Housing for the Homeless in America

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Homelessness in the United States has become a serious issue that may be overlooked by some. Currently, there are more than 670,000 people who have nowhere to call home in the U.S. Unfortunately, a decent percentage of that number is made up by children. There are many help shelters and temporary housing in cities where homeless people are very common, but they don’t have enough space to meet the demand of shelter. Something needs to be done to provide housing for these people, provide them with a second chance to recover and get back on their feet and supply them with humane proper living conditions.
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There are numerous organizations with a common goal of helping the homeless population decrease and they make an effort to help the homeless. Permanent housing is in fact the most effective way to end homelessness, it unfortunately cannot be done as easily as it may sound. Short-term housing can become very important for individuals who are homeless and are working to obtain a permanent house.

Having the chance to live somewhere short term can have many positive aspects for someone making an effort to recover from being homeless and to get back on his or her feet. Homeless shelters are an excellent source of short-term housing that exist here in America. Many cities that have a high homeless populations, simply, just don’t have enough facilities to meet the needs of the community in which they serve. With such a demand
for help, some facilities are forced to put a cap on the amount of people that they may house.
This makes it difficult for people to receive the help that they need. In some cases, homeless people may have to wait a very long time on a list to obtain such help. Homeless shelters provide drop in centers, emergency assistance, supportive housing, and transitional housing. The Volunteers of America have been providing homeless shelters for over 100 years (VOA). The drop in centers are somewere in which people are able to come and get out of any situation of housing they may be in whether it is winter time here in Michigan where tempetures get very cold at times. Occasionally, homeless people may be reluctant to reach out to homeless shelters due to some sense of shame.
Drop in centers are in place to give individuals a break from being on the streets but do not provide much help other than a quick break. Supportive housing is usedfor individuals who have mental or physical disabilities where they may require additional help and other support that others in the same situation may not need. When the winter months come the freezing cold can make it challenging for you to survive on the streets without proper shelter, and a lack of food. Soup kitchens are in place to provide individuals with somewhere to get out of the cold and get a meal which is crucial in the harsh winter conditions.
Those who are homeless need an opportunities to eventually obtain a permanent place to live. It can be extremely difficult for someoneone who is homeless and has been for years to get a job. Often times, employers may require that you have a home address in order to work for them. As well as not having proper clothing or grooming for the interview. These two reasons make it very hard for the homeless to get a job that can support them and their families even. The “Back on my Feet” program is an organization that provides work opportunities for the homeless
and also provides housing for them. It is set up well in that the individuals that are being helped are required to put in the work in order to move up. Each level that someone completes provides more help and may even result in better living conditions. The “Back on My Feet” program starts with program that requires individuals to attend three early morning runs per week. Once it is shown that the person attends at least 90% of the runs in a thirty day period they are then given the opportunity to move up to the “next steps” level. Once you get to the next steps level the staff help them set future goals and lay out a schedule of events for their future. Provided, are materials to give them opportunities work on jobs such as manual labor. As well, some financial assistance can also be provided when they reach this level. Once this six months is over higher pay and other work opportunities are available to individuals. Some homeless people may, unfortunately, be embarrassed when seeking help and many shy away from it in the first place. This program has proven to be extremely effective and has become a very good helping hand to those who seek it.
Today there are many different ways that housing can be built and provided for those who are homeless. Tiny houses for the homeless are a fantastic way that housing can be provided. These tiny houses can be relatively cheap to produce and also provide a perfect shelter. Some of these tiny houses are even on wheels. Having a small house on wheels makes it possible for them to be easily moved to different locations. Some cities have introduced these tiny homes but have a rule that they have to be moved every few days. Having wheels on the houses also makes it simple for homeless people to take their home with them wherever that they go. A man in LA was the first to create these tiny homes on wheels. Since LA is one of the heaviest populated cities, Elvis Summers decided to take action by raising over $100,000 to build tiny homes on wheels. He built them for roughly $1,200 a piece. It is becoming more popular to see towns starting to provide villages of tiny homes for the homeless. Building these tiny homes could also be a great opportunity for the homeless to learn a few things about the building
process and to maybe also make some money. Not only does small housing for the homeless provide a shelter for one to stay, it also creates an opportunity for homeless to meet each other and be able to help each other out. Habitat for Humanity is also another great foundation that provides homes for families. Habitat for Humanity get communities of volunteers involved to help build houses for the less fortunate. Habitat was founded in 1976 by a couple who had the vision to help others in need (HB). Although the houses that Habitat builds are not free, they are sold at very low prices and require that the families put forth an effort in helping build the home. A habitat house is a perfect opportunity for someone who has been working with the back on my feet program.
Housing for the homeless is a very important aspect in the process for helping Americans who are in need. Improving the housing that is provided for the homeless should be a goal that the United States works towards as a whole. Improving the quality of life for the less fortunate will have a positive effect on the world we live in. With less people on the streets will come less problems. Although majority of homeless people are not criminals, with desperate times often comes desperate decisions. Through the improvement of housing for the homeless will help to cut back on all of the negative things that happen to those who live on the streets.
Bibliography

Back on My Feet. Reference List: Electronic Sources. Retrieved from https://www.backonmyfeet.org/program.
Habitat for Humanity. Reference List: Electronic Sources. Retrieved from https://www.habitat.org/about/history.
Justin Monticello. Reference List: Electronic Sources. Retrieved from http://reason.com/reasontv/2016/12/09/los-angeles-homeless-tiny-houses.
VOA. Reference List: Electronic Sources. Retrieved from https://www.voa.org/homeless- people.

Angel Hoffman

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