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What is Homelessness?
In the United States, 550,000 people are homeless on any given night. When people think about homelessness, they typically imagine single individuals sleeping on park benches or under bridges, but many people experiencing homelessness in southern Illinois are individuals or families with children living in shelters; those who are “couch surfing” from one place to another; or they are living in their vehicles or in tents.
What is Homelessness?
In the United States, 550,000 people are homeless on any given night. When people think about homelessness, they typically imagine single individuals sleeping on park benches or under bridges, but many people experiencing homelessness in southern Illinois are individuals or families with children living in shelters; those who are “couch surfing” from one place to another; or they are living in their vehicles or in tents.Understanding Homelessness.
Homelessness occurs as a result of a complex relationship between systemic and individual circumstances. Key factors include a lack of adequate income, and a severe lack of affordable housing opportunities in the United States. Most households who become homeless have incomes well below the federal poverty standard. Millions of people simply can’t afford to pay market rent and pay for other necessities such as utilities, food, childcare, transportation and health care. This equates to individuals and families who are literally one paycheck, one illness or one accident away from being homeless.
Individual and relational problems can also create pathways to homelessness. A crisis, or a major life change such as domestic violence, job loss, or a sudden loss of a household member through divorce or death often trigger housing instability. Addiction, mental illness and chronic health problems can be both causes and consequences of homelessness. They may impact one’s ability to remain housed when symptoms disrupt their capabilities for self-care, maintaining a job, and managing a household. Likewise, homelessness can lead to, or exacerbate these problems as a result of the trauma, severe distress and the living conditions one faces when homeless.
Solutions.
Homelessness is usually the result of the cumulative impact of a number of these factors, rather than one single cause. Individuals who experience homelessness face a number of barriers to exiting homelessness. Often times they do not have a mailing address or internet access; their transportation is limited; they have no place to shower or wash their clothes; they face housing biases; and lack the income needed for deposits and first month rent. For many the key to success is supportive housing, which is a combination of affordable housing with individualized supportive services that help people remain permanently housed. Studies have consistently shown that supportive housing not only increases one’s ability to be self-sufficient, but also decreases public costs by reducing the use of costlier crisis services including shelter, hospitals, psychiatric centers, jails and prisons.Individual and relational problems can also create pathways to homelessness. A crisis, or a major life change such as domestic violence, job loss, or a sudden loss of a household member through divorce or death often trigger housing instability. Addiction, mental illness and chronic health problems can be both causes and consequences of homelessness. They may impact one’s ability to remain housed when symptoms disrupt their capabilities for self-care, maintaining a job, and managing a household. Likewise, homelessness can lead to, or exacerbate these problems as a result of the trauma, severe distress and the living conditions one faces when homeless.