Homelessness is defined as "living in housing that is below the minimum standard or lacks secure tenure." Globally, an estimated 15 million people are homeless, with 553,742 of those from the US alone.
What Causes Homelessness? (from National Coalition for the Homeless)
Poverty. "In 2005, 13.3% of the U.S. population... lived in poverty." Factors aiding in the increase in poverty include eroding work opportunities and a decline in public assistance.
Housing. "Between 1970 and 1995, the gap between the number of low-income renters and the amount of affordable housing units skyrocketed from a nonexistent gap to a shortage of 4.4 million affordable housing units." The lack of affordable housing mixed with an increase in a need for low-income housing has left many people displaced.
Lack of Affordable Healthcare. "In 2004, approximately 45.8 million Americans had no health care insurance." Without healthcare, an illness of injury can result in a person or family losing their house.
Domestic Violence. "In a study of 777 homeless parents (the majority of whom were mothers) in ten U.S. cities, 22% said they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence (Homes for the Homeless, 1998)." When in an abusive situation, the abusive partner tends to control the finances, so leaving the situation can mean poverty for the victim.
Mental Illness. " Approximately 16% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). " This is due to a lack of accommodation within housing an job opportunities paired with a lack of access to necessary treatment.
Addiction Disorders. "During the 1980s, competition for increasingly scarce low-income housing grew so intense that those with disabilities such as addiction and mental illness were more likely to lose out and find themselves on the streets." There is a huge lack of access to affordable resources to overcome addiction, contributing to the cycle of poverty some addicts may find themselves in.
With the looming Covid-19 pandemic costing many people their livelihoods, it is estimated that nearly 250,000 more people could find themselves homeless (endhomelessness.org).
We at Compassion Bands are donating a portion of our proceeds to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The NAEH is creating solutions to homelessness like rapid re-housing, designing crisis responses, community approach and education, and assisting the most vulnerable. They also research different causes and solutions to homelessness, as well as perform outreach and educate the public. For more information, visit endhomelessness.org.
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