What is the main cause of homelessness?

10 Feb 19 | hapnHal

[hapnHal]

For women in particular, domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness. And the top causes of homelessness among families are: (1) lack of affordable housing, (2) unemployment, (3) poverty, and (4) low wages, in that order. And guess what states have the highest homeless? Hawaii and New York, have a higher per capita homeless rate than California's. Finally, records show California, indeed, has the highest total homeless population at over 150,000, far more than second place New York. Will the invading caravans from south of the border help relieve the homeless situation especially in California? And don't forget Los Angeles has declared it's now a sanctuary city.

[unread]

"For women in particular, domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness."

This ain't the stupidest thing I've ever heard, but, it's a close runner up... :)

[marktwain]

The article does not mention the fact that only a tiny percentage of homeless consist of women and families.

The vast majority of homeless are men with mental problems, drug and alcohol problems, or both.

[Pelham]

I’m pretty sure ‘State Of Fear’ is your book. I’m not sure if there’s another. I read most of Crichton, enjoyed them all.

[Grampa Dave]

Not native born, just most of my adult years (now 80) have been spent in California. That gives a me little different perspective than the native born citizens/observers.

Having said that, the homeless problem is caused by many of the problems, issues and realities you point out in your reply.

During the Obama recession, we saw some younger homeless on our streets.

Now, after a couple of years of if you can breath, talk and get to work on time with the Trump economy, you can have a job at about any age.

The homeless are back to the mid aged ones, barely staying alive. Also, we saw more homeless women during the previous recession.

You posted, “By the time they hit their 40s, there’s really nothing left. At that point, they’re operating at less than a wild animal. You can see them on days like today, not minding being stuck in the elements, as long as they can scrounge enough digging through garbage to afford a $5 hit of meth.

And, as one would suspect, being a mentally ill homeless drug addict isn’t really a long term career. It’s why you never see any older than 50 or so; death catches up quickly. It’s also why the population is actually pretty stable.”

My grand dad was one, who studied the winners and losers in life. He died in 1957 at the age of 80. He had seen the Great Depressions, recessions, dust bowls and many economic turn downs, 2 World Wars and the Korean war. He often said “You don’t see many old hobos, criminals and only a few old drunks. That was then and is now, Darwin’s way of thinning and culling the human herd.”

Now, I am 80, and like my Grand Dad feel that “Unfortunately there is a certain % of people, who just can’t make it in life a hundred years ago up to today.”

Nothing we do seems to change that sad reality.

[Freedom56v2]

It would just be less expensive to put such people in group homes and have them be looked after.

Everyone’s quality of life would improve and the eyesore of homelessness and the sanitary and real estate impact issues surrounding it would disappear.

Taxpayers already pay for it and if they subsidize housing for homeless people, society is better off in the long run.

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You state as fact that it would cost less, but do you really know...Sources? Does CA have the money? Seems such a venture would require a rather large initial expenditure to buy land and build these condo/apartment type facilities for the massive numbers of homeless with more coming across the border daily..

Seems California would have a massive number rules and regulations regarding the building maintaining, and staffing of acilities, staffing as well as the criteria for admission.

I would hope quality of life would improve for most, but I don’t think all homeless would qualify or even want to go. I don’t have numbers on this—just what has been posted.

[hecticskeptic]

Not having God in your life => Disregard for His fundamental laws on how to live one’s life => Breakdown of the family => Drugs, alcohol => Homelessness => Social programs => Everyone becomes poorer => Move homelessness…..

[Steely Tom]

Thanks, I too like Crichton, but haven't read much since Sphere.

I read some of Disclosure when I was at a boring party, but it was a little slow-moving; I knew I wouldn't be there very long, so it wasn't really a fair evaluation on my part.

Thanks for the recommendation.

[mjp]

And the top causes of homelessness among families are: (1) lack of affordable housing,

and what causes high prices? Lack of supply and high demand. And what causes lack of supply? Government interventionism, government caused inflation causing high costs of means of production, and leftard's war on producers.

[semantic]

All of the major public health initiatives, both here and in the UK (and the rest of Europe), were not undertaken primarily out of concern for the downtrodden. Rather, they were eventually accepted - and financed - by those who initially felt they didn't have any collective responsibility for the great masses of people.

It's only when communicable diseases, whether air or water born, created environments for large scale pandemics that kept hitting in waves during the 1800s. Then, and only then, did government move to act in order to protect the upper & middle classes as a means of self-preservation.

The same type of sentiment and rationalization with respect to institutionalizing the homeless will eventually occur during our time period as well. Every generation has to (re)learn the same age old lessons that have already occurred decades/centuries before. Crime, disease, complete moral breakdown - when the time comes, the proglibs will be leading the charge.

[Fhios]

At the end of the 80’s Dems zeroed in on Mental illness and of course blamed Reagan. There is some truth to this, but reagan only closed non judicial paths to 3 squares and a cot everyday. There was no law passed or changed that prohibited judges from throwing somebody in for mental wellness check. Longer terms (vary state by state) were based on “prove it or leave”

But dig deeper and you’ll find that lack of a family support structure had as much to do than anything else. Here is another reason ... Divorce. Take myself as an example. After 15 years and kids I found myself kicked to the curb with no job, crippling child support payments, medieval penalties for late or missing payments. I lived in California and all my brothers and sisters lived back east. Rent so high and Job prospects so dim that after about 6 months of living in my SUV at rest stops, 24 hour parking spots and going deeper and deeper in missed child support and the 10% penalty that
San Diego child protective services refused to amortize but rather enforced a straight 10% penalty. I finally moved to upstate NY and worked for my cheap ass brother. After 18 months I finally networked my way back to California to a fair job that paid my rent, child support arrearage, my current child support and 10% penalty.

[sarge83]

Mental illness and drug abuse seem to be the causes in my small town. The mental health laws of this country are an abomination.

[VietVet]

Please note that the study was to find the leading causes of homelessness for FAMILIES. For that limited sub-category, the results are probably correct. The problems that most of the posters here are discussing apply to INDIVIDUAL homeless persons. And for that sub-category of the homeless, their perceptions are likely correct. Or at least plausible. But a sociologist or social psychologist is never going to get funds, nor have the resources even if he could get funding, to research that population. Politicians, the mentally ill, addicts and criminals are not going to voluntarily cooperate.

[wardaddy]

Mental illness man

Have you never interacted with street people

It’s mental illness

Acute alcoholism

Drug (yes I agree alcohol is a drug) addiction

In that order

[dfwgator]

Homelessness, in most cases, is a choice.

[wardaddy]

Hear hear

I deal with them daily

[Pelham]

Timeline was a good one, too. At least I really enjoyed it.

Knights. Castles. Time travel.

I’m surprised that one has never been made into a movie.

[anton]

1. mental illness.
2. addiction.
3. criminal behavior.
4. laziness.

[Pelham]

“and what causes high prices? Lack of supply and high demand.”

In California it has been foreign investor money driving prices far higher than what incomes here can support. And an immigration policy that has flooded us with a huge number of foreign born.

Had California simply needed to house Americans and their children there would be more than enough housing in this state.

[Seruzawa]

You’ll find that the vast majority of homeless became that way after their brains were permanently damaged by ECT and major tranquilers. In other words they were foolish enough to see a shrink.

[Pelham]

well said