...Scope of Work D.C.M.A. Solutions Nathan Manor, Jonathan Delconte, DeShawyn Redish, Crystal Jones “The Beginning to the End of Homelessness” Project Description Team D.C.M.A. Solutions chose to battle homelessness as a charity event project. Homelessness is a growing problem, not just in America, but all over the world. Crystal and Nathan both relate strongly to homeless veterans who make up a staggering 57,849 of the 610,042 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States. Our team however, is not just concerned with homeless people and families, but also their pets and the millions of other homeless animals in America. This event will drive awareness of organizations dedicated to combating the problem of homelessness in America. Though Washington, D.C has vowed to end homelessness mainly for veterans, we desire to aid everyone through groups like The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, the National Alliance to end Homelessness, the National Coalition for the Homeless, Pets of the Homeless, Homeless Pets Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States, and Habitat for Humanity. We will call on local restaurants to supply meals, home improvements stores for materials and “fix-it” expos, health and social services for medical and mental healthcare needs, and other agencies who can provide housing, clothing, food, jobs, and emergency aid. We will need transportation and security to assist with participants. We desire to...
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...Running head: HOMELESSNESS Homelessness in America Victoria M. Williams SOC 331, Social Justice & Ethics Cari Lynn Beecham-Bautista, Instructor November 23, 2015 HOMELESSNESS Homelessness in America Homelessness is a multifaceted social problem that is difficult for America to solve. Over the past three decades, there has been an increase in the homeless population in America (“Opening Doors Plan,” 2015). Even when America’s economy is progressing, there is still a high number of citizens who are facing homelessness (“Opening Doors Plan,” 2015). A lack of federal financial assistance, fragmented services and the difficulties in accessing these services have played a major role in hampering the solution to this social problem (“Opening Doors Plan,” 2015). As a result, these factors have necessitated a shift in federal, state and local policies to end homelessness. America has learned that homelessness can no longer be viewed as a short-term crisis where an abundance of emergency shelters can solve the problem. The demand for emergency shelters has always exceeded the supply for them. In order for justice to occur, there is an urgent need for more preventive measures and long-term solutions to end this problem. Homeless individuals and families are a vulnerable population whose rights have to be protected. A just response to America’s homeless problem has to include prohibition of criminalization laws, permanent housing with supportive...
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...Homeless in Missoula Kelsey Brandewie Homelessness in Missoula, Mt has been a tremendous issue that the community is trying very hard to eliminate. What people do not know, is that the people out on the streets downtown and around the city, only make up 11% of the homelessness (2.) Those are not the only people struggling with life. There are families that do not have a steady home that the community does not realize need help because most of them have jobs and seem normal but in reality they are struggling to make ends meet. That is what the community needs to come together and fix. There is a rough estimate of at least 200 people who are homeless in Missoula.(1) There are of course, the visible homeless but 25% of the homeless, the “chronically” homeless that seemed to be overlooked by the community. Most of the homeless, of that 25% are families. (1) Families in which have children in them, who are trying so hard to provide for them and give them a normal life. These children attend public school but for them they never know where they will be sleeping that night once they leave school. Some of them sleep in their cars or they go from house to house but none of those houses are their homes. That is not a healthy life style for anyone to live, especially children. The sad thing is though, of all the resources that are at their feet, they only seem to use 50% of them (1.) They feel like they do not need the help as much as others might, so they are too afraid to ask for...
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...Homelessness in California Introduction Homelessness is a condition or a state where an individual or a family does not have a home to live in. Along with that, the person is deprived of the legal and the social dimensions making him emotionally weak and in the state of isolation. Since the year 1980s, there had been a great shock to the Americans due to the rising homelessness. This led to a burst in the studies and the rising stories related to the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of July 1987. In this act, there was an interference allowed of the federal government into this policy of homelessness, which had created many issues. For many years after that, this issue of homelessness remained on the top of the line in the political issues face by the Californian government. Basically the non-profit organizations focused on improving the life quality of the people in the city, especially those who did not have a place to spend their nights. It is a fact that there should be some very efficient approach to eliminate this homelessness problem, the Californian government has taken some steps and brought in a modest change in their policies to attack this homelessness problem very obviously. Their main change in the policy was to provide housing to the poor and the needy people (Hombs, Mary Ellen, and Mitch Snyder, 1982). Despite this action which the government took, there had been a consensus in the year 1980 which reflected the fact that the homelessness in US...
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...Creating a Social Program HSM/240 Amanda Nelson Marilyn Gardner July 1, 2013 The social issue that “Striving for the Future”, plans to help correct is homelessness in America specifically East Tennessee. The individuals who are homeless are more often than others unable to acquire and maintain regular, safe, secure, and adequate housing. The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country to country, or among different entities or institutions in the same country or region. The term homeless may also include people whose primary night-time residence is in a homeless shelter, a warming center, a domestic violence shelter, cardboard boxes or other ad hoc housing situations. “An estimated 100 million people worldwide were homeless in 2005. In western countries, the large majority of homeless are men (75-80%), with single males particularly overrepresented. In the USA, LGBT people are over-represented among homeless youth, at 40%. Modern homelessness started as a result of economic stresses in society and reductions in the availability of affordable housing. In the United States, in the 1970s, the deinstitutionalization of patients from state psychiatric hospitals was a precipitating factor in urban areas. By the mid-1980s, there was also a dramatic increase in family homelessness. Tied into this were an increasing number of impoverished and runaway children, teenagers, and young adults, which created more street children or street youth. Most countries provide...
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...the streets of Seattle by Christmas of that year (some six months from date of pledge). The pledge itself might easily be viewed as a political move to provide a “quick-fix” solution to a very complex and long-standing problem. While Mayor Schell’s policy choices in this matter had some success, they were met with scrutiny and counter proposals by homeless advocacy groups and city financial managers. This paper provides an analysis of the mayor’s policy choices, analysis of the pre-implementation and design strategies, as well as discussion of steps taken to reengineer the program. It also addresses the importance of conducting proper assessments before implementing new programs. The policy choices related to Mayor Schell’s plan to address homelessness include: targeting homeless families with children and single women for “immediate emergency assistance”; focus on creating affordable housing; expanding shelter and/or emergency housing availability; and providing more funding for homeless prevention. According to the case study, over 700 of the 1,300 homeless people sleeping on the streets were in the target population contained in Mayor Schell’s June 1998 pledge that there would be no homeless families with children or homeless single women on the streets of Seattle by Christmas of that year. The case study does not make it clear if the mayor had done...
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...DEVELOPMENT IN HUMAN SERVICES April 19, 2015 Introduction: Homelessness has become a national issue. “At a point in time in January 2012, 633,782 people were experiencing homelessness. The national rate of homelessness was 20 homeless people per 10,000 people in the general population. The rate for Veterans was 29 homeless Veterans per 10,000 Veterans in the general population” (N.A.E.H, 2013). Due to the lack of affordable housing has resulted in vast and growing homelessness among individuals and families. Homelessness is not only a type of poverty but also a severe state of residential instability. Homelessness is increased by behavioral problems, alteration of mental health rule, differences in health and health care, racial disparities, substance abuse, domestic violence, variation in affordable housing, and lack of social support. Thesis Statement: The deficiency of affordable housing has resulted in widespread homelessness and has become a national problem The" Mission for the National Homeless" has decided to combat homelessness by providing food, shelter and other benefits and services to the homeless people. We will focus on providing housing, food distribution to fight hunger, educational, vocational and other services. We intend to fund our programs through private donations as well as federal and state funding. Problem: “Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness as those individuals whose main nighttime residence is in private...
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...Homelessness: America’s Invisible Numbers As each decade passes there comes to light a new or growing national problem that faces our country. Our nation’s history is blanketed with social problems the American people have encountered, such as civil rights, recessions, political struggles, warfare, and increasing unemployment. Each of these issues has received media attention for the problems, complications, and obstacles they provide for the population. Each of these issues in their own right is important and needs to be addressed because it affects every person in the country. However, there is another problem that poses a challenge to the American people that does not receive the attention it so desperately needs. The issue is American homelessness, a segment of the population that continues to grow with each passing year. Homelessness is caused by a number of factors that differ for each person. The most significant causes of homelessness are the lack of affordable housing coupled with a national increase in poverty, mental illness and addiction disorders. According to the McKinney-Vento Act of 1987, a homeless person is defined as any person who lacks housing. This includes individuals whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility that provides temporary accommodations or an individual who is a resident in transitional housing. This means an individual who lacks fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and an individual...
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...on a given night 250,000 veterans are homeless nationwide, and that as many as half a million veterans experience homelessness in the course of a year; this represents around two percent of all living American veterans. All but 3 percent of homeless veteransare men, and 56 percent are black or Latino. Approximately 45 percent suffer from mental illness, and more than two-thirds suffer from substance abuse disorders. More than two-thirds of homeless veterans served in the armed forces for at least three years, and 47 percent served in the Vietnam War.” (Coalition for the Homeless) Estimating about 500,000 veterans each year has experienced homelessness at some point, the VA has only reported that it homeless treatment and community-based assistance network serves only 100,000 veterans for the whole calendar year. That is leave 70 percent (400,000) veterans without service from the department which is responsible for supping them. (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans) In 1888 the federal government was deeded 400 acres in West Los Angeles for homeless disabled veterans. This campus has outpatient services along with a hospital but not yet a long-term supportive housing for the ill veterans who live and die on the streets. The current president and past president are being blamed but the circle of blame is wider than the executive branch.“While there are plans for a renovated building, no construction contract has been awarded yet.Some advocates, citing the desperate need...
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...Why can’t we end Poverty in America? Jake Hauser English 102 12/6/13 Today in the United States, more than 46 million Americans are living in poverty. The word poverty is defined as; the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. In other words, poverty is essentially the state of being poor. In a broad perspective, there are two types of poverty. There is relative poverty which refers to people who live in poor accommodations, cannot afford certain necessities, and struggle to make ends meet. In most cases for theses people, there is welfare available to help them so it would be rare for them to go without somewhere to live or to go starving. The other kind of poverty is known as absolute poverty. This is the kind of poverty that you would see in third world countries. These people have no food, no water and no help and it usually leads to death. Believe it or not, poverty is a worldwide problem that is taking place in every nation on the globe. In fact, half of the people in the world today are living on less than $2.50 per day. Statistically, Haiti is the most poverty stricken country in the world, with 77% of it’s population living below the poverty line. It also has a 40% unemployment rate, and many poverty-stricken people live on less than $1 a day. The United States may not be the most poverty stricken country in the world, but that doesn’t mean that there still isn’t a big problem in our...
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...Homelessness affects more than 3.5 million citizens annually in the United States alone. People become homeless because of the loss of a job, mental or physical disabilities, or they do not have the skills to get a higher paying job. Homelessness is a social problem because of the lack of jobs, the lack of education, and the lack of affordable housing. People may think homelessness is not that big of a problem, and that homeless individuals are just lazy and want attention, but it is a much bigger deal. If the United States could find a way to solve these problems, homelessness would not be as big of an issue. The United States economy is not the best. This nation’s unemployment rate has been rising for quite some time now. Many people have...
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...out one form for each source. Source 1 Title and Citation: Mangano, Philip F Government Initiatives Can Reduce Homelessness Opposing Viewpoints: The Homelessness. Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007 Opposing Viewpoint Resource Center. Gale. Appolo Library-Univ of Phoenix. 31 Jan.2010 http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.appollolibrary.com/ovrc/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252c%252c%2529%25AFQE%253D2528su%252CNone%252C14%2529%2522Homelessness%2522%2524&sort=Relevance&tabId=T010&sgCurrentPosition=O&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECT&prodId=OVR&searchId=R3&docId=EJ3010235253¤tPosition+3&bucketSubId=&userGroupName=uphoenix&docLevel=&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28SU%2CNone%2C14%29%22Homelessness%22Homelessness%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&nav=next#sourceCitation | | 1 | Identify the principal issue presented by the source. | The principle issue is that a small group of homeless are using the most of the government resources, and that there needs to be a change in policy (Mangano 2007). | 2 | Identify any examples of bias presented by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this. | The author uses facts about homelessness, and the government’s plan to help solve chronic homelessness. The author shows how the homeless use more than 34,000 dollars in medical and judicial funds. The author states that...
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...There are two sides to every story, as if that explains and justifies everything you know what I say when someone tell me that? I say well of course there are two sides to every story. The two stories there are sides to are the cause of been homelessness in America is not something that was created overnight, it’s been around for a long time; often we choose not to see the homeless, or bother them, so we think it’s alright to look the other way. We frequently falsely accuse homeless people to be existing/former drug abusers or once patients released from mental institutions. Homelessness is not a disease that you can catch if you come in contact with a homeless person, but it certainly has afflicted many of us. Isn’t this the country called the “Land of Opportunity”, while there’s millions of Americans deprived of such success-but why? There has been 4 major trends that are largely responsible for the rise of homelessness over the past 25 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing, a rise in the increase of poverty, and an increase in mental illness and chemical dependency. The shortage of low rent housing in the US reached a record high in 1995 when the number of low income renter households exceeded the number of low cost rental units by 4.4 million (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities). The shortage of affordable housing grew extraordinary even in the 1990s despite the strong economic growth. Between 1991-95, when the recession of the early 1990s reached bottom...
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...breaking night Mijanou Marretta-Lewis Chamberlain College Professor D January 27, 2014 Board Meeting As chair of this board, I feel it is important to address some of the issues brought forth by a few members of the board. I am in support of having a shelter built for the homeless, predominately mothers and children of the underserved population. Times are tough right now and at any given moment any one of us may be only one humiliating step away from homelessness. A job loss, serious illness or any other everyday occurrence of life could cause us all to be on the streets. The concept that the working poor are lazy, did not earn high school degrees, are not using birth control, and lack responsibility for their actions is uninformed thinking. These stereotypes hinder us looking at the big picture. Every day we walk past people in the streets who do not fit the stereotype of homelessness (Voices, 2014). There are people who you admire like Cary Grant, David Letterman, Daniel Craig, Sylvester Stallone, Ben Franklin, Tyler Perry, and Samuel L. Jackson, Col. Harland Sanders, of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, who were all homeless(Voices, 2014). William Shatner, who after Star Trek was cancelled in 1970, lived out of his truck for a while working in summer stock plays across the country. These people made great contributions to society. You don’t know what contributions others may be capable of making in the future if it weren’t for homeless shelters. Our country has...
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...Why is homelessness an issue in a country as wealthy as the United States? When we as a country send billions overseas to other countries. We have over one million homeless people in our own country. Being a person that recently has had a debilitating physical issues that has left me without income for two years I have faced this issue. Homelessness effects everyone. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness US government spent a little over 4 billion dollars in 2012 on programs for medical treatment, housing grants, emergency housing, and even hotel vouchers for mothers that where victims of domestic violence. Here is a breakdown where some of that money went “HUD received 108 million dollars in 2012 for rental assistance, long-term housing, and rehabilitation programs that lead to permanent housing. The emergency solutions grant program was given 1.901 billion dollars for rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention programs”. So I found proof that our government is spending sufficient amounts of money on this problem. Still more intervention, prevention, and treatment need to be directed in the right areas to irradiate this problem. According to our fact sheet the Current statistics on the prevalence and characteristics of people expiring homelessness in the United States over fifty percent of the people who have experienced homelessness have a substance abuse problem or mental health disorder (2011). So are we properly screening the homeless at the...
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