Stereotypes Of Homelessness

Homelessness has affected many individuals throughout the United States and world. In 2014 the National Alliance to End Homelessness collected that “578,424 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States (“Snapshot of Homelessness"). Most individuals believe that most homeless individuals are single individuals, but “216,197 are people in families,” and “362,163 are individuals,” (“Snapshot of Homelessness"). Homelessness affects everyone, from families to individuals and veterans. In the veterans homeless population there is “currently over 2.2 million women Veterans in the United States, comprising approximately 10 percent of the Veteran population” (Hamilton).

Anthropologist study homelessness on a macro and micro

In urban areas, affordable housing is limited, and causes homelessness to become an urban phenomenon. Starting in the 1970’s the economy changed moving into a post-industrial economy. This change has affected many individuals as they lose their jobs, get lower pay, and have increased chances of being homeless. Stereotypes are bad, and not always true. The key worlds are not always, because there will always be individuals who fit the stereotypes. Looking at groups of people, “homeless women Veterans also had a high prevalence of mental health disorders,” which clearly supports the stereotype that homeless individuals are mentally ill (Hamilton). Just because it is a stereotypes does not mean that every individuals does not fit it, but a few still

The gap that has formed between shelters and actual housing is a major problem. Long lines for shelters or being band from them causes many people to live on the streets. The streets are filled with contrast, as they a place where social forces impact homelessness, “the homeless live and cope with their situations,” and there are crucial serves and response teams that interact and assist individuals (Wolch). On the streets they have to cope with not the different environment. A big change from a home is sleeping on the cold streets, suffering from Mother Nature, and also the lack of communication. Shelters in theory are a stepping stone between homelessness and living in a home. Instead they have “sustain, rather than alleviate, a state of impoverishment and dependency among their patrons,” causing a gap in care to be formed (Deejarlais). Living with homelessness causes individuals to have to “migrate to service-rich locales in order to meet basic needs,” which has formed a lack of services in their daily lives (Wolch). With so many needs, like cars or daycare, the lack of serves restrict the homeless individual's access to jobs, appointments and other important commitments to help them get out of their situation. A lack of “public support for political movements aimed at decreasing systemic inequalities,” is largely absent,”