According to The National Alliance to End Homelessness (2007) there were 671,859 homeless in 2007 and now I am sure the numbers are greater. There are many reasons people become homeless and every individual case of homelessness comes with a story about what led to the homelessness of the Individual or family. Many things that lead to homelessness is poverty, divorce, domestic abuse, drug abuse, mental illness, house fires, natural disasters, and some individuals actually choose to be homeless. There are many places homeless go to find shelter from squatting in abandoned buildings, living outside, in a redwood tree, a cave, a boarding house, sleeping on the ground, a park bench, or a shelter.
Homelessness cannot be completely abolished no matter how many plans are drawn out by many cities to put an end to it. The reason why I say this is there are a small handful of homeless people who are homeless on purpose. They refuse to fit in with normal society, they take pride in their homelessness and they are totally against the system and all that it stands for. I have met some of these homeless people and they make their livings playing music out on the streets, selling art, eating out of garbage cans, squatting in abandoned buildings, and living in the woods as wild people. Some of them are highly intelligent and beautiful people they just don’t like the path the rest of the human race is taking towards materialistic gains. Some of them are political activist, some are on a spiritual path, some are misanthropic, some just want to party and some just want to hide.
The homeless individuals who deal with drug addictions take up space in shelters that could otherwise accommodate people who are really in need of shelter because of being displaced from their homes from job loss, natural disaster victims, and victims of domestic abuse. If drugs were legalized and special shelters were made specifically for addicts then they would not be taking up the resources for the individuals who are homeless through no fault of their own. I would propose that addicts be given a shelter where they have the option of seeking help but are not pressured into having to rehabilitate themselves. A facility they can come and go from freely, seek help if they want, and have a safe place to go without having to hide their addictions. In reality an addict must want to really help themselves before they chose to quit. They are less apt to quit drugs if they are forced to. They need a place where they can get proper nutrition, and safety.
In woman shelters there is space taken up by drug addicts who pretend they are domestically abused in order to live rent free so they can support their addictions. The shelter staff can’t really read minds to figure out which women really need help and which women are just taking advantage of the resources. This is another reason it would be better to legalize drugs and create special facilities for the addicts. That way the women shelters can take care of the women who really truly need their services. There should also be a support system set up for men who are abused by their spouses too. I have known men who are victims of domestic violence and mental abuse from their spouses as well.
The issues over the new law in Arizona have displaced many immigrants who have had to leave Arizona and displace their families because of the stigmatization of that new law and the issues around it. That is another situation that has caused more problems than it has solved. It shows how politics can cause as much homelessness as a natural disaster.
Then we have the tax payers to think of. There are people who don’t think their money should be helping the poor, the homeless, the mentally ill, the disabled, and those who do not work for a living. Are they wrong to feel that way? They work hard for their money and they need a voice as well. The trouble with society is this money system is not sufficient. If we are going to take care of the people of this world we need to teach everyone how to be self-sufficient and how to care for one another. It is a choice we have if we want to care or not.
Community gardens, the ability to sell art, crafts, music without a license, classes on edible plants in nature for free, and more options for programs like habitat for humanity are all things that can help the homeless become more self-sufficient. Perhaps an alternative way to pay for these facilities can be through benefits, theatrical performance, and other ways of raising funds without digging in the pockets of irate tax payers. What other options can us as human beings think of to change the system so that it truly works and meets the needs of everyone?
The homeless need proper nutrition, medical needs taken care of, shelter, and options for becoming self-sufficient. I don’t know all the answers. All I can state is my opinions. I am just writing this to say there are many alternatives to dealing with these issues that can be considered. People just need to open their hearts and open their minds.
Peace
References
The National Alliance to End Homelessness (2007) Retrieved 10/5/2010 http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/article/detail/2797
