The plight of the homeless in the United States Essay

The plight of the homeless in the United States - Essay Example In the United States, de-institutionalization of mentally ill population in the late 1970s and cuts in housing and social services in 1980s contributed to homelessness (Donohoe). According to National Alliance to End Homelessness, in January 2005 around 744,313 people were homeless (National Coalition for the Homeless). According to the statistics of National Law Centre, around 700,000 to 2 million people are homeless in America on a given night (Policyalmanac). The estimates of National Alliance to End Homelessness highlight that around 22 people out of every 10,000 people are homeless and on any given night in the United States, 671,859 people are homeless, in which 37 percent are families and 63 percent are individuals (National Alliance to End Homelessness). Between 2007 and 2009, family homelessness in the United States has increased by 30 percent and this percentage is expected to increase further (National Public Radio). The statistics show that homelessness in the United Stat es has actually become a serious concern for the economy. The number of homeless people in the United States is increasing rapidly and various factors are contributing to this increase. The typical reasons which may contribute to homelessness include disturbance in family support systems, natural disasters, civil wars, impact of structural adjustment activities and urbanization however, two major causes of homelessness in the United States include decline in affordable rental housing and poverty (Vickery, Williams and Lugo). The president of National Alliance to Homelessness, Nan Roman argues affordable housing crisis is the primary driver in homelessness and this problem cannot be solved unless the crisis is addressed (USA Today). In short, the problem of homelessness cannot be solved unless the root causes of the problem are addressed. Homelessness in the United States is significantly affecting the overall economy. The state incurs