Homelessness In America Essay

Homelessness in America: Success and Failure The uncomfortable truth is that America has a homelessness problem. Not only does the problem exist, it is only growing worse. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 580,466 people were experiencing homelessness nationwide as of January 2020. Although homelessness has become an acute issue in our nation, some cities have made great strides in reducing homelessness. But, some cities have not been as successful. Some cities have been more successful than others in reducing homelessness for three reasons: strategic planning in homelessness reduction programs, housing availability, and the collaboration between multiple groups to fight homelessness. The strategic planning, or lack

The availability of permanent housing is one of if not the largest factors when it comes to reducing homelessness. In the city of Chicago, homelessness reduction efforts have been focused on permanent housing. According to Bloomberg Cities Network, the city spent 176 million dollars on permanent housing. Not only was the money spent on building the infrastructure, but also spent on rental assistance, supportive services, and rapid rehousing. Because of this spending by the city, 1,300 people were removed from a life of homelessness. The importance of permanent housing can be seen in a different light on the other side of the country. Salt Lake City has been a model for homelessness reduction, reducing its homeless population by 91% over the years, as stated by Wausau Pilot and Review. Even though the city has done an excellent job at reducing homelessness, the importance of permanent housing remains strong as the rates of homelessness have been increasing. This is because no permanent housing has been built for the homeless since 2010. Another city suffering from the lack of permanent housing is Phoenix. USA Today explains that the housing shortage in the city is among the worst in the entire nation. The city saw a staggering 23% increase in homelessness between 2020 and 2022. More and more people are suffering from homelessness in the city each year, but no housing is

It can be seen in every corner of our nation. However, it is not impossible to fix. Despite how rampant it is, there are glimpses of hope dotted around the nation. Some cities have done things right, while other cities have done things completely wrong. Some cities have made more progress in reducing homelessness by creating more housing availability, strategically planning their actions, and bringing multiple groups of people together to work towards the cause. Tackling such a massive issue will never be an easy feat, but with the right plan and the right people in charge, nothing is