Why are they homeless?

[dcentity2000]

Why are there homeless people on our streets? I mean, all they need do is report to social services and they'd be assigned, free of all charge, a place to live in (counsel housing or, failing that, B&B) and an income to live off of until they can find a job - both are theirs by law.

I know that a sizeable minority of homeless people are mentally ill (about 40% I believe) but that still leaves 60% who are homeless seemingly by choice



Rich::

 

[mrsltg]

Because some of them are legitimately crazy and no amount of help short of absolute institutionalization is going to help them. They cannot function in "normal" society and never will be able to.

Still others choose this life. I don't know why. Maybe they are drifters? Who knows.

Others are homeless not by choice but by circumstance. Those are the ones we should reach out to with assistance as far as job placement, low cost housing, etc etc etc. The first group are the ones that need shelter and food and clothing. The second group? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

[RNMOM]

I see you live in the UK. We, in America don't have those kind of social services to offer our homeless. Yes, the land of the free and home of the brave aren't brave enough or free enough with their money to help all people in need.

Another reason some people might be afraid is they would need to share their identity and for many reasons they may not want to. People who are wanted for crimes, illegal aliens, or just plain hiding come to mind. I am sure there are a lot of reasons they feel they don't want to seek help but it confuses me too.

 

[va32h]

Because some people would rather live on their own terms - even if it means living on the street - than live according to someone else's rules?

You are not in the US, correct?

Honestly, I don't think there are enough shelters, churches, charities, hostels, etc for all the homeless people in this country. I don't know the statistics in the UK. Are there homeless shelters that are wanting for customers?

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Good reasons already given. I might also add pride.

 

[Tracy Savage]

If I was homeless I would commit a non-life threatening crime, land my butt in prison and be fed, sheltered and maybe even get some higher education. Oh and free medical care. HHHMMMMM.......

 

[dcentity2000]

Because some people would rather live on their own terms - even if it means living on the street - than live according to someone else's rules?

You are not in the US, correct?

Honestly, I don't think there are enough shelters, churches, charities, hostels, etc for all the homeless people in this country. I don't know the statistics in the UK. Are there homeless shelters that are wanting for customers?

Yeah, I'm a Brit.

Here there's a legal requirement that everyone who cannot afford to be housed be housed by the local government. Typically if there is a shortage of counsel housing, the homeless person in general would be housed in hotels or guest houses.

There's also income support with different funds for job seekers, incapacitated people, extra money for families and so on.

My point is that those who are in control of the majority of their faculties seemingly choose to waive their rights to all this and I can't imagine why; obviously a proportion of those people are not stable enough to appreciate the possibilities. A place to live and an income seems infinitely better than sleeping rough to me.



Rich::

 

[vettechick99]

Rich, you of all people, know the effects of mental disease (because you study it, not because you are nuts ). Many of these homeless people are suffering from any myriad of disorders and functioning normally just isn't in the cards. On HBO once I saw a special on Bellvue and one of the guys featured had Schizophrenia. Well he just loved living on the streets. He had his own little wall he lived against (conveniently across the street from the plasma donation joint) which he proudly marked with his feces.

I'm not saying all homeless people are mentally disabled, but I bet a lot more than you think are.

On another note, I agree. It's truly a shame - but they are adults and can make their own decisions.

 

[dcentity2000]

Rich, you of all people, know the effects of mental disease (because you study it, not because you are nuts ). Many of these homeless people are suffering from any myriad of disorders and functioning normally just isn't in the cards. On HBO once I saw a special on Bellvue and one of the guys featured had Schizophrenia. Well he just loved living on the streets. He had his own little wall he lived against (conveniently across the street from the plasma donation joint) which he proudly marked with his feces.

I'm not saying all homeless people are mentally disabled, but I bet a lot more than you think are.

On another note, I agree. It's truly a shame - but they are adults and can make their own decisions.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

The obvious follow-up question is, do we as a society owe a duty of trust towards these ill people? We already have a socialised healthcare system - I'm sure the NHS could take the extra strain.

Of course, there would be a problem persuading some of these people to be treated...

Oh, sausages



Rich::

 

[powellrj]

we have a family member who may be homeless. He just walked away from his life 4 years ago. He left his job, home, family. He took a few clothes and his truck.

His ss# has hit a few times over the years and when we have tried to look for him he has always been a few steps ahead of us.

I have no idea why he left or what he is doing now. I really don't know what if anything we owe them. The opportunities are there, but you can't force people to live the life we want them to.

 

[Banshee]

A co-worker of mine (this was years ago!) Lost his wife and a baby girl 3 months old to a very tragic accident. After this he spiraled down and down and no matter what family friends and co-workers did to help he lost everything He eventually dissapeared and the worst was thought that maybe he took his own life. His family eventually did find him living under the board walk in AC Brought him home tried to get him help but, he has since dissapeared again. Sometimes tragedy happens in a persons life and they just dont want to do anything to help themselves or let anyone help them.

 

[JunieJay]

The homeless in my neighborhood are all mentally ill, without exception. I've yet to meet one who isn't, and I've seen quite a few homeless people in my life. Most have no families to rely on, no one to watch over them to make sure their basic needs are met. Its heartbreaking. I suppose there are some who just want to live like that, but I would think that percentage would be very low.

 

[Deb in IA]

Homelessness in America is a complex subject, and there is no one single, simple answer to your question.

There can be many factors to homelessness, including substance abuse, divorce, job loss and unemployment, crime and victimization, economic fluctuations, and yes, mental illness and in some cases, personal choice.

I suggest you read here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness
for more information, if you are truly interested in this problem.

 

[mrsltg]

Yeah, I guess you're right.

The obvious follow-up question is, do we as a society owe a duty of trust towards these ill people? We already have a socialised healthcare system - I'm sure the NHS could take the extra strain.

Of course, there would be a problem persuading some of these people to be treated...

Oh, sausages



Rich::

As long as they are not hurting anyone else they should be left alone. Give the option of food, shelter, and clothing and then leave it alone. I don't agree with forced hospitalization/medication unless the person is a or is in real danger. People have lived without creature comforts for a lot longer than they have lived with them. Sleeping on the streets, while not my idea of fun, is a choice as valid as obtaining a mortgage.

 

[fabshelly]

As long as they are not hurting anyone else they should be left alone. Give the option of food, shelter, and clothing and then leave it alone. I don't agree with forced hospitalization/medication unless the person is a or is in real danger. People have lived without creature comforts for a lot longer than they have lived with them. Sleeping on the streets, while not my idea of fun, is a choice as valid as obtaining a mortgage.

Because if you are one paycheck away from homelessness and become ill or get laid off, you can immediately go pick up a mortgage or two and then you're just fine!

 

[gina2000]

I don't know if this is true today but at one time shelter residents claimed that nighttime could be a very dangerous time to be in a shelter, asleep and vulnerable to attack by another sheltered person.

 

[chyam]

Many of the homeless in America are mentally ill or they could be illegals or felons......But those that are not find it hard to get the help that they need, my country freely hands money out overseas and helps others but tends to forget alot of our own people, I have seen many come to America with nothing and soon are living in better homes and driving better cars than people who have lived here all their lives. Homelessness can be cause by many differen situations but there is no need in this country for anybody going hungry or living on the streets..........It makes me ill thinking of all the money (my money and your money) being spent on wars and such when there are so many needy children, elderly and others who are in desperate situations.....I have also seen it over and over some of the red tape these people have to go through just to get some help. Our criminals live better than some of our working lower class.

 

[disneyfan67]

Homelessness in America is a complex subject, and there is no one single, simple answer to your question.

There can be many factors to homelessness, including substance abuse, divorce, job loss and unemployment, crime and victimization, economic fluctuations, and yes, mental illness and in some cases, personal choice.

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head, except for two things you don't have on that list. I would also add lack of or no education and sometimes, lack of personal responsibility. When you add those to your list, then it basicly covers it all. Some people try and point to or blame one thing, but the problem is so vast and every situation is different.

 

[barkley]

i encountered a wide range of homeless clients while working in social services. some were homeless due to cirmumstance (despite working a full time job had insufficient funds to afford housing or had such horrendous credit/eviction records noone would rent to them, devastating illness, job loss, death of a spouse left them financialy destitute...), some were homeless due to mental illness (when social security no longer required an ssi recipient have a physical address to receive benefits many opted to forego regular housing so they could spend their benefits as they wished to), but there was also a large population that had no mental illness and chose to live this particular way. some of the 'chosen to be homeless' led (other than their housing situation) very conventional lives-held down successful jobs, maintained stable relationships with friends and family, met their own needs for personal hygene, meals, transportation-and some had substantial assetts with which they could have drawn to secure good housing. it was their personal choice. of course there were also those who chose that lifestyle because they did'nt want to be 'encumbered' with the responsibility of holding a job or supporting themselves-they saw being 'homeless' as a means to shun conventional societal expectations and responsibilities (but since they were in seeing me, they were of the mind set that 'the other guy' should be doing upholding those expectations/responsibilities because 'homeless' people were entitled to assistance ).

one of the oddest homeless poplulations i've encountered is in a well to do city near my home. a population of teens are known to leave home right after the end of the school year in their highschool years and 'huck finn it' down by the river area. they build homeless encampments, pan handle from tourists (major issue because it's one of the most popular destinations in our area for people from around the world), and draw on social services (they flood the food banks, go to the 'soup kitchens', rob donations from the charity bins) but come august and the begining of the school year they move back home, buy their designer clothes, hop into the cars they left behind and return to 'the real world'. these are kids that come from upper middle income to down right wealthy homes, and their parents see nothing wrong with it (the attitude is almost like 'i've paid for these social programs all my life-whats wrong with my kid having a little fun and using them-that's what they're there for" ). very odd dynamic.

i think anyone who looks at the situation (at least in the u.s.) should be aware that our homeless numbers went WAY UP after the fed's mandated federal funding for homeless assistance (temp (motel) stays, perm. housing and utility deposits) back in the 80's. the program was initaly designed such that a person could receive funds once every 365 calendar days, and deposits were refundable to the clients. what happened was-a large number of people saw that this could work financialy to their advantage. the program did not disadvantage someone who became homeless by choice so a person could give 30 days notice, walk in the day they became 'homeless' get 21 days in a motel paid for (albiet not a nice one), get utility deposits paid as well as up to twice their monthly new rent as a deposit-and then a year later do the same exact thing (while pocketing the refunded deposits). in the area i worked in we saw our 'homeless' numbers sky-rocket, and you could look at case records and literaly see the same people rotate in year after year on the exact same calendar date (many admitted they kept the date marked on their calendars to 'be ready for my motel vacation' ). because of the abuses to the program it was re-worked such that fed. funds are only available once in a life-time unless realy specific extenuating circumstances have occured. the result is less funding/availabiltiy for those that truly need the help-and the shelter beds insufficient to meet the needs of truly homeless people that want to secure housing.

as far as shelters being dangerous, i never had a client complain of that-it was more often that they were upset that most shelters in our area did not allow couples (married or not) to be in the same sleeping areas (most separated male adults from women and children for 'safety' and 'privacy' issues), they also complained that they did not 'like' the shelter rules (curfews, lights out at certain hours, had to be out by a certain time, no drugs/alcohol/tobacco on premises). i think most of the shelters in our area have done a pretty good job on keeping the residents safe-but they operate very limited times in the year-mostly once the cold weather hits until the first nicer days in spring. 'good weather' shelters are realy limited, and most try to focus on families with kids-offering more of a stable living environment with child care and counseling services in job skills and such to help the parent(s) work towards securing housing they can retain.

 

[mamacatnv]

As long as they are not hurting anyone else they should be left alone. Give the option of food, shelter, and clothing and then leave it alone. I don't agree with forced hospitalization/medication unless the person is a or is in real danger. People have lived without creature comforts for a lot longer than they have lived with them. Sleeping on the streets, while not my idea of fun, is a choice as valid as obtaining a mortgage.

Let me tell you a little story - this may turn into a rant as I am currently living out the nightmare and these events just occured this past Friday, Saturday, Sunday and today.

My mother, 68 yrs. old lives in a small suburb or Portland, Oregon. She has been mentally ill for as long as I can remember and is showing signs of severe dementia and schizophrenia.

She lived in an income subsidized HUD apartment where all the fellow tenants were elderly or disabled. Her only source of income is $775.00 monthly Social Security.

She is a hoarder and tends to get agressive if anyone trys to touch her "stuff" she also acts like a 2-3 year old and when she does not get her way she throws tantrums that would make any toddler step back and take notice.

Due to her excessive "stuff" her apartment management company was able to obtain an eviction for "Sub-Standard" housekeeping despite that Senior Protective Services was involved and informed the judge that her apt, yes full of "stuff" was neat and orderly not dirty. They also informed the Judge that all resources had been exhausted and that if they allowed this eviciton then she would be homeless and the only option would be a homeless shelter. Now, she paid her rent on time each and every month.

Judge didn't seem to consider the consequences and ordered the eviction.

Now, before everyone jumps up and down and suggests that she come live with me, understand that she does not like me, I am a threat to her. She is violent and dangerous. Her own shrink advised me a few years ago to never be alone with her and to not allow her access to my children.

Over the past 6 months and for the past 5 years I have attempted to obtain Guardianship of her so that we could make some decisions for her regarding her health care, cash management and living situations.

Due to the liberal mental health laws we have been unable to get any type of legal intervention. Despite the fact that she doesn't know who we are, gets lost regularly and asks strangers driving by to take her home, drains her checking account at the local dollar store, has been legally charged with stalking another tenant and is now being evicted.

We knew the eviciton was going to happen soon. After much discussion with a several mental health workers and her Sr. Protective Service worker, it was decided that the best thing to do was to let her get removed and hopefully throw a fit, get taken to jail where the person who handles the intake of the "non criminal" type things had already been given her name and could then direct her for some psych treatment thereby getting her into the "System" and giving us the leverage we needed to go after the guardianship, which by the way I am going to have to pay all the legal bills for (2-5K) depending on if she or a disability advocate fights it.

Sometime Friday afternoon she was removed from her Apt. by the local Sheriff. She was taken by the Protective Service worker to a homeless shelter 40 miles away (despite the plan above that the Protective Service worker was aware of and agreed with). She had nothing with her other than her purse. I didn't find out until Saturday morning where she went. I contacted the shelter and had a long talk with the director who informed me that Mother had already had an incident when she didn't get her way and was most likely not going to be allowed to stay. Well, Now What????

Of course it is a Saturday, there is not a single social worker available and she is now 40 miles from her home.

At approx. 5 p.m. on a dark Saturday night with it being 40 degress, the shelter tells her she has to leave. She wouldn't, she didn't know where to go. The cops were called, they take her to the other shelter in town who took one look at the fit she was throwing and refuse to take her. The cops then take her to the Psychiatric Crisis Center, they can't help, they only deal with Suicidal/Homicidal persons. They send her to the local hospital.

Thank God for a part time Social Worker who was diligent and finally figured out thru several phone calls how to get ahold of me. When she heard the story she was furious. To make a long story short, Mother was placed on an involuntary hold(not easy to get) and transported to a Geriatric Psych Hospital. She is currently there against her will for about 5 days and with any luck, we will now be able to pursue Guardianship and place her into some type of care home where we don't have to worry about her not having a roof over her head.

Sleeping on the streets as stated by MrsLtg is not always a choice, it is the result of a screwed up system that instead of trying to take care of our mentally ill which is very expensive, decided to give them so many rights that those that need the help the most can't get it and those that want to help can't.