The causes of homelessness vary and include substance abuse, domestic violence, and loss of income. Homelessness is a problem for both individuals and communities. Some of the effects of homelessness can include poor health conditions, low self-esteem and pressure on the community. According to national reports, around 150 million people, or 2% of the world's population, are homeless.
While another 1.6 billion lack adequate housing. Only in the U.S. In the U.S., more than 500,000 people are left homeless in a single night. Contrary to popular belief, not all homeless people are unemployed.
Unfortunately, they simply don't earn enough to pay their rent. Usually, when a person thinks of the poor and the homeless, he thinks of people who live and sleep on park benches or under bridges. Homelessness occurs because many people can't afford housing, don't have jobs, have low incomes, have mental illness, or are addicted to drugs (Coalition for the Homeless). Many of the homeless children who end up in shelters have run away from their homes, mainly because of family problems.
A lack of affordable housing, low-paying jobs or a lack of employment and insufficient federal aid contribute to poverty and homelessness. Since not everyone has been left homeless, the true magnitude of the problem is known only to those who have been through it or who are working to combat it. Now that you have an idea about the causes and effects of homelessness, let's talk about what you can do to end it. According to the American Psychological Association, homeless people who go from one shelter to another are more likely to commit a crime.
In general, there are significant factors that contribute to homelessness: many homeless people often struggle due to limited access to resources, lack of information about services, and lack of support systems. The result of being homeless can result in the loss of your possessions, privacy and security, just to name a few. Needless to say, this can pose a safety risk not only for the homeless but also for the community. This is why homeless people are so prone to contracting illnesses, especially in winter and during flu season.
While physical health problems can be serious in people who are homeless, most conditions can be resolved or treated. So, if a person already has trouble controlling anger before becoming homeless, living out in the open will only worsen their violent tendencies. The following resources describe homelessness as a public health problem, discuss the criminalization of homelessness in some jurisdictions, and offer examples of legal and policy approaches to addressing homelessness.
