Solutions to Homelessness in the United States - Essay Example

Solutions to homelessness in the United s al affiliation Solutions to homelessness in the United s Defining homelessness One of the problems associated with homelessness is primarily the definition of this social problem. Considering the severity of the problem in terms of how the nature of homelessness has changed over time and is determined by location, different theorists have had diverse definitions of the problem. When it comes to providing statistics on the number of homeless people, having an exact or near exact figure is usually a very daunting task. Particularly, it is very challenging to count homeless people living on the streets because they do not have a specific place where they can be found. Nonetheless, homelessness can be termed as the lack of a dwelling or the presence of insufficient and insecure housing (Phillipps, 2012). social problems can be defined as those problems that affect the material and spiritual aspects of societal life and elicit emotional and reactionary responses from ordinary people within the society. The concept of homelessness Among the major social problems affecting the society today is homelessness especially considering that the affected people are forced to live without, regular and safe housing. Social problems are those problems that affect the material and spiritual aspects of societal life and elicit emotional and reactionary responses from ordinary people within the society. Considering the psychological and physical suffering endured by homeless people, there is need to come up with solutions that can address this issue. In essence, homelessness is a social problem that is most associated with urban areas which are characterized by large populations of people with limited resources at their disposal. In analyzing the issue of homelessness and how to solve this social problem, it is important to identify the categories of people who are at the highest risk of experiencing homelessness. The unemployed, the mentally sick, substance abusers, and veterans are among people who considered as being likely to suffer homelessness in the United States (Ravenhill, 2008). Basically, there are different categories of people who are considered homeless in the United States. Ravenhill (2008) highlights that there is the category of homeless people who are sheltered and those who are destitute. There is also the group of families with children and then there is the single adults’ category. The history of homelessness During the 1930s, the first cases of serious homelessness were experienced, majorly since the stock market crash left many people unemployed, bankrupt, and homeless. Rhoads (2015) estimates that 5 million people were evicted from their homes and ultimately became homeless after the 1929 stock market crash. The study of homelessness as a social concern, nonetheless, began in the 1980s. The first estimate for the number of homeless people in the United States was issued in 1983 by Mitch Snyder and Mary Hombs (McNamara, 2008). At this time, the estimated number of homeless people stood at 3 million. The number was questioned by many people considering that the researchers extrapolated data from 14 cities to estimate the nationwide state of homelessness. Research conducted by the urban institute in 1987 and 1990 showed that the number of homeless people was between 250,000 and 300, 000 respectively (McNamara, 2008). The two studies were conducted in shelters and soup kitchens in order to incorporate those people living in the streets. The number of homeless people seemed to increase during the 1990s considering that a study carried out in 1996 found around 800,000 people to be homeless (McNamara, 2008). This number seems to have stagnated over the years as evidenced by studies in recent years. Data collected by a national research institute found out that since January 2005, approximately 700,000 people experienced homelessness in the United States (McNamara, 2008). In recent times, high cases of homelessness were experienced during the 2007-2008 recession. During this period, many people were unable to pay their mortgages and home foreclosures became the norm as people started living with family and friends in crowded apartments. The solutions to homelessness according to the functionalist theory Functionalists, according to Ravenhill (2008), view the society as a system of interrelated parts that are supposed to work harmoniously in order for the societal system to be fully functional. Here, social structures are considered as having both good and bad effects on the society. Functionalist sociologists took interest in homelessness after realizing that the homeless had managed to survive outside of this system. Among functionalists, the negative effects of social structures are commonly termed as “dysfunctions” since they cause problems within the society. For example, Leon-Guerrero (2014) writes that homelessness may be considered as a dysfunction since it exposes the homeless to harm and causes public embarrassment to the locale involved. It is, however, interesting to note that functionalists consider the poor in the society as a crucial component towards the functionality of the system. For example, functionalist argue that if there were no poor people in society, then “dirty” jobs would remain undone (Leon-Guerrero, 2014). As such, functionalists view social inequality as essential for societal functionality. Essentially, functionalists hold that if there were no homeless people in society, people like social workers, owners of food banks and shelters, and researchers would not have any work. As such, ironically, homeless people are essential to the society since they do the jobs that no one else wants, plus they ensure income for people concerned with their welfare. There are, however, a few functionalists who recommend that all members in the society be brought to an average standard of living in order to ensure more productivity and greater societal development. Accordingly, one of the functionalist ways in which homelessness can be solved is by ensuring that the homeless are given the opportunity to engage in paid work. As it is now, Rhoads (2015) writes that no one gives the homeless the chance to be involved the kind of work that will elevate their social status. It is, therefore, up to the community to give the homeless the opportunity to work and earn a decent living. For example, Ravenhill (2008) writes that the solution to homelessness is in preventing its occurrence rather than trying to eliminate an already existing problem. Personal opinion on the solutions to homelessness In my opinion, the functionalist theory is not very effective in providing solutions to homelessness. Perceiving the homeless as a necessary component in the functionality of the societal system is not fair to the homeless people. Essentially, functionalists ignore the needs of the homeless and perceive them as people who are only there for the benefit of others. It, thus appears like functionalists blame the homeless for their social status, meaning that this group of people should just be content with the fact that they are still part of the greater societal system. My reasoning, however is that the primary reason as to why people become homeless is because they are poor and cannot find the money for to pay rent and buy food. The rates for house rent in the country are way too high especially for people who do not have regular income. The best solution to homelessness, therefore, is trying to elevate the social status of the homeless and integrate them back into mainstream society. It is logical and more humane to empower people to pay their own rent rather than try to rescue the same people out of homelessness. In line with this argument, the minimum wage should be raised to at least 10 dollars per hour in order to help the working homeless afford a dwelling. In as much it is the primary responsibility of the government to find solutions to homelessness, individuals and private organizations should also play an active role in ending this problem. Organizations with no governmental ties are better suited for this challenge since they are bound to work without worrying about the politics involved. Particularly, these organizations should be helping those people with drug and alcohol addiction problems to be housed. The idea here is that these organizations take people from the streets, provide them with subsidized housing and allow them to continue with their vices. The decision to seek professional help for their addiction is left to the addicts .With the homeless out of the streets, they will be a less bother to the conventional citizens and the cost of caring for them will be significantly reduced. As Carrier (2015) writes, such a program has been very effective in states such as Utah, New York, Seattle, Illinois, Maine, and Rhode Island. Individuals within the society should also be more understanding and not discriminate against the homeless. Fundamentally, the society should learn to help the homeless whenever they can by basically giving them clothes and food. It is always a fulfilling experience to help someone in need. These solutions would especially work for the chronically homeless, that is, people who have been homeless for a long time and those whose homelessness recurs often. Conclusion In conclusion, homelessness is a social problem that has plagued the United States since the 1930s and still persists today. The functionalist theory proposes that homelessness is a necessary component of the society. Consequently, homelessness should not be addressed simply because if the homeless were removed from the society, the social structure would not be balanced. However, if the government, the society, and private organizations teamed up and provided the homeless with a source of income, sponsored housing, and basic needs, then homelessness in the country would be greatly reduced. References Carrier, S. (2015). Room for Improvement. Retrieved from www.motherjones.com. Leon-Guerrero, A. (2014). Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action. Thousand Oaks: SAGE. Philipps, K. (2012). Homelessness: Causes, Culture and Community Development as a Solution. Pell Scholars and Senior Theses, Paper 88. Ravenhill, M. (2008). The Culture of Homelessness. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Company. Rhoads, R. (2015). Who Has, Who Doesn’t? Looking for Answers to Poverty, Inequality, and Homelessness. In Dolgon, C., & Baker, C. (Eds), Social Problems: A Service Learning Approach (pp. 45-63). New York: Sage Publications. Read More