The Homeless are the most at-risk population. And we’re waging a war on them.
The basics:
On any given night in January 2012[1]
633,782 people are homeless in the U.S.
394,379 as individuals(62%)
and 239,403 as families(38%)
62,619 were veterans (10%)
—With 6,371 homeless veterans in L.A. Alone
99,894 people are chronically homeless(16%)
[Chronic homelessness= being homeless for more than a year. Or having four episodes of homelessness is 3 years, and a disability.]
With 5 states accounting for nearly half the homeless population:[1]
California (20.7%)
New York (11%)
Florida (8.7%)
Texas (5.4%)
Georgia (3.2%)
And these states having the highest rates of unsheltered homeless:[1]
[state:% unsheltered]
Wyoming:73.8%
California: 64.9%
Florida:64.1%
Arkansas:62%
Nevada: 60%
Georgia: 59.4%
Mississippi: 56.8%
Colorado: 56.7%
Louisiana:51%
Our ability to provide shelter is increasing
[type of shelter: year:number of beds]
Emergency Shelter:
2007:211,451
2008:211,222
2009:219,381
2010:236,798
2011:267,106
2012:274,786
Transitional Housing:
2007:211,205
2008:205,062
2009:207,589
2010:200,623
2011:201,879
2012:197,192
Permanent Supportive Housing:
2007:188,636
2008:195,724
2009:219,381
2010:236,798
2011:267,106
2012:274,786
Total beds: 746,764
Point in time Homeless:633,782
[112,982 extra beds!]
we have more beds than we need, even if they aren’t always close enough for the homeless to use.
Beds in permanent supportive housing have increased by 46% in 5 years.
But only if we choose to:
Case Study: Columbia, SC[2]
“People are afraid to get out of their cars when they see a homeless person”
“It’s virtually impossible for us, or anybody, to create a sustainable business model.”
A bill was passed to move the homeless shelter 15 miles out of town.
Excluding the homeless from any opportunities they might have had.
With similar policies being pursued nationwide.
Particularly in:
Portland, OR
And Tampa, FL
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Prohibitions against panhandling and loitering allow homeless to be locked up.
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Endangering people’s livelihood, and inalianable rights, in the name of development and business models.
This is a matter of human rights
Universal Decleration of Human Rights (1946)
“Everyone has a right to an adequate standard of living…including the right to housing.”
Protect humans over business. Support equal rights for all.
Sources
– https://www.onecpd.info/resources/documents/2012AHAR_PITestimates.pdf
– https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/26/us/south-carolina-city-takes-steps-to-evict-homeless-from-downtown.html?_r=0
– https://www.nlchp.org/content/pubs/SimplyUnacceptableReport1.pdf
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