America's Homeless Problem

America is supposed to be the richest nation in the world, and yet the number of homeless increases year after year. Currently, one of the concerns is that of returning Iraqi War veterans who have no jobs, may have lost their families and, often due to mental stress or other undiagnosed illness, are unable to work or find a home to support themselves. Yet, while housing seems to be the major problem homelessness can be caused by a variety of problems. And, the specter of poverty surrounds every aspect of being homeless: "(There are)myriad reasons--domestic abuse, drug addiction, a sick child and no health insurance--why educated young people can, and do, end up homeless" (Gonneman 2005 86). In her review of a book by a homeless Mom, Ms. Ganneman explains about the failure of the social safety net for those trying to qualify for Section 8-the federal program that provides housing vouchers to low-income people.

There are countless stories and editorials and TV documentaries about America's homeless. But, just who are they? Here are some disturbing statistics:

. 3.5 million people (1.35 million of which are children) will experience homelessness in a given year.

. Children under the age of 18 account for 39% of the homeless population. 42% of these are under the age of 5.

. 43% of the homeless population are women; 40% of these women are unaccompanied. 22% of homeless women claim domestic abuse as reason for homelessness. 25% of these cla

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ans" 2007 para. 1). The article goes on to discuss efforts by the VA to help: "The VA started targeting homelessness in 1987, 12 years after the fall of Saigon. Today, the VA has, either on its own or through partnerships, more than 15,000 residential rehabilitative, transitional and permanent beds for homeless veterans nationwide. It spends about $265 million annually on homeless-specific programs and about $1.5 billion for all health care costs for homeless veterans" ("Veterans" 2007 para. 12). Yet the VA efforts seem to be a mere drop in the bucket. Here is another disheartening fact: "In addition to the complex set of factors affecting all homelessness -- extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income, and access to health care -- a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse, compounded by a lack of family and social support networks" ("Background and Statistics" 2008 para 3). There is no doubt that many among the nation's homeless have problems with drug or alcohol abuse or, as mentioned above, suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome due to military service- something often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. But

Category: Government - A