Family Homelessness in America

Introduction

In the United States, one-third of family homelessness is represented by families that are homeless with children. Children under the age of 18 experiencing homelessness in families account for 59%. Approximately 58,000 people are homeless in America each night (United States Interagency Council On Homelessness, n.d.). In January 2017, the point-in-time (PIT) counts conducted by communities across the country estimated that 184,661 individuals, including 109,719 children, were experiencing homelessness. One in eight people experiencing homelessness in families were in families with a parent under the age of 25. PIT counts roughly 9,436 parents and 12,152 children (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019). The number of families that go homeless each night is a clear indicator that family homelessness has become a severe problem. In many cities across America, the increase in income inequality, the lack of affordable housing, and the breakdown of the family are major factors in family homelessness. Many homeless families live in shelters, in cars, on the streets, under bridges, in doorways, and some stay in abandoned buildings. Homeless families are forced to rely on homeless shelters, community churches, and community-based food banks for support. To lift the pressure that is placed on homeless families, jobs that pay a livable wage, affordable housing, and low-cost healthcare are needed.

Poverty and Income Inequality

Poverty is defined as “The state of being extremely poor” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Through education and volunteer work with homeless families at City Lights Women's Shelter in Boise, it is evident that poverty is a condition in which it is difficult for individuals and families to obtain and provide for basic living needs, like food, water, education, and shelter. According to The Seattle Times, the wealthiest 1% of Americans own more wealth than the bottom 90% of Americans (Ingraham, 2019). The wealth gap plays a significant role in income inequality. From 2000 to 2006, the number of Americans living in poverty increased by 15%. By 2006, almost 33 million workers earned less than $10 per hour (Amadeo, 2019). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) poverty guidelines for families of four is below the minimum rate (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2006). Income inequality leads to extreme poverty, which is a major cause of increased crime rates and high unemployment.

Affordable Housing Crisis

America’s affordable housing crisis is only getting worse. According to chief economist Robert Dietz, only 56% of new and existing home sales are affordable for the typical family based on income conditions (“The BD Interview”, 2019). This means just over half of the home sales will be affordable for the typical family in 2019. Millions of renters across this country fall into the category of low income. Low-income renters spend more than half of their monthly income on rent, food, and other utilities. A study conducted by Clever Real Estate shows that in the West (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming), the median house price, adjusted for inflation, soared 195% since 1960, while rents, adjusted for inflation, rose 72%. Even though household income, adjusted for inflation, ticked up only 26% (Richter, 2019). Many citizens have no savings, barely make it to the next paycheck, and are unable to contribute to the local economy because high housing costs rob them of their ability to spend.

Family Breakdown and Social Services

Consider what would happen if a low-income family broke down. According to Dr. Julio Moschion at the University of Melbourne, 62% of people said that the breakdown of their family resulted in homelessness (Moschion, 2019). The financial pressure on family households increased when the Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill was passed, impacting entitlements to numerous family benefits. The outcome of this leads to a populist issue. “Family policy is the single most important issue to get right. Strong families are the foundation of a strong, prosperous society. That makes family a populist issue. But it should not be a partisan one” (Hilton, 2019). In this century and the ones that are to come, families and individuals are growing up in more toxic and violent environments that keep on getting worse.

Living Wage and Economic Stability

The discussions about what is meant by a living wage have been a substantial topic. Some quickly point out that a living wage in rural Missouri might not be the same as San Francisco, where home prices increased about six times faster than incomes since 1960 (Richter, 2019). Progressive Bernie Sanders is at the forefront of the fight to increase the minimum wage to a livable wage of $15. The cost of living has increased, employees' pay has stayed “flat,” and CEOs' pay has skyrocketed. Almost all the new wealth created in the last 25 years or so has gone straight to the top 1%, leaving workers behind (“Bernie Sanders”, 2019). Why do Americans need jobs that pay a livable wage? The current minimum wage is just not enough to support a family. Many families are living paycheck to paycheck. Families are struggling to make ends meet, with no relief in sight. Creating jobs that pay a livable wage will help to reduce the number of those who are homeless.

Healthcare and the Affordable Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), better known today as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, has been very controversial. When the ACA was brought to court in June 2012, the insurance mandate, which at that time was the most critical part of the law, was upheld. The court held four sessions for the ACA on March 26th-28th, 2012 (Sade, 2012). During those sessions, the Court talked about the constitutional questions. The four sessions debated over the policies were very heated, and in today's society, after nine years, it has not cooled down, but instead become a more heated and controversial topic to discuss. The court discussed constitutional questions and fundamental issues that are still being debated today. Although the ACA has cons, it also has pros. The ACA plays a role in helping people who are homeless and trying to prevent people from becoming homeless. The ACA has benefits that help aid the homeless. These benefits include affordable and accessible health insurance, health care services like behavioral and rehabilitative services, and a focus on the outcomes that are seen. The ACA benefits help give those who are more susceptible to financial vulnerability a protective shield, aid the process of moving from homelessness to stability, and help the homeless partner with health care, social services, etc. The Federal Poverty Level is less than 133% (“United States Interagency Council On Homelessness”, n.d.). States have the option to enlarge Medicaid coverages for people that earn below the Federal Poverty Level. This is a type of insurance that is available for people who are experiencing homelessness.

Conclusion

It is clear from the whole discussion that homelessness has become a serious issue. This issue needs serious attention. Homeless people must be provided with affordable permanent housing and jobs paying a livable wage. The government of the U.S. must also take steps to resolve this issue by dealing with a budget that provides affordable childcare, rental assistance, and affordable healthcare services. The programs developed to help homeless people must be served with enough funding so that they can support homeless families. This will help to improve the economic condition and stability of low-income homeless families. Moreover, it will prove to be a very significant step in reducing poverty.