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What are reasons for homelessness?

Updated: 8/19/2023
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12y ago

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Homelessness is one characteristic of poverty, which is the result of the economic system under which the vast majority of the world operates. While capitalism has been shown to be one of the most effective forms of economic organisation for achieving efficiency and maximising the total welfare of all the people within the system, it is far from perfect.

Underpinning the microeconomic model of capitalism is the fact that individuals must have a strong incentive to work. This is true for all economic models. For example, under communism the incentive to work is that any individual who does not work will be punished by the state. In capitalism, the incentive to work is to improve one's standard of living by increasing one's financial position relative to others.

For it to be possible to increase (and decrease) one's financial position relative to others, it is necessary to have a system where there is a spectrum of haves and have-nots, ranging from the super-rich to those with no wealth at all. The extent of this range and the degree of difference between the richest and poorest in society can be defined as society's equality. Social equality is regulated by the government through income-redistribution, normally in the form of taxation.

Social equality can be measured using the Gini Coefficient.

It is generally seen that a high degree of social inequality provides stronger incentives, and therefore motivates the workforce more, whereas a higher degree of social equality is 'fairer', in that it does not make life at the bottom of the financial ladder too hard nor life at the top too decadent. People on the economic 'right' (sometimes referred to as 'conservatives') believe in independence of the markets to regulate themselves, arguing that the increased efficiency will increase the welfare of all. People on the economic 'left' (sometimes referred to as 'socialists') believe that society functions better under equality, and so argue for redistribution of wealth.

A result of social inequality is that people at the lowest end of the financial ladder have a level of wealth that is not sufficient to afford the most basic of human requirements - food and shelter. It is problematic for societies, because once an individual is in this position, it is very difficult to escape it.

Now, keep in mind, a few people do want to be homeless. They will tell you that. They like the freedom of living off of the land and not being tied to a job or the government. Years ago, that would not have been a problem.

Others are homeless because of their own bad choices. Some youth asked random homeless people why they were homeless. A former heart surgeon who was trying to get change to buy a cheap bottle of wine said it started with a few social drinks. As the stress at work increased, so did his drinking. Then one night, he was on call, and he should have refused the call when it came and begged them to find anyone else. Instead, he reported to the operating room in a very drunken state. He made a serious surgical mistake that he knew better than to make because he was intoxicated, and he lost the patient. He lost his license and was hit with a wrongful death suit which bankrupted him. After that, he just gave up and sank into the bottle even more, even without a home.

Then other people are homeless because of mental illness. They may be suffering psychosis and think everyone is out to get them, or they suffer other impairments, and thus cannot hold down a job. They might have few family and friends, so there is nobody around to get care for them, and nobody to help them apply for disability. They might only get help if they are found passed out somewhere or they are caught committing crimes. The mental health system has deteriorated as a part of budget cuts over the years. So a number of people like this are put in jail for their own protection or that of society, since there is no other place to put them. Jailors are not psychiatrists, so the patients who are held there do not get better.

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10y ago
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12y ago

The answer is debatable, but I've always associated two things with homelessness. They are mental illness (primarily things like schizophrenia) and drug abuse. However, there are plenty of cases of kids who run away from home and end up homeless, yet it would be reasonable to say that many of these kids are sick in the head or have drug problems.

I hope this helped :)

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13y ago

There is not so much a reason but a series of unfortunate circumstances that result in homelessness. Loss of job, illness, loss of the breadwinner in the family. Of course there are people living on the streets because of a drug habit or Alcoholism. For whatever reason a person finds himself without shelter, they are humans and deserve a hand up and a little respect.

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13y ago

While circumstantial factors vary, homelessness occurs when people or households are unable to acquire and/or maintain housing they can afford. The main reason behind this inability to acquire/maintain housing is the scarcity of affordable housing in the United States - particularly in more urban areas where homelessness is more prevalent. Specific causes of homelessness vary by sub-population:

  • Families:

    Typically, families become homeless as a result of some unforeseen financial crisis - a medical emergency, a car accident, a death in the family - that prevents them from being able to hold on to housing. An estimated 85,000 families experience homelessness each night.

    Most homeless families are able to bounce back from homelessness quickly, with relatively little public assistance. Usually, homeless families require rent assistance, housing placement services, job assistance, and other short-term, one-time services before being able to return to independence and stability.

  • Youth:

    Young people often become homeless due to some familial disruption, including divorce, neglect, or abuse. A large majority of young people experience short-term homelessness, returning back home or to family/friends. A small minority - an estimated 50,000 youth - experience long-term homelessness.

    Youth homelessness presents a particular challenge for several reasons, including the fact that there is very little definitive data on the population, as this group often doesn't interact with standard homeless assistance programs or government agencies. Moreover, the solutions that have been identified for homelessness in general are often not applicable to minors (who are, for example, ineligible to rent an apartment). These special challenges mean that solutions to youth homelessness require targeted innovation.

  • Veterans:

    In 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimated that there are approximately 131,000 homeless veterans, accounting for 20 percent of the entire homeless population.

    Veterans often become homeless due to war-related disability. For a variety of reasons - physical disability, mental anguish, post-traumatic stress, etc. - many veterans find difficulty readjusting to civilian life. This inability can translate into unsafe behaviors, including addiction, abuse, and violence. These difficulties, coupled with the unsafe behaviors, can lead to homelessness.

  • Chronic Homelessness:

    "Chronic" homelessness is often the public face of homelessness. "Chronic" has a specific definition, involving either long-term and/or repeated bouts of homelessness coupled with some sort of disability (physical or mental). People experiencing chronic homelessness often end up living in shelters and consume a plurality of the homeless assistance system's resources.

    It's a common misconception that this group represents the majority of the homelessness population; rather, they account for about 20 percent of the entire homeless population, with approximately 124,000 people experiencing chronic homelessness in the United States

Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness

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13y ago

it is normally the case of a strong uncontrollable dioreah.

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11y ago
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12y ago

Marriage breakdown

Loss of employment

Illness

Poverty

Death of spouse or parent

Alcohol and drug addiction

Low income levels

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13y ago

Loss of a job , illness , eviction ,

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What are some reasons for homelessness?

There are many reasons or, more accurately, causes, for homelessness. Some of them are poverty, mental illness, alcoholism, certain disabilities, and sometimes very bad luck.


What is the average age of homelessness?

In 2007/2008, the Office of the Deputy for Homelessness Statistics produced a table which showed some of the more immediate reasons for homelessness in England.These were not underlying reasons but before the onset of homelessness. These reasons were given by the minister's report for 2007/2008 as:37% - Parents, family, or friends no longer willing or able to accommodate20% - Loss of private dwelling, including tied accommodation19% - Breakdown of relationship with partner4% - Mortgage arrears2% - Rent arrears18% - otherThe longer term causes of homelessness in England have been examined by a number of research studies. These suggest that both personal factors (e.g. addictions) and structural factors (e.g. poverty) are responsible for homelessness. A number of different pathways into homelessness have been identified. There are additional factors that appear to be causes of homelessness among young people, most notably needing to face the responsibilities of independent living before they are ready for them.


When was Exposing Homelessness created?

Exposing Homelessness was created in 2006.


What are the ratings and certificates for Homelessness?

Homelessness - ???? is rated/received certificates of: UK:PG


What is the duration of Exposing Homelessness?

The duration of Exposing Homelessness is 1200.0 seconds.


What is homelessness?

Homelessness is where you have no addressed home and do not have clothing, food, shelter, and medical care. Homelessness is where you do not live under a roof with assistance, homelessness includes not having any money with you to keep yourself free for your whole life.


What could be a dependent and independent variable for homelessness?

would homelessness be a dependent variable


What is the connotation of homelessness?

Homelessness generally connotes drunkenness, drug addiction, laziness, and/or mental disease, however none of these factors are necessarily required for homelessness.


What charities are there for homelessness?

Shelter is a charity for homelessness in the UK. See the related link for their website.


When was National Alliance to End Homelessness created?

National Alliance to End Homelessness was created in 1987.


What is the root word for homelessness?

home to homeless to homelessness


Is the word homelessness singular or plural?

The noun 'homelessness' is a singular, uncountable noun (it has no plural form).