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Community involvement isn't an option, it's a necessity. Monday, November, 23, 2009
Ending Homelessness Requires Affordable Housing And Community Support Wednesday, November, 18, 2009
Word Of The Year: "Unfriend" Tuesday, November, 10, 2009
The Dishonoring Of A Nation Monday, November, 2, 2009
Want To End Homelessness? Stop Offering Homeless Support Services. Tuesday, October, 27, 2009
Are "Sleep Out For The Homeless" Events Actually Effective? Friday, October, 23, 2009
Did You Know This Was "National Character Counts Week" ?
Monday, November, 23, 2009
Ending Homelessness Requires Affordable Housing And Community Support
When it comes to ending homelessness, I'm convinced there are two key elements which are absolutely vital for success: affordable housing and community support.
One of the reasons it is so difficult to combat homelessness in the U.S. is because there is a noticeable lack of both.
The National Coalition for the Homeless fact sheet, Why Are People Homeless? states, "Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 20-25 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty."
Although the fact sheet points out that the lack of affordable housing is somewhat responsible for the increase in homelessness, let's not forget that it is that same lack which is also the reason some folks find it so difficult to become re-housed.
But, that's not the only reason. A lack of community support also creates barriers to helping the homeless get off the streets.
Some 250+ cities nationwide have chosen to adopt a "housing first" approach to ending homelessness in their communities.
These "10-year plans" are based on the idea of helping the homeless into housing first, then steering them to whatever other services they might require, as a method for combating homelessness.
One of the biggest drawbacks to these 10-year plans is that they usually entail the building "affordable housing" specifically for the homeless. And, that's where the lack of community support comes in.
Over the weekend I read an article from Knox News regarding the proposed building of an apartment complex for the homeless in West Knox County as part of that area's 10-year plan to end homelessness.
Not only did the proposal have a lack of community support, the folks who would be "neighbors" to the complex were, in fact, strongly opposed to it.
In the end, due to the opposition, the Knox County Commission nixed the idea with a 15-4 vote against it.
What I found saddest about the issue was that (as the article put it); "… an effort to postpone the matter until it was more properly vetted drew the comment that more time would not change anyone's mind."
This type of opposition isn't specific to Knox County however. It plays itself out in city after city all across the nation.
As a result, some cities are already several years into their 10-year plans without so much as having helped house one single homeless individual.
It seems a strange paradox that so many feel that something ought to be done to end or reduce homelessness in their communities. Yet, there aren't many who are willing to allow for the proper housing of the homeless – especially if it's in their neighborhoods.
Consequently, because no viable alternatives are being presented – and because no one is willing to compromise – the homeless continue to be warehoused instead of being helping into housing. Or worse yet, they remain on the streets and unsheltered.
Oddly enough, I'm willing to bet that those who are the most staunchly opposed to providing housing for the homeless, are those who would belly ache the loudest if they suddenly found themselves homeless.
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