Housing Needs in America
There are more homeless people in the United States than ever before. The latest research shows that homelessness has increased; nearly 33% of the population facing homelessness are families with children, whereas 67% are individuals. Unfortunately, housing affordability is at the crux of the matter; after almost of decade of numbers going down, the numbers are once again on the rise.
Loss of jobs
There are various factors leading to homelessness in the United States, and the main reason is the loss of jobs. The US has more of an aging population, who are moving out of the labor force as they retire. Also, with technological advances, there are fewer employment opportunities than before. Outsourcing work is quite common due to reduced labor costs for the organization, thereby cutting down opportunities by half. Immigration policies are another contributing factor for unemployment leading to homelessness.
Some of the triggers for homelessness
These are some of the common triggers for homelessness:
- 35% loss of jobs
- 15% bill expenditure higher than income
- 13% evicted by a member of the family
- 11% due to domestic abuse
- 10% divorce
- 9% substance abuse
- 10% illness/disability/mental illness
- 11% incarceration
Solutions
Social issues such as unemployment and homelessness can be measured over a duration of time. We have listed below some of the things that may help this situation in the long run.
Federal Housing Assistance: Housing vouchers allow low to moderate-income households to rent affordable housing at a subsidized rate.
Permanent Housing Solutions: This is mainly for people with disability and mental illness; numerous studies have proven that this type of housing is an affordable and cost-effective solution. It combines affordable housing with vital support services for health.
Housing First: Another proven solution that works is the housing first approach, for the long-term street homeless crowd, especially for the sick or the disabled, substance abuse disorders or people with serious health issues. This type of rehoming has proven to be effective more often than not. Research has shown that people who have been moved to housing in this program have better revival rates than being those who are institutionalized; also it is a more affordable option than emergency care.
The fundamental reason for homelessness is the affordability gap as housing expenses are on the rise. Overcoming housing problems is going to take consistent effort and time. Housing assistance is the key solution to the problem with consistent assistance this problem can be reduced
, if not eradicated completely in the near future.