and up and the working people do not get a break, especially in Connecticut where I live.   I now work in a different field and own my own home and have three children. If their mother did not work, we would not be able to make ends meet. Our cars are over 12 years old and our mortgage is over 2000.00 a month. We barely get by. It is very understandable that many people who do not do drugs and alcohol are only a paycheck or two from being homeless.

Answer 2

I'm a teenage girl from Minnesota. Most homeless people aren't old creepy men, they are children, under the age of 9. Alot of teens are, too. I think that's depressing.

Answer 3

The causes of homelessness are many.  I have taken in a homeless young man whose mother threw him out because she didn't like his girlfriend.  He was only 18 and I couldn't see him living in his car.  He had a job, but didn't have any savings.  I took him in for what was to be a short time, but it was longer.  In the time that he was here with us, he saved his money and went in search of a small apartment and when he found one suitable enough, we helped him out with some of the things that he needed to get his new home in order.  We got a heartfelt thank you, but we've never heard from him again.

I know others who are homeless.  Medical debt and poor health can put someone in the streets rather quickly.  Job loss, divorce, and yes, mental health, alcoholism and drug abuse can put anyone there.  I have seen one individual who was an addict, not of his own volition, but he had suffered serious injury to his legs in a traffic accident.  His doctors prescribed narcotic pain relievers that set him on the road to addiction.  He was more or less useless in the job market because his legs.  Trying to get on disability was fruitless.  I can go on and on.  It's easy for someone who has a charmed life to say that the homeless are that way because of poor choices that they've made throughout their lifetime.  Life deals us all mighty blows that we have no control from where these blows come from.  Compassion is the keyword.

Answer 4

This is a complex problem. First we have to take away those that choose to live in the street, runaways for example. Many refuse to believe there are such people, but it's quite true. It's a minority, but they exist. Another concern is that a person without a permanent address, living in a friend's basement, evicted or such, is homeless, but not living on a park bench. We need a clear definition of what is meant by homelessness.

As for most of the problem it can be addressed by allowing people to keep more of their money. At first one might think that applying more funding to social programs is the answer. However, without exception, government has not addressed any social issue with favorable results. In many cases they've made matters worse. And the public is poorer as a result.

Today the average U.S. American loses 50% of their income in taxes, income, real estate, property, sales, vehicle, social insecurity, luxury, sin, fuel, inheritance, capital gains, and assorted fees. Add in parking tickets, traffic fines, and so on and more than 50% goes to the government. That doesn't leave much to live on for many. And it certainly puts a dent into charity. I literally have holes in the soles of my shoes, I can't donate a penny to help the homeless. If my property tax increases I may end up homeless. My vehicle is 9 years old and was donated to me, the wife's is 11. I've almost lost the house twice for inability to pay the taxes.

I'm not trying to be insensitive. But why should I be forced to help a homeless person resulting from their own substance abuse?

Mental illness on the other hand may not be their fault at all. It would be nice if public assistance could step in to help. But that requires funding.

Government has shown itself to be terribly inefficient at everything it does. It's clear that charity should be privately funded. And that allowing the citizenry to keep more of it's money there'd be more charity. Also, the cost of operating a business decreases, giving them the ability to pay more and/or hire more employees, reducing poverty and homelessness.

Another side effect is that when people have more spendable cash, they spend it. More money in circulation gives the homeless more opportunity to get their hands on some, and government can actually collect more from sales taxes.

Reducing or eliminating the minimum wage makes it easier for an employer to have more employees, possibly putting some of the homeless to work, and certainly more of the unemployed. More people working equals more tax payers, and again more potential charity.

Taxation and inflation adds to a high cost of living, also promoting homelessness.

One of the greatest challenges is separating the homeless from the pan handlers. I frequent Chicago. I've seen dozens, if not hundreds, of beggars over the years. On most every occasion when someone asks for money to buy food if you offer them food, or to buy them some, they turn it down and look at you like you're a space alien. Sometimes it's met with anger. Why would they do that if they were truly hungry? I'd be more likely, and I bet others would too, to toss a coin in their cup if I knew they actually needed it.

I don't personally know anyone homeless.

I'm 38.