Eradicating Homelessness Issue - Assignment Example

An individual can dedicate one hour of time to the services, several days, weeks, months, or even one year, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of New York City offer exciting opportunities to interact with the homeless. They have children programs in which volunteers can interact with kids, and offer direct services to other homeless persons. At the organization, there is always an opportunity that fits well with an individual’s preferences.

There are many homeless children all over the city who are in dire need of someone to teach good behavior and engage them. At BBBS, adults organize museum trips, make adventures in the urban area, or just relax with young residents in their childhood and adolescence stages. With only a residency in New York City and a dedication of eight hours every month for one year as well as a job in town, one would qualify after a rigorous screening process. Despite the immense benefits, mere volunteer work will not rid most American streets of homeless populations. This is because, even though many people are destitute, few often think of securing a place in organizations such as BBBS. The insignificant number of homeless in organizations providing humanitarian services calls for the enactment of more effective laws to curb the menace.

According to Swartz, homelessness means an increase in crime rate and the spread of diseases in the affected towns (407). Voting for a visionary leader who has promised to implement anti-homelessness laws could be the best way to tackle the problem, rather than volunteer work. Swartz indicates that the formulation and enactment of city laws that illegalize homelessness and provide destitute populations with adequate shelter would effectively rid the streets of such people (409). Unlike previous archaic laws which grant law enforcement agencies absolute power to confiscate whatever form of shelter is used by the homeless, the enactment of humane laws, which provide for alternative resettlement programs, would improve security on the streets once and for all. An attempt to cart away the belongings of destitute populations by force only serves to create a bigger problem of exposing the victims to criminals and adverse weather conditions

According to Swartz, the main problem of homeless populations is having nowhere to seek refuge. City ordinances ban the erection of temporary structures serving the role of shelter, such as tents, on any piece of land (408). Proper legislation would secure government funding and support for the homeless community. Without the law, most city councils may lack the capacity to intervene appropriately due to budget shortfalls. Because the problem of homelessness is not usually caused by the shortage of housing, but by soaring costs of acquiring and renting one, the legislation would enable the government to start affordable housing programs to reduce the number of people on the streets.

Once elected into office, a visionary politician would explore the administrative options within his or her power, to press for a change to city bylaws, because by trying to stay on the streets, the victims pay a heavy price. The act is an outright violation of city laws. Ritchie says even though some homeless people are fully aware of the violations of the laws, they opt to camp on the streets anyway (502). In reaction to laws criminalizing camping on the streets, the political leadership can pile pressure on local governments to review discriminatory ordinances favoring unilateral action by police. Without proper laws, volunteering work would not reduce or eliminate criminal indictments, civil penalties, or unsanctioned harassment of the homeless by law enforcement agencies.

Additionally, Ritchie avers that effective laws would authorize panhandling to crack down on street beggars in downtown areas (482-489). The free permits would essentially enable the city authorities to reduce annoying habits, which some homeless people practice in public. The concept of making it compulsory for panhandlers to get registration with the city officials and show the legal documents to beg a passerby would substantially limit the practice on the streets to those who need help. Although a homeless advocate in political office may work to decriminalize the act of being destitute, the licensing of panhandlers may place unnecessary restrictions on people, who already lack where to go.

Conclusion
Even though volunteer work can effectively reduce homeless, especially in camps holding homeless populations, the enactment of relevant laws would provide immediate solutions to the problem. The enactment of better laws that are pro-homeless would. Legislators and other political leaders should work to ensure that the streets are cleared of homeless populations. This can only be done by formulating effective policies aimed at reducing or making the acquisition and maintenance of housing affordable to citizens because the problem is not a shortage of housing, but the lack of resources to sustain the basic need. Improper handling of the homeless by the police should also stop because homeless people are not necessarily criminals.