Homelessness Essay

Every night in the United States, more than 550,000 people have no home to return to. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), last year our country experienced the first increase in homelessness rates in a decade. The issue of homelessness is persistent and continues to ruin the lives of many Americans today, and no solution has been able to holistically address the problem. In recent discussions about assistance to the homeless in America, government intervention has been a controversial topic. On one hand, some argue that those in need should learn to rely on themselves, and that private nonprofits are more effective than federal programs. On the other hand, plenty of evidence points to the fact that these initiatives

However, this idea fails to understand the complexity of issues that lead many to fall into the patterns of chronic homelessness. For a majority of these individuals, unfortunate circumstances are the main reason for their plight, not lack of willpower. Kylyssa Shay is a woman who has experienced homelessness before, and she lists multiple disadvantages that cause displaced individuals to have trouble finding a job. If an employer sees that an applicant does not have a consistent address, it is very unlikely that they would consider the person as a potential employee. Moreover, there is the fact that the majority of homeless individuals do not have cell phones or consistent transportation to a workplace. Adding to these problems is the difficulty of staying clean, and it begins to come clear why these individuals have so much difficulty finding and holding down a job. Some also hold the perception that all homeless individuals are unemployed. A Vox article counters that idea, stating that minimum wage workers who work full-time would not be able to live stably in the average apartment in any state in the U.S. Therefore, even people who have full-time jobs can be at risk. Under adverse conditions, even the most hard-working of people can fall into homelessness; unfortunately, it is often very difficult for these individuals to end the cycle of homelessness. Aiding someone in need is not “enabling” them to stay homeless; often, people may just need a small boost or a helping hand to become self-sufficient