What Is Homeless

What is homeless? It’s an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Other terms that relate to the homeless are hobos, rough sleepers, tramps and refugees. Homeless has existed since urbanization and industrialization. The homeless consists of men, women and children. 24 percent of homeless are under the age of 18 years old, 4 percent are between the ages of 18 to 24 years old, 19 percent are between the ages of 25 to 34 years old, 29 percent are between the ages of 35 to 44 years old, 13 percent are between the ages of 45 to 54 years old and 7 percent are 55 and older. According to a December, 2000 report “US Conference of Mayors”, single men comprise 44 percent of the homeless, single women 13 percent, families with children 36 percent, and unaccompanied minors 7 percent. The homeless population is about 50 percent African American, 35 percent white, 12 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Native American and 1 percent Asian. There’s no exact count of homeless people. According to the “Associated Press”, there were 744,000 homeless in the United States in 2005.

There are many reasons why people become homeless. Drug and Alcohol Abuse/ Addiction are one of the reasons. Both men and women face this problem. The 1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients, reports that 66 percent of the homeless have problems with alcohol and drugs. Many face challenging problems in life such as poverty which they can’t deal with so they turn to drugs and alcohol to take there pain. Once they become addicted, that’s where all there money will be spent towards. There mind will be set on getting “high” or “drunk” not thinking about the rent or bills being paid nor there child(ren), if any. Everything will become less important to them like work, school, family and friends. They lose everything once they become addicted, especially the family and friends that loves them. Now the only friends that they will have are the addicts who are just like them. Addiction can also lead to prostitution. Majority of prostitutes are women. These women sell there body to support the drug and alcohol addiction. Another reason why people become homeless is because mental health, health problems and medical problems. Majority of these homeless people with mental health problems come from state mental hospitals. They ended up becoming homeless because they were substance abusers. Studies from the UCSD researchers say that, “homelessness was most frequently associated with people who were diagnosed with Schizophrenia or Bipolar disorder, who were substance abusers, and who had no public- funded healthcare. No one is ready to face medical bills. Things do happen unexpectedly and have no way of paying for it because 1. They are homeless. When homeless you do face a lot of injuries because of the lifestyle that is being lived on the streets. Things such as frost bit, health, and exposure to violence can lead to being in the hospital. 2. Because they are living check to check, and 3. They have no insurance at all. Lack of affordable housing is another factor which can lead to someone becoming homeless. People are losing jobs because of plants closing, and relocation. When things like this start to happen it’s harder for them to find a job or the job that is found isn’t paying enough money. 18 percent of the people are working full-time and still are in the poverty line. Some people are getting the governments help and are barely still making it. Taxes on properties are going up and so is the rent. Rent is getting to expensive where people are at a point they can’t afford it and are forced to move out of there homes or get evicted because of the low wages at work.

There is one thing that all homeless people have in common, that one thing is poverty. Just about all the homeless have the same lifestyle. Culture of Poverty is the way of life that allows the poor to SURVIVE. They have learned there set of norms which is culture of poverty and the values allow the homeless to coop, but it’s the same values that keep them in poverty. The homeless are facing Fatalism, which they are predestine to be there and there’s nothing that can be done to get the out of poverty. Present Orientation keeps the homeless from looking forward to the future. They fail to get involved with the “system.” The homeless feel that they might get taken advantage of since they already show that they don’t care because they don’t pay attention to them. For example, if they have children they really don’t get involved like a parent should like going to parent teacher conferences because that is getting in the system. Basically everything that they do is there choice. All homeless wish that they didn’t live in poverty. If you are homeless so will be the children; it’s called the circle