homelessness essay

Essays About Homelessness: Top 8 Examples Plus Prompts

Everyone has heard of homeless people at some point in their lives; if you are writing essays about homelessness, read our top essay examples and prompts.

Poverty is one of the greatest evils in the world. Its effects are seen daily, from people begging on the streets to stealing to support their families. But unfortunately, one of the most prominent and upsetting diversity is homelessness. Homelessness is a significant problem in even the most developed nations, including the U.S. and Canada. Despite all the resources used to fight this issue, countries often lack the means to reduce homelessness significantly. With the proper aid, homelessness can be entirely eradicated in the future. 

If you want to write essays about homelessness, keep reading to see our essay examples and helpful writing prompts.

2. A journey with the homeless by Sujata Jena

3. i chose to be homeless: reflections on the homeless challenge by emily kvalheim, 4. my experience being homeless by scott benner, 5. what people get wrong when they try to end homelessness by james abro, 1. causes of homelessness , 2. how can homelessness be reduced, 3. mental illness and homelessness, 4. reflection on homelessness, 5. is homelessness a “personal problem”.

Are you looking for more? Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays

1. That Homeless Man is My Brother by Megan Regnerus

“But the subtext of my friend’s statement is really Why should I give money to someone who’s lazy; who isn’t willing to work for money like I do?’ And to that I say, her opinion that people who ask for money are freeloaders who could work but choose not to, is based on assumption. It relies on the notion that the two things that shape us into able-bodied adults who can hold down a regular job, nature and nurture, are level playing fields. And they’re not.”

Regnerus writes about a friend’s claim that the homeless are “lazy,” reminding her of her homeless brother. She cites genetics and circumstance as contributing factors to homelessness. Despite the other woman being her friend, Regnerus strongly refutes her belief that the homeless are non-disabled freeloaders- they should be treated with empathy. For more, check out these articles about homelessness .

“I realize that the situation of poverty and homelessness is a huge social problem around the world. But when I meet them, I face fellow human beings, not some abstract “social problem.” The very phrase, “What would Jesus do at this scene?” haunted me.  I ventured to ask their names, age, where they came from, where they live (street, bridges, cemetery) and the reason they are on the streets. Their stories are poignant. Each one has a unique story to tell about his/her reason to be homeless, how they were forced to leave distant rural villages to live on the city streets. I tried to listen to them with empathy.”

In her essay, Jena remembers the homeless people in Manila, Philippines. She can see them beyond some “aspect of society” as human beings. She empathizes with them extensively and recalls the words of Jesus Christ about loving others, particularly the neediest.

“I, too, have not been compassionate enough, and I have allowed my prejudices to distort my view of the homeless. One woman, who sat across from me at a feeding program, talking to herself erratically, may have seemed strange to me before the Homeless Challenge. But when I really saw myself as her equal, and when I took the time to watch her get up and laugh as she danced to the music playing in the background, I thought she was beautiful. She had found her own happiness, amidst despair.”

Kvalheim details her experiences during an immersion challenge with the homeless. She recalls both the discrimination and generosity she experienced and her experiences with other homeless people. She was amazed to see how they could stay positive despite their terrible circumstances. We should be thankful for what we have and use it to help others in need. 

“As my funds dwindled, and the weather got colder, I sought shelter at Father Bill’s in Quincy Ma. When you are homeless, sometimes very small things mean a lot. A dry pair of socks, shoes without holes, a pocketful of change. You begin to realize how much you value your personal space. You begin to realize other people want space too. A lot of people have issues or have suffered in one way or another and you can see their pain. I think that there are people who for a variety of issue are chronically homeless and a larger portion of homeless are transitioning through a series of bad events.”

Benner’s essay, written for the company ArtLifting, reflects on his experience of being homeless for a brief while. Then, he and his wife grew ill, and Benner sought refuge at a homeless shelter after his company shut down. After that, he realized how his struggles were very different from those of others and the value of the more minor things he previously took for granted. Luckily, he escaped homelessness by making art with the help of ArtLifting. 

“The court denied my sister’s request and named me our mother’s legal guardian, but it appointed my sister as guardian of her property.  In 2009, when my mother passed away, my sister evicted me. The day I was scheduled to move out, I stood in a convenience store, dazed, as I stared at microwaveable meals.  These would be my new staple when I moved into the motel room. My phone rang—my sister.  She told me she needed me out of the house in a couple of hours—she was a real estate agent and a client wanted to see the house. ‘No hard feelings,’ she said.”

Similar to Benner, Abro narrates the circumstances surrounding his homelessness. After his mother’s death and a conflict with his sister led to his eviction, he ended up homeless. While his situation was unfortunate, he believes that there are many people worse off than him and that something must change to address the housing and poverty crises in America.

Top 5 Prompts On Essays about Homelessness

For your essay, it would be interesting to write about how people become homeless in the first place. Research the different causes of homelessness and elaborate on them, and be sure to provide sources such as statistics and anecdotes. 

What solutions to homelessness can you think of? In your essay, propose at least one way you think the homelessness problem can be solved or at least reduced. It must be concrete, realistic, and defensible; be sure to explain your solution well and defend its feasibility, backing up your claims with facts and logic. 

Homelessness and mental health can be linked—research into declining mental health and how homelessness can impact a person’s mental well-being. Make sure to use research data and statistics to show your findings. Conclude whether poor mental health can cause homelessness or if homelessness causes poor mental health.

You can write about what homelessness means to you in your essay. Perhaps you’ve heard stories of homeless people, or maybe you know someone who is or has been homeless. Use this essay to highly the effects of homelessness and how we can work together as a society to eradicate it.

Many say that homeless people “choose to be homeless” and are underachievers; otherwise, they would simply “get a job” and lift themselves out of poverty. Is this true? Research this topic and decide on your stance. Then, write about whether you agree with this topic for a compelling argumentative essay.

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Homelessness - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Homelessness is a social issue characterized by individuals lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. Essays on homelessness could explore the causes, such as economic instability, mental health issues, or systemic problems, and the societal impacts of homelessness. Discussions may also cover various solutions and strategies being employed by different regions to address homelessness and support the affected populations. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to Homelessness you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Effects of Homelessness and Student Academic Achievement

Supporting and understanding the differing at-risk students, especially students experiencing homelessness, in the classroom is an important aspect of being an educator. Teachers are often seen as important referents in a community. The ways that teachers interact with homeless children and families convey important messages to children and families. Teacher views about children and families can indeed foster feelings of worthiness or the lack thereof (Powers-Costell & Swick, 2011 p.208). For teachers to teach these at-risk students, they must fully […]

Substance Abuse and Homelessness

Homelessness is becoming a more and more prevalent issue in America as years progress. Drive through any city's downtown area and you're bound to see at least one, if not many more, homeless individuals or families residing along the streets or in homeless camps. In many cases, these people have been suffering from homelessness for years and this has simply become their norm; this is known as chronic homelessness. Although this has become a way of life for many, homelessness […]

Veterans: Fight for Freedom and Rights

Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country by fighting to maintain our freedom and rights. For this reason, the government should do something about the veterans poverty rate. Veterans have resources that they could use but the resources do not always reach out to the veterans in need. The rate of homeless veterans is very high compared to non-veterans in the United States because they were usually not ever taught how to write a resume and many have had […]

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My Opinion about Homelessness

My opinion is based on what I see and encounter and also from research. Homelessness. Homeless people did not choose the lifestyle on purpose, misfortune made the choice for them consequently they should be generously assisted kind heartedly without social isolation, pity, job insecurities, humiliation, pitiful wages e.t.c. Learning by choice or pain, which would you rather settle with? Unique story. Every person who has become homeless has a unique story about what happened to them. I can fill these […]

Homelessness and Mental Illness

Research problem: Homelessness Research question: Why is the mental health population and people with disabilities more susceptible to becoming homeless? Mental health policies that underserve vulnerable people are a major cause of homelessness. The deinstitutionalization of mental hospitals, including the failure of aftercare and community support programs are linked to homelessness. Also, restrictive admission policies that keep all but the most disturbed people out of psychiatric hospitals have an effect on the rising number of homeless people. The New York […]

Homeless Veterans

From bullet shells, to bomb blasts, and potentially amputated limbs, U.S. soldiers face on the scariest and life threatening situations no man or woman could ever imagine. America's military is one of the strongest forces in the world and consists of the toughest and strongest men and women in the US. These soldiers have risked their lives, lost limbs, their friends, their family, and their lives. The bravery and honor that any soldier musters up to go into battle can […]

Homelessness Problem in LA

Homelessness in LA is not an isolated case in U.S but rather public issue from 1980s since represents a huge problem for several cities as well as for largely populated states. People are facing this problem in daily basis; every time we are waiting by the traffic lights on the street, homeless people approaches to us and ask us either for a food or a change. Homeless people are people who are without a home and therefore living on the […]

The Causes of Homelessness

Homelessness has been a problem in American society for many generations. There are countless amounts of people who live without a permanent home and lack the basic essentials of life, such as food,wds `1ater, and clothes. It is likely when you walk or drive in your city that you will encounter a homeless person. Often when you are passing by a homeless individual or group, the thought comes to your mind, how did the end up here? Or why or […]

How Poverty Affects a Child’s Brain and Education

Although children are some of the most resilient creatures on earth. Living in poverty has risks that can cause children all types of issues. That makes you wonder, does poverty have an effect on a child's brain development? The million dollar question. How does poverty affect children's brain development? Poverty can cause health and behavioral issues. There is suggestive evidence that living in poverty may alter the way a child's brain develops and grows, which can, in turn, alter the […]

Unemployment a Major Cause of Homelessness

Homelessness or known as extreme poverty can be interpreted as a circumstance when people have no place to stay with the result that they end up live in the street, under the bridge even at the side of the river. There are 3.5 million Americans are homeless each year. Of these, more than 1 million are children and on any given night, more than 300,000 children are homeless. They who do not have an occupation are the one that is […]

Homelessness is not a Choice

Homelessness is not a choice an individual makes but is a result of poverty, unemployment, and lack of affordable housing. Many homeless people come from a loving family, and at one point in their life, they had jobs and homes. Economic and social challenges cause them to suffer and make bad life choices which lead them down the road of homelessness. Back then, families looked after their unfortunate ones and supported them when they lost their jobs, faced economic issues […]

Closing the Education Gap by Attacking Poverty Among Children

Looking around the campus of an Ivy League schools, one wonders how students from such diverse backgrounds ultimately wound up at the same place. From having a mother who works in admissions, I grew up hearing that no matter where you came from, your socioeconomic status, and even sometimes your grades, all kids have the potential to attend a prestigious university. However, I find that hard to believe. With a combination of taking this class on homelessness this semester, growing […]

Homelessness in the United States

Homelessness is a social problem that has long plagued the United States and surrounding Countries for centuries. It is an economic and social problem that has affected people from all walks of life, including children, families, veterans, and the elderly. Kilgore (2018). States homelessness is believed to have affected an estimated amount of 2.5-3.5 million people each year in the United States alone. Recent evidence suggests economic conditions have increased the number of people affected by homelessness in the United […]

Youth Homelessness in the United States

Imagine having to live on the streets, in unbearable conditions, never knowing what it is like to be in a stable environment. This presents many challenges faced by children as young as a few months old. These challenges are faced by some of the more than 500,000 children (Bass 2017). These children do not have anywhere to call home and very little resources to help them a place to live. These numbers of homeless youth are increasing making it harder […]

Homelessness in Hometown

Huntsville, Tx is a city with a high rate in population growth and homelessness is an issue that is over looked. There are many people without a home or low incomes which makes them inclined to stress and fall under poverty level. There are individuals and families that cannot afford to purchase groceries, or toiletries for their families. Everyone can get a job and maintain middle class status, but there is a great amount of people that have jobs and […]

Homelessness Policy in the United States

The logic behind the previous and current strategy of state-funded and driven housing policy improvement is that by allowing cities and states to control and determine policy fitting their specific needs, there will be more room for innovative strategies for complex problems. The affordable housing struggle of 2018 is different from those of the 1960s or 1980s, and its solution may require a more creative solution than federal vouchers and subsidies equally applied based on income. In a world of […]

America is Suffering from Poverty

United states of America haves a population of 325.7 million people. As Americans we love Sunday night football, Drake concerts, watching Donald Trump run our country into a hole andoursocial networks. Although we have several interests we cannot let it entertain us from the fact that America is suffering from poverty. Poverty is the state of being awfully poor. What decent country puts more focus on their Instagram poststhan their bank account funds? According to World Bank, in 2013 769 […]

Homelessness cannot be Solved Overnight

Homelessness is a very difficult subject to talk about for many people. A lot of people know someone who is either currently homeless or has been homeless before and is no longer homeless, so this topic may really hit home for them. Other people may not have direct experiences with homeless people unless they see them in public. It can be very difficult to know how to act when you see a homeless person in public that you have never […]

The Issue of Homelessness

James Harris always begins with “God bless you” before asking for money. He hates asking people for anything, so this three-word phrase serves as his own offering. Harris, a veteran, has had AIDS for thirty years. When the medication stopped working, the world began to crumble around him. He became depressed and was ultimately evicted from his place in Hollywood. “I’ve been beaten, robbed, and chased, he said. “People steal your tents and your tarps and your clothes. I’ve lost […]

Homelessness in San Gabriel Valley

Los Angeles County has seen a slight decline in homelessness since the 2017 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. The data is comprised every year by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Volunteers would go out and count individuals who are unsheltered. The rest of the individuals counted come from shelters or those living out of cars, vans or tents. The 2018 data shows that there is a total of 52,765 in Los Angeles County compared to the 55,048 that were […]

What Can we do to Fix Homelessness?

Agrawal, Nina. L.A. County Declares a Shelter Crisis, Providing Flexibility in How It Provides Beds and Assistance. Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2018, www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-board-homeless-shelter-declaration-20181030-story.html. A shelter crisis was declared on October 30, 2018. This called for the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority to have be allowed to spend $81 million in a more flexible way. Declaring a shelter crisis allows the homeless ability to bypass some regulations and get access to emergency housing. This also gives the flexibility to spend […]

Suicidality in Transgender Teens

Gender identity is defined as one’s sense of being a male, female, or other gender. It is the individual’s own connection to their gender which defines who they are. Many people feel as if the sex they were born with does not match with the gender they identify with. In many cases, people may identify as transgender. Transgender individuals believe, “the sex assigned at birth is discordant with their gender identity” (Sitkin & Murota, 2017, p. 725). An example of […]

The Trauma of Homelessness

It's the age-old question, the chicken or the egg, and how do you serve it best? In this case what came first, being homeless or Post-Traumatic Stress disorder, and how do you end it? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and homelessness can create a cycle that feeds on itself. The act of becoming homeless in itself can act as a catalyst for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, while also being caused by it. Permanent sustainable housing has proven to be effective in addressing both […]

Extra Credit Solutions to Homelessness: Sociological Vs Individualistic Views

The contemporary social problem I have choose to discuss is homelessness throughout our country. As of 2017, 554,000 people were reported to be homeless. People who are homeless are unable to maintain housing, and usually have income. Homelessness can be hereditary, or self-imposed, the reasons people are homeless differ between their personal life stories of how they got there. This number has increased since previous years making homelessness a major issue in our country, especially in large cities such as […]

The Consequences of Homelessness – a Childhood on the Streets

“A therapeutic intervention with homeless children (2) often confronts us with wounds our words cannot dress nor reach. These young subjects seem prey to reenactments of a horror they cannot testify to” (Schweidson & Janeiro 113). According to Marcal, a stable environment and involved parenting are essential regarding ability to provide a healthy growing environment for a child (350). It is unfortunate then, that Bassuk et al. state that 2.5 million, or one in every 30 children in America are […]

Homelessness in America

Life brings along a lot of good and bad affairs. However, we try to focus on the good that brings us happiness. Experience sometimes tends to ruin the good times. One of the bad affairs that society today faces is homelessness. Homelessness can be defined as not having a fixed roof over one's head or living in temporary accommodation under the threat of eviction[1]. This paper focuses on societal views to try to explain the issue of homelessness in the […]

Mental Disorders Among Homeless Veterans

There have been many studies performed over the past several years to test the theory of why veterans who suffer from mental and/or substance use disorders have a higher possibility of becoming homeless. Those studies also included the impact of war and combat as well as several risk factors while our veterans served in the military. The road that leads to homelessness if often left untreated and further complicates treatment and therapy to fix the underlying issues. There are several […]

Poverty and Homelessness in America

Poverty and Homelessness in America is a daunting subject which everyone recognizes but do not pay attention to. A homeless person is stereotypically thought to be a person who sleeps at the roadside, begging for money and influenced by drug with dirty ragged clothes and a person who is deprived of basic facilities in his or her life such as; education, electricity, proper clothes, shelter, water with a scarcity of balanced diet is termed as person living under the line […]

Addressing Homelessness Lie

According to recent studies, about 150 million people worldwide are homeless. It is estimated that another 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing conditions. This means that about 20% of the world's population suffers from poor housing conditions, homelessness or from the danger of becoming homeless. Poverty is a big reason when it comes to homelessness. If people have debts and don't have a suitable job to pay them off, they may lose their homes as they won't be able […]

Mental Illness is One Type of Homelessness

'Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings', an unforgettable quote by the man himself Nelson Mandela. For his fight against racial prejudice and apartheid, Nelson leaves a towering legacy that will be recalled for generations to come. But, today's world is pervaded with the good and the evil. There are those that assist to keep a relatively-stable society; and then there are those who just […]

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Additional example essays.

• Homelessness Causes and Effects: Taking Responsibility and Making a Difference
• Homelessness Social Problem: Understanding the Causes and Challenges
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• Euthanasia and the Catholic Church: An Ethical Conundrum
• Solutions to Gun Violence
• Positive Effects of Immigration
• Benefits of Immigration Essay
• The Impact of Globalization in Italy
• Discrimination against blacks in A Raisin in the sun
• Inequality in the Criminal Justice System
• Why Music Should Not Be Censored for Its Reflection on Society
• Poverty and Health: Understanding the Complex Relationship

How To Write an Essay About Homelessness

Understanding the complexity of homelessness.

Before beginning an essay on homelessness, it's essential to understand its complexity. Homelessness is not just the absence of physical housing but is often intertwined with issues like poverty, mental health, substance abuse, and social exclusion. Start your essay by defining homelessness, which may vary from sleeping rough on the streets to living in temporary shelters or inadequate housing. It's also important to acknowledge the different demographics affected by homelessness, such as veterans, families, the youth, and the chronically homeless. This foundational understanding sets the stage for a nuanced discussion in your essay.

Researching and Gathering Data

An essay on homelessness should be grounded in factual, up-to-date data. Research statistics from reliable sources such as government reports, reputable NGOs, and academic studies. This research might include figures on the number of homeless individuals in a specific region, the primary causes of homelessness, and the effectiveness of various intervention programs. By presenting well-researched information, your essay will not only be more credible but will also provide a factual basis for your arguments.

Selecting a Specific Angle

Homelessness is a broad topic, so it's crucial to select a specific angle for your essay. You might choose to focus on the causes of homelessness, the challenges faced by homeless individuals, or the societal impact of homelessness. Alternatively, you could discuss policy solutions and interventions that have been successful or have failed. This focus will provide your essay with a clear direction and allow you to explore a particular aspect of homelessness in depth.

Analyzing Causes and Effects

A key part of your essay should be dedicated to analyzing the causes and effects of homelessness. Discuss various factors that lead to homelessness, such as economic downturns, lack of affordable housing, family breakdown, and mental health issues. Similarly, explore the impact of homelessness on individuals and society, like health problems, social isolation, and economic costs. This analysis will help readers understand the multifaceted nature of the problem.

Discussing Solutions and Conclusions

Towards the end of your essay, discuss potential solutions to homelessness. This could include government policies, community-based initiatives, or innovative approaches like housing-first models. Highlight the importance of a multi-faceted approach, addressing not just the lack of housing but also underlying issues like health care, education, and employment support. Conclude your essay by summarizing the key points discussed, restating the importance of addressing homelessness, and suggesting areas for future research or action.

Finalizing Your Essay

After writing your essay, take the time to review and refine it. Ensure that your arguments are coherent and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical errors and ensure that your writing is clear and concise. It might also be beneficial to get feedback from peers or instructors. A well-written essay on homelessness will not only inform but also potentially inspire action or further discussion on this critical social issue.

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5 Essays About Homelessness

Around the world, people experience homelessness. According to a 2005 survey by the United Nations, 1.6 billion people lack adequate housing. The causes vary depending on the place and person. Common reasons include a lack of affordable housing, poverty, a lack of mental health services, and more. Homelessness is rooted in systemic failures that fail to protect those who are most vulnerable. Here are five essays that shine a light on the issue of homelessness:

What Would ‘Housing as a Human Right’ Look Like in California? (2020) – Molly Solomon

For some time, activists and organizations have proclaimed that housing is a human right. This essay explores what that means and that it isn’t a new idea. Housing as a human right was part of federal policy following the Great Depression. In a 1944 speech introducing what he called the “Second Bill of Rights,” President Roosevelt attempted to address poverty and income equality. The right to have a “decent home” was included in his proposals. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration also recognizes housing as a human right. It describes the right to an “adequate standard of living.” Other countries such as France and Scotland include the right to housing in their constitutions. In the US, small local governments have adopted resolutions on housing. How would it work in California?

At KQED, Molly Solomon covers housing affordability. Her stories have aired on NPR’s All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and other places. She’s won three national Edward R. Murrow awards.

“What People Get Wrong When They Try To End Homelessness” – James Abro

In his essay, James Abro explains what led up to six weeks of homelessness and his experiences helping people through social services. Following the death of his mother and eviction, Abro found himself unhoused. He describes himself as “fortunate” and feeling motivated to teach people how social services worked. However, he learned that his experience was somewhat unique. The system is complicated and those involved don’t understand homelessness. Abro believes investing in affordable housing is critical to truly ending homelessness.

James Abro is the founder of Advocate for Economic Fairness and 32 Beach Productions. He works as an advocate for homeless rights locally and nationally. Besides TalkPoverty, he contributes to Rebelle Society and is an active member of the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness.

“No Shelter For Some: Street-Sleepers” (2019)

This piece (by an unknown author) introduces the reader to homelessness in urban China. In the past decades, a person wouldn’t see many homeless people. This was because of strict rules on internal migration and government-supplied housing. Now, the rules have changed. People from rural areas can travel more and most urban housing is privatized. People who are homeless – known as “street-sleepers” are more visible. This essay is a good summary of the system (which includes a shift from police management of homelessness to the Ministry of Civil Affairs) and how street-sleepers are treated.

“A Window Onto An American Nightmare” (2020) – Nathan Heller

This essay from the New Yorker focuses on San Francisco’s history with homelessness, the issue’s complexities, and various efforts to address it. It also touches on how the pandemic has affected homelessness. One of the most intriguing parts of this essay is Heller’s description of becoming homeless. He says people “slide” into it, as opposed to plunging. As an example, someone could be staying with friends while looking for a job, but then the friends decide to stop helping. Maybe someone is jumping in and out of Airbnbs, looking for an apartment. Heller’s point is that the line between only needing a place to stay for a night or two and true “homelessness” is very thin.

Nathan Heller joined the New Yorker’s writing staff in 2013. He writes about technology, higher education, the Bay Area, socioeconomics, and more. He’s also a contributing editor at Vogue, a former columnist for Slate, and contributor to other publications.

“Homelessness in Ireland is at crisis point, and the vitriol shown towards homeless people is just as shocking” (2020)#- Megan Nolan

In Ireland, the housing crisis has been a big issue for years. Recently, it’s come to a head in part due to a few high-profile incidents, such as the death of a young woman in emergency accommodation. The number of children experiencing homelessness (around 4,000) has also shone a light on the severity of the issue. In this essay, Megan Nolan explores homelessness in Ireland as well as the contempt that society has for those who are unhoused.

Megan Nolan writes a column for the New Statesman. She also writes essays, criticism, and fiction. She’s from Ireland but based in London.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

Essay on Homelessness

Students are often asked to write an essay on Homelessness in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Homelessness

Understanding homelessness.

Homelessness is a serious issue where people lack a safe and stable place to live. It’s often caused by many factors like poverty, lack of affordable housing, and job loss.

Causes of Homelessness

The main causes of homelessness are economic issues, personal troubles, and societal problems. Sometimes, people lose their jobs and can’t afford rent. Other times, personal issues like addiction or mental health problems lead to homelessness.

Effects of Homelessness

Homelessness affects people’s health and well-being. It’s hard to stay healthy without a safe place to sleep and eat. It can also make it difficult to find a job or go to school.

Addressing Homelessness

To help homeless people, we can support organizations that provide shelter, food, and services. We can also advocate for more affordable housing and job opportunities. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

250 Words Essay on Homelessness

The phenomenon of homelessness.

Homelessness is a complex societal issue that extends beyond the absence of physical housing. It is a multifaceted problem, deeply rooted in economic instability, systemic failures, and personal circumstances.

Economic Factors

Economic factors play a critical role in homelessness. Rising housing costs, unemployment, and poverty often force individuals and families into homelessness. The lack of affordable housing is particularly problematic, creating a gap between income and housing costs that many cannot bridge.

Systemic Failures

Systemic failures, including lack of social support and inadequate mental health services, also contribute to homelessness. Without proper safety nets, individuals struggling with mental health issues, addiction, or domestic violence may end up on the streets.

Personal Circumstances

Personal circumstances such as family breakdown, job loss, or health crises can also lead to homelessness. These situations can quickly escalate, leaving individuals without a stable living situation.

Addressing homelessness requires a comprehensive approach that tackles economic, systemic, and personal dimensions. It involves implementing affordable housing policies, strengthening social support systems, and providing resources for mental health and addiction services.

Homelessness is a complex issue that demands a nuanced understanding and a multi-pronged approach. By acknowledging and addressing the multifaceted nature of homelessness, society can move towards a more inclusive and equitable future.

500 Words Essay on Homelessness

Introduction.

Homelessness is a complex societal issue that has persisted for centuries. It is a state where individuals lack stable, safe, and adequate nighttime residence. This predicament is not confined to a specific region or country but is a global concern that affects millions of people. The complexity of homelessness is tied to an intricate web of systemic issues such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, and societal neglect.

The Causes of Homelessness

Homelessness does not occur in a vacuum. It is a result of a multitude of factors, both systemic and individual. Economic instability is a significant factor. The widening gap between the rich and the poor, coupled with the lack of affordable housing, has led to an increase in the number of homeless individuals. Furthermore, life events such as job loss, family breakdown, or health crises can quickly lead to homelessness if the individual lacks a support system.

Mental health issues and substance abuse also play a role. Many homeless individuals suffer from mental health disorders or addiction, which can lead to job loss, social isolation, and eventually, homelessness. These issues are often exacerbated by the lack of access to appropriate healthcare and social services.

Impact on Society and Individuals

Homelessness has a profound impact on both individuals and society. For individuals, it often means a life of constant insecurity, poor health, and social exclusion. Homeless people are more likely to experience violence, harassment, and discrimination. Furthermore, they often suffer from physical illnesses and mental health issues at much higher rates than the general population.

From a societal perspective, homelessness is a significant economic burden. The cost of emergency healthcare, law enforcement, and social services for homeless individuals is substantial. Moreover, homelessness can lead to increased crime rates and decreased community cohesion, impacting the quality of life for all community members.

Addressing homelessness requires a multifaceted approach. This includes increasing the availability of affordable housing, providing access to healthcare (including mental health services), and creating job opportunities for those at risk. Furthermore, it is crucial to develop social programs that provide a safety net for individuals experiencing life crises.

Preventive measures are equally important. This includes addressing income inequality, improving access to education, and providing support for at-risk populations such as veterans and individuals with mental health issues.

Homelessness is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive and compassionate approach. It is a reflection of the systemic failures of society, and addressing it requires confronting these systemic issues head-on. By increasing the availability of affordable housing, improving access to healthcare and social services, and implementing preventive measures, we can make significant strides towards reducing homelessness. As a society, we must remember that every individual deserves the dignity of a safe and stable home.

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Writing About Homelessness

Academic writing

Essay paper writing

Homelessness is an extremely pressing problem nowadays, which actually has always been a burning issue. It was first documented in America in 1640. Since that time, the number of homeless people has only been growing. According to various estimates, there are almost 650,000 homeless in the USA, while the NLCHP – the National Law Center of Homelessness and Poverty declares as many as 3.5 million. The reasons why such a great amount of people has once found themselves in the streets are variable. Natural disasters, like tornado and hurricanes and some other related catastrophes, have contributed much to that.  Some people became homeless after being laid off from the job, losing their family, or surviving a house fire. So, nowadays, hundreds of thousands of people have no other option but to stay out in the streets, shelters, parks, etc.

Being a critical issue, homelessness has drawn the educators’ attention. That’s why students often write research papers and essays about homelessness and its various aspects.

Causes and reason of homelessness

In this section, we will consider the main causes of homelessness, which you can use as a basis for your paper.

• The first group of factors is applied to the personal situations of the individuals. They may be associated with certain stressful events like job loss, house fires, a crisis in personal life like divorce or cases of domestic violence, problems with addictions or mental health, brain injury, or even fetal alcohol syndrome. The reasons why people become homeless may also be extreme poverty, mental health, or substance abuse problems in the family. Violence at home also has a direct and undeniable connection to homelessness.
• Structural factors are social and economic issues, which influence the social environment and opportunities of the individuals. Lack of earnings, no access to the medical care, and discrimination are among them. Unfortunately, economic shifts countrywide and local generate challenges for citizens; they are forced to look for opportunities to earn more as they spend more on foodstuff and housing. The poor individuals often fail to cover their vital necessities such as childcare, education, housing, and healthcare.
• Finally, systems failures are the ones, which occur when the care and support systems fail, making individuals look for their new way around, but in the streets. The examples of such may become the difficulties with moving of the individuals from child welfare, release from health facilities, hospitals, and correctional facilities without proper rehabilitation; lack of backing for immigrants and refugees also belong here.

Let’s go into more detail and consider the following reasons for homelessness in the US.

• Unemployment is the main issue leading to homelessness. About 16% of US citizens live under the poverty line, meaning they fail to cover their everyday life expenditures.
• Personal or family crisis. Individuals having steady income may be kicked into the street due to an emergency of some kind, which arises in the family. Each unforeseen situation threatens housing loss for those people who live already in scarcity. It may actually be something like simple car towing, poor health condition, or the death of a family member. Divorce, being an expensive matter, also influences the earnings of each participant and may quickly spin a person into living rough.
• Unaffordable housing. In the USA, you are unlikely to be able to cover the expense of an average 2-bedroom flat anywhere around the country if only 1 family member is employed and paid a minimum wage.
• Demographics. There is little statistics for the young generation homelessness, so the term “invisible homeless” – is often applied in this case. Young people can easily hang out with friends and do not need any services, that’s why it's difficult to make accurate estimations in this age group. Approximately 8% of the homeless American population is constituted by unaccompanied young people and children 380,000 individuals are still under 18 years old. 
• Substances abuse and problems with mental health. In 2013, every fifth homeless in the US suffered from chronic substance abuse. Altogether, such people made more than 130,000 US citizens. For this category of people, permanent supportive housing is vital, as they need to have a stable place where they can stay, combined with proper assistance and essential services to benefit from. According to an estimation made in the USA, about 20% of the homeless American population suffer from mental illnesses; veterans are a part of this category, struggling not only with a mental disorder but with PST - posttraumatic syndrome. Such people have a lot of challenges every day and often stay homeless for a longer period.

The usual effects of homelessness

It is also quite important to aware of the consequences that homelessness can bring:

• Certain consequences of facing homelessness are quite obvious – it is the change in the overall lifestyle and worsening of the health conditions; some problems with health may even lead to death.
• Though mental illnesses are often viewed as the reason for homelessness, they may also be its consequence. When a person loses everything he or she has worked and lived for, he or she may have a deep emotional impact resulting in mental problems. Malnutrition, a nutritional insufficiency, is another usual problem of the homeless. People living rough can’t afford eating out or having homemade meals; they often eat spoiled or even rotten food, which is definitely unhealthy and even dangerous.
• Homeless individuals often suffer from heart diseases, colds, tuberculosis, sleep deprivation, skin infections, drug abuse, and AIDS.
• Unfortunately, people living in the street often become the victims of physical and sexual exploitation, where the risk of sexual assault is 20 times higher for women having no home than for those who have it. Besides, lots of accidents of such kind remain unreported. The US National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty has reported more than six hundred attacks with baseball bats, chains, and other kinds of weapons in the past decade.

Possible solutions to the problem of homelessness

All around the world, experts on homelessness have solutions they think will work best. Lately, the idea of “managing homelessness” has shifted to “ending homelessness” in the US. The state has focused on certain subgroups - veterans, “chronic homeless,” families, and the young generation. Such efforts may help to develop new partners and shape public information awareness of what is needed to end homelessness. So, let’s consider some effective strategies in fighting with homelessness issue:

• It’s obvious that housing is the most important base for solving the problem of homelessness.  Actually, housing equals security, safety, and care. It is a firm Launchpad, which allows a person to be employed and keep the job, as well as to find a proper place in society. The right to housing is a basic right of every human being, and stable life is impossible without it. Overall national commitment is required to guarantee affordable housing for everyone.
• The following important aspect in the struggle against homelessness is the right for shelter, which should be guaranteed as an essential legal protection for those having no home, whether it’s a family, a child, or an adult individual. In your paper, you should underline that sometimes a place to stay may become a decisive factor between life and death. It’s important to prevent the homeless from sleeping in the streets and city parks, subway, and other public places, which can lead to various cold-related injuries, like hypothermia or some others. The right to shelter protects thousands of homeless people. When individuals or families in a rough life situation have access to someplace to stay in, they may regain their life stability and start seeking permanent residence.
• Definitely, housing is important, but it is not enough. All people need services: child care, transportation, health care, treatment, case management, education, and supported employment. Without all these, people will return to the streets due to instability. Society must do its best to ensure accessible, available, affordable, and comprehensive support to those individuals who have faced penury.

What can you do?

It’s not a secret that each of us can make a difference and change this world a bit. So let’s see how can you contribute to the solution of the issue:

• Analyze possible policies and measures which can help overcome governmental bureaucracies. Housing assistance, for instance, can help escape homelessness to young people who have grown out of foster care, or low-income people with mental illness who leave hospitals, or those individuals, who exit correction institutions. Such people can benefit from such services as job training or counseling. You may prepare an essay or a speech on this topic and present it to the interested parties.
• Donate your recyclables to the homeless collecting cans and bottles. It’s a win-win, by the way.
• Donate to local shelters, food drives, churches, or coalitions.
• Help the helpers - contribute to non-profits or other similar organizations that assist the homeless. They know how to spend your dollar with maximum efficiency.
• You can also help in shelters or soup kitchens in various ways and fundraise as well at your school or workplace! You can even organize a food drive yourself, and more than that, get involved in local policymaking.

Some facts about homelessness

The facts below may be helpful in the process of paper creation.

• The overall amount of the homeless population worldwide reaches an overwhelming figure of 100 million people.
• In the US, there are almost 650,000 homeless; 37 percent of them have families, 25 percent are single women and about 20 are children, 25 percent suffer from mental disorders, while 35 percent have substance abuse problems.
• 21 percent of the homeless have graduated from high school, and 27 percent have higher education. Almost 45 percent of people in the street take occasional jobs and work about 30 hours weekly.
• New York and California are the highest homeless areas, with hotspots in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
• Above 90 percent of women found themselves in the streets due to domestic violence cases.
• Young people commonly get into the street being kicked out by parents, having no opportunities to earn their living, lacking healthcare or due to the violence at home, relationship breakdowns, social exclusion, and forced eviction.
• Homelessness is illegal. Don’t you want to discuss it in your argumentative essay on homelessness? A quarter of the US towns consider begging in public illegal, about a third prohibits to stand or wander around in the cities, almost 20 percent makes it law-breaking to sleep in the street, more than a half prohibit simply sit or lie in public places. Some cities even criminalize the feeding of the homeless according to their law.
• Public libraries play a vital role for the homeless population, not only allowing free access to the computers and the Internet but also provide them assistance in job search and even employ social workers.

How to work on your essays on homelessness

In case you’ve got your assignment and feel a bit unsettled, just follow the simple steps and your assignment guidelines, and you are guaranteed to get perfect paper.

• First of all, you should make up your mind as to the topic you’ll work on. No matter if your professor proposes a topic or you chose it yourself, try to select the one which arises your interest. Carefully study the sources available, find some decent essay examples, and approach your work with a critical spirit.
• In the course of your work, you should turn to primary sources as well as secondary ones. Primary research is the one you perform in the field or during the work with the original sources, while secondary research stands for the process of working with the findings made by the other people. Secondary research material can be obtained in various ways – libraries’ databases, mass media, websites (it’s important to turn to reputable sources, like .org, .gov, or .edu.)
• Put down the important information, facts, and sources, mind map your ideas, or use note cards to keep in mind the essential paraphrases and quotations. In order to avoid problems with citations, write down the title, author, and page number of the source used.
• Revise your paper and proofread it carefully for spelling and punctuation, double-check your reference page, and make sure your work meets all the formatting requirements.

Homelessness essay outline

Working on a homelessness essay outline is an important step of your whole writing process. That is why we have decided to describe all the important points of your outline:

• Introduction. To raise the interest of the readers, you should make the question challenging and create your homelessness essay introduction in such a way that the audience is eager to study your work up to the end. You should also think about an intriguing hook for essay about homeless as it is the first sentence your reader will see. Finally, make sure that you have developed a strong homelessness thesis statement that summarized the main idea that will be considered in the paper.
• Main body. This is the most extended part of your homelessness essay, which usually consists of 3-5 paragraphs. In this section, you need to present all the facts, arguments, and evidence.
• Conclusion. The main task in this part is restating homelessness essay thesis. You also need to write an interesting final sentence, which calls for further reflection. By the way, keep in mind that your homeless essay conclusion should not include any new information.

 Homelessness essay topics

Finally, you are struggling to find a good topic for your homelessness paper, you are free to choose among these ones:

• Homelessness persuasive essay: should homelessness be considered illegal?
• What is homelessness essay
• Helping homeless people essay
• Homelessness in America essay
• Poverty and homelessness essay
• Causes of homelessness essay
• Persuasive essay about providing shelter for homeless
• Helping the homeless essay
• Solutions to homelessness essay
• Homeless problem solution essay
• Essay on homeless youth
• Essay about homelessness cause and effect
• Essay about helping feed the homeless

How to write a research paper on homelessness?

So, here are the best tips for writing a research paper on homelessness:

• Choose a topic to research. You need to find a topic, which is both relevant for your target audience and interesting for you. Besides, you need to make sure that there is a lot of information on your topic on the Web.
• Organize your research. In this case, making an outline will be of great help. Put all the important points and research directions in your plan, and you will never miss anything in the course of writing.
• Think about the references. As it is a research paper, you need to work on a great number of sources. Make sure that they are up-to-date and reputable.
• Proofread your paper. This way, you will eliminate all the mistakes that spoil the impression from your research.

Research questions about homelessness

If you have literally no idea in what direction you should move on, get acquainted with the following research questions. Perhaps, some of them will inspire you:

• Is homelessness a serious world problem?
• What factors lead to homelessness?
• Is homelessness a first- or third-world problem?
• What are the economic consequences of homelessness?
• What steps can be taken to fight homelessness?

Homelessness research paper outline

Outlining is also a very important stage of research paper writing. Therefore, let’s pay attention to it and review the most important parts:

• Introduction. This is actually a presentation of your research. A classic intro has to be short and interesting for your audience. Make sure you used some interesting fact of statistics and paid enough attention to thesis and hypothesis.
• Homelessness research paper thesis statement and hypothesis. Thesis statement of your paper has to be brief, concise, and strong. Hypothesis is also an important part of any research. We recommend you looking for examples of statement of hypothesis for a homelessness research paper on the Web to write a really good one.
• Main part. Here, you need to conduct a literature review, collecting the ideas of the most outstanding professionals. The main thing is to rewrite all the information to avoid any plagiarism issues.
• Conclusion. In your final part, you need to restate your thesis statement and repeat some essential points of the paper. Any new information is not acceptable in this case as well.

Finally, a tip for you: if you really have no time for planning on your own, find a good homelessness research paper outline sample and modify it for the purposes of your study.

Research paper ideas about homelessness

Finally, let us present you with some really good homelessness research paper topic ideas:

• Homelessness ethics research paper
• Can homelessness ever be ended?
• Research papers on homelessness in America
• Analytical research paper on causes of homelessness
• What laws exist to control homelessness?
• Research paper on the effects of homelessness
• Economic consequences of homelessness

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Homelessness and the Persistence of Deprivation: Income, Employment, and Safety Net Participation

Homelessness is arguably the most extreme hardship associated with poverty in the United States, yet people experiencing homelessness are excluded from official poverty statistics and much of the extreme poverty literature. This paper provides the most detailed and accurate portrait to date of the level and persistence of material disadvantage faced by this population, including the first national estimates of income, employment, and safety net participation based on administrative data. Starting from the first large and nationally representative sample of adults recorded as sheltered and unsheltered homeless taken from the 2010 Census, we link restricted-use longitudinal tax records and administrative data on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare, Medicaid, Disability Insurance (DI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans’ benefits, housing assistance, and mortality. Nearly half of these adults had formal employment in the year they were observed as homeless, and nearly all either worked or were reached by at least one safety net program. Nevertheless, their incomes remained low for the decade surrounding an observed period of homelessness, suggesting that homelessness tends to arise in the context of long-term, severe deprivation rather than large and sudden losses of income. People appear to experience homelessness because they are very poor despite being connected to the labor market and safety net, with low permanent incomes leaving them vulnerable to the loss of housing when met with even modest disruptions to life circumstances.

The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and has approved the disclosure avoidance practices applies to this release, authorization number CBDRB-FY2022-CES005-015. We thank the U.S. Census Bureau for their support, as well as John Abowd, Mark Asiala, George Carter, James Christy, Dennis Culhane, Kevin Deardorff, Conor Dougherty, Ingrid Gould Ellen, Anne Fletcher, Katie Genadek, Tatiana Homonoff, Kristin Kerns, William Koerber, Margot Kushel, Larry Locklear, Tim Marshall, Brian McKenzie, Brendan O’Flaherty, James Pugh, Trudi Renwick, Annette Riorday, Nan Roman, William Snow, Eddie Thomas, Matthew Turner, and John Voorheis for providing feedback and answering questions. We also thank participants in seminars at Yale University (Labor/Public Economics Workshop), the University of Chicago (Demography Workshop), APPAM, NTA, NBER Labor Studies, IRS/Census (Income Measurement Workshop), and the Institute for Research on Poverty. Ilina Logani and Mandana Vakil provided excellent research assistance. We appreciate the financial support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Charles Koch Foundation, the Menard Family Foundation, and the American Enterprise Institute. Wyse thanks the National Institute on Aging for their support. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

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Criminalizing Homelessness Won’t Make It Go Away

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By Mark Horvath ,  Adam Westbrook and Lindsay Crouse

Mr. Horvath started the YouTube channel Invisible People. Mr. Westbrook is a producer and editor with Opinion Video. Ms. Crouse is a producer with Opinion Video.

If you live in one of America’s cities, you probably see homeless people all the time. You might pass them on your way to work. Maybe you avoid eye contact. If they ask you for money, maybe you pretend you didn’t hear, and walk on by.

But what if you stopped and listened to what they have to say?

As you’ll see in the Opinion video above, you might find their stories of landing on the streets strikingly relatable. Such accounts reveal a hard truth about our country: Amid an affordable housing crisis, where 70 percent of all extremely low-income families today pay more than half their income on rent, becoming homeless is easier than we’d like to think.

That’s what Mark Horvath discovered firsthand in 1995, when he lost his job and wound up homeless for eight years. He started interviewing people on the street in 2008, and began sharing those stories on his YouTube channel, Invisible People . He wanted to try to help viewers who might ignore their homeless neighbors see them not with scorn, or indifference, but empathy.

These stories are even more important today, as a record number of people experience homelessness and face increasing threats from the law. On April 22, the Supreme Court is set to hear the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass, the most significant case in decades about homeless people’s rights. The case will determine whether cities can arrest or fine the homeless — even if there’s no other shelter. As the homeless plaintiffs wrote, this would be “punishing the city’s involuntarily homeless residents for their existence.”

Every homeless person’s path is complicated, and in this video, we haven’t remotely captured anyone’s whole story. Yes, some are addicts, some are mentally ill, some have made unwise choices, and some are simply unlucky. Some are many of those things. But all of them argue that in the hardest moment of their lives, they have been largely abandoned, and even punished, by the rest of us. So we hope you’ll do more than dismiss, or judge, the people in this video, and instead listen to them.

Mark Horvath is the creator behind the Invisible People YouTube channel. Lindsay Crouse ( @lindsaycrouse ) is a writer and producer in Opinion. Adam Westbrook is a producer and editor with Opinion Video.

Opinion Video combines original reporting with creative storytelling to produce visually transformative commentary. Pitch a video Guest Essay here.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

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Why it’s so hard to end homelessness in america.

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Experts cite complexity of problem, which is rooted in poverty, lack of affordable housing but includes medical, psychiatric, substance-use issues

It took seven years for Abigail Judge to see what success looked like for one Boston homeless woman.

The woman had been sex trafficked since she was young, was a drug user, and had been abused, neglected, or exploited in just about every relationship she’d had. If Judge was going to help her, trust had to come first. Everything else — recovery, healing, employment, rejoining society’s mainstream — might be impossible without it. That meant patience despite the daily urgency of the woman’s situation.

“It’s nonlinear. She gets better, stops, gets re-engaged with the trafficker and pulled back into the lifestyle. She does time because she was literally holding the bag of fentanyl for these guys,” said Judge, a psychology instructor at Harvard Medical School whose outreach program, Boston Human Exploitation and Sex Trafficking (HEAT), is supported by Massachusetts General Hospital and the Boston Police Department. “This is someone who’d been initially trafficked as a kid and when I met her was 23 or 24. She turned 30 last year, and now she’s housed, she’s abstinent, she’s on suboxone. And she’s super involved in her community.”

It’s a success story, but one that illustrates some of the difficulties of finding solutions to the nation’s homeless problem. And it’s not a small problem. A  December 2023 report  by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said 653,104 Americans experienced homelessness, tallied on a single night in January last year. That figure was the highest since HUD began reporting on the issue to Congress in 2007 .

Abigail Judge of the Medical School (from left) and Sandra Andrade of Massachusetts General Hospital run the outreach program Boston HEAT (Human Exploitation and Sex Trafficking).

Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer

Scholars, healthcare workers, and homeless advocates agree that two major contributing factors are poverty and a lack of affordable housing, both stubbornly intractable societal challenges. But they add that hard-to-treat psychiatric issues and substance-use disorders also often underlie chronic homelessness. All of which explains why those who work with the unhoused refer to what they do as “the long game,” “the long walk,” or “the five-year-plan” as they seek to address the traumas underlying life on the street.

“As a society, we’re looking for a quick fix, but there’s no quick fix for this,” said Stephen Wood, a visiting fellow at Harvard Law School’s Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics and a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at Carney Hospital in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. “It takes a lot of time to fix this. There will be relapses; there’ll be problems. It requires an interdisciplinary effort for success.”

A recent study of 60,000 homeless people in Boston found the average age of death was decades earlier than the nation’s 2017 life expectancy of 78.8 years.

Illustration by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff

Katherine Koh, an assistant professor of psychiatry at HMS and psychiatrist at MGH on the street team for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, traced the rise of homelessness in recent decades to a combination of factors, including funding cuts for community-based care, affordable housing, and social services in the 1980s as well as deinstitutionalization of mental hospitals.

“Though we have grown anesthetized to seeing people living on the street in the U.S., homelessness is not inevitable,” said Koh, who sees patients where they feel most comfortable — on the street, in church basements, public libraries. “For most of U.S. history, it has not been nearly as visible as it is now. There are a number of countries with more robust social services but similar prevalence of mental illness, for example, where homelessness rates are significantly lower. We do not have to accept current rates of homelessness as the way it has to be.”

“As a society, we’re looking for a quick fix, but there’s no quick fix for this.” Stephen Wood, visiting fellow, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology and Bioethics

Success stories exist and illustrate that strong leadership, multidisciplinary collaboration, and adequate resources can significantly reduce the problem. Prevention, meanwhile, in the form of interventions focused on transition periods like military discharge, aging out of foster care, and release from prison, has the potential to vastly reduce the numbers of the newly homeless.

Recognition is also growing — at Harvard and elsewhere — that homelessness is not merely a byproduct of other issues, like drug use or high housing costs, but is itself one of the most difficult problems facing the nation’s cities. Experts say that means interventions have to be multidisciplinary yet focused on the problem; funding for research has to rise; and education of the next generation of leaders on the issue must improve.

“This is an extremely complex problem that is really the physical and most visible embodiment of a lot of the public health challenges that have been happening in this country,” said Carmel Shachar, faculty director of Harvard Law School’s Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation. “The public health infrastructure has always been the poor Cinderella, compared to the healthcare system, in terms of funding. We need increased investment in public health services, in the public health workforce, such that, for people who are unhoused, are unsheltered, who are struggling with substance use, we have a meaningful answer for them.”

“You can either be admitted to a hospital with a substance-use disorder, or you can be admitted with a psychiatric disorder, but very, very rarely will you be admitted to what’s called a dual-diagnosis bed,” said Wood, a nurse practitioner in the emergency room at Carney Hospital.

Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer

Experts say that the nation’s unhoused population not only experiences poverty and exposure to the elements, but also suffers from a lack of basic health care, and so tend to get hit earlier and harder than the general population by various ills — from the flu to opioid dependency to COVID-19.

A recent study of 60,000 homeless people in Boston recorded 7,130 deaths over the 14-year study period. The average age of death was 53.7, decades earlier than the nation’s 2017 life expectancy of 78.8 years. The leading cause of death was drug overdose, which increased 9.35 percent annually, reflecting the track of the nation’s opioid epidemic, though rising more quickly than in the general population.

A closer look at the data shows that impacts vary depending on age, sex, race, and ethnicity. All-cause mortality was highest among white men, age 65 to 79, while suicide was a particular problem among the young. HIV infection and homicide, meanwhile, disproportionately affected Black and Latinx individuals. Together, those results highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to background and circumstances, according to Danielle Fine, instructor in medicine at HMS and MGH and an author of two analyses of the study’s data.

“The takeaway is that the mortality gap between the homeless population and the general population is widening over time,” Fine said. “And this is likely driven in part by a disproportionate number of drug-related overdose deaths in the homeless population compared to the general population.”

Inadequate supplies of housing

Though homelessness has roots in poverty and a lack of affordable housing, it also can be traced to early life issues, Koh said. The journey to the streets often starts in childhood, when neglect and abuse leave their marks, interfering with education, acquisition of work skills, and the ability to maintain healthy relationships.

“A major unaddressed pathway to homelessness, from my vantage point, is childhood trauma. It can ravage people’s lives and minds, until old age,” Koh said. “For example, some of my patients in their 70s still talk about the trauma that their parents inflicted on them. The lack of affordable housing is a key factor, though there are other drivers of homelessness we must also tackle.”

The number was the highest since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development began reporting on the issue to Congress in 2007 .

Most advocates embrace a “housing first” approach, prioritizing it as a first step to obtaining other vital services. But they say the type of housing also matters. Temporary shelters are a key part of the response, but many of the unhoused avoid them because of fears of theft, assault, and sexual assault. Instead, long-term beds, including those designated for people struggling with substance use and mental health issues, are needed.

“You can either be admitted to a hospital with a substance-use disorder, or you can be admitted with a psychiatric disorder, but very, very rarely will you be admitted to what’s called a dual-diagnosis bed,” said Petrie-Flom’s Wood. “The data is pretty solid on this issue: If you have a substance-use disorder there’s likely some underlying, severe trauma. Yet, when we go to treat them, we address one but not the other. You’re never going to find success in the system that we currently have if you don’t recognize that dual diagnosis.”

Services offered to those in housing should avoid what Koh describes as a “one-size-fits-none” approach. Some might need monthly visits from a caseworker to ensure they’re getting the support they need, she said. But others struggle once off the streets. They need weekly — even daily — support from counselors, caseworkers, and other service providers.

“I have seen, sadly, people who get housed and move very quickly back out on the streets or, even more tragically, lose their life from an unwitnessed overdose in housing,” Koh said. “There’s a community that’s formed on the street so if you overdose, somebody can give you Narcan or call 911. If you don’t have the safety of peers around, people can die. We had a patient who literally died just a few days after being housed, from an overdose. We really cannot just house people and expect their problems to be solved. We need to continue to provide the best care we can to help people succeed once in housing.”

“We really cannot just house people and expect their problems to be solved.”  Katherine Koh, Mass. General psychiatrist

Koh works on the street team for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.

Photo by Dylan Goodman

The nation’s failure to address the causes of homelessness has led to the rise of informal encampments from Portland, Maine, to the large cities of the West Coast. In Boston, an informal settlement of tents and tarps near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard was a point of controversy before it was cleared in November.

In the aftermath, more than 100 former “Mass and Cass” residents have been moved into housing, according to media reports. But experts were cautious in their assessment of the city’s plans. They gave positive marks for features such as a guaranteed place to sleep, “low threshold” shelters that don’t require sobriety, and increased outreach to connect people with services. But they also said it’s clear that unintended consequences have arisen. and the city’s homelessness problem is far from solved.

Examples abound. Judge, who leads Boston HEAT in collaboration with Sandra Andrade of MGH, said that a woman she’d been working with for two years, who had been making positive strides despite fragile health, ongoing sexual exploitation, and severe substance use disorder, disappeared after Mass and Cass was cleared.

Mike Jellison, a peer counselor who works on Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program’s street team, said dismantling the encampment dispersed people around the city and set his team scrambling to find and reconnect people who had been receiving medical care with providers. It’s also clear, he said, that Boston Police are taking a hard line to prevent new encampments from popping up in other neighborhoods, quickly clearing tents and other structures.

“We were out there Wednesday morning on our usual route in Charlesgate,” Jellison said in early December. “And there was a really young couple who had all their stuff packed. And [the police] just told them, ‘You’ve got to leave, you can’t stay here.’ She was crying, ‘Where am I going to go?’ This was a couple who works; they’re employed and work out of a tent. It was like 20 degrees out there. It was heartbreaking.”

Prevention as cure?

Successes in reducing homelessness in the U.S. are scarce, but not unknown. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for example, has reduced veteran homelessness nationally by more than 50 percent since 2010.

Experts point out, however, that the agency has advantages in dealing with the problem. It is a single, nationwide, administrative entity so medical records follow patients when they move, offering continuity of care often absent for those without insurance or dealing with multiple private providers. Another advantage is that the VA’s push, begun during the Obama administration, benefited from both political will on the part of the White House and Congress and received support and resources from other federal agencies.

The city of Houston is another example. In 2011, Houston had the nation’s fifth-largest homeless population. Then-Mayor Annise Parker began a program that coordinated 100 regional nonprofits to provide needed services and boost the construction of low-cost housing in the relatively inexpensive Houston market.

Neither the VA nor Houston was able to eliminate homelessness, however.

To Koh, that highlights the importance of prevention. In 2022, she published research in which she and a team used an artificial-intelligence-driven model to identify those who could benefit from early intervention before they wound up on the streets. The researchers examined a group of U.S. service members and found that self-reported histories of depression, trauma due to a loved one’s murder, and post-traumatic stress disorder were the three strongest predictors of homelessness after discharge.

In April 2023, Koh, with co-author Benjamin Land Gorman, suggested in the Journal of the American Medical Association that using “Critical Time Intervention,” where help is focused on key transitions, such as military discharge or release from prison or the hospital, has the potential to head off homelessness.

“So much of the clinical research and policy focus is on housing those who are already homeless,” Koh said. “But even if we were to house everybody who’s homeless today, there are many more people coming down the line. We need sustainable policies that address these upstream determinants of homelessness, in order to truly solve this problem.”

The education imperative

Despite the obvious presence of people living and sleeping on city sidewalks, the topic of homelessness has been largely absent from the nation’s colleges and universities. Howard Koh, former Massachusetts commissioner of public health and former U.S. assistant secretary for Health and Human Services, is working to change that.

In 2019, Koh, who is also the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, founded the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health’s pilot Initiative on Health and Homelessness. The program seeks to educate tomorrow’s leaders about homelessness and support research and interdisciplinary collaboration to create new knowledge on the topic. The Chan School’s course “Homelessness and Health: Lessons from Health Care, Public Health, and Research” is one of just a handful focused on homelessness offered by schools of public health nationwide.

“The topic remains an orphan,” said Koh. The national public health leader (who also happens to be Katherine’s father) traced his interest in the topic to a bitter winter while he was Massachusetts public health commissioner when 13 homeless people froze to death on Boston’s streets. “I’ve been haunted by this issue for several decades as a public health professional. We now want to motivate courageous and compassionate young leaders to step up and address the crisis, educate students, motivate researchers, and better inform policymakers about evidence-based studies. We want every student who walks through Harvard Yard and sees vulnerable people lying in Harvard Square to not accept their suffering as normal.”

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Homelessness — Argumentative About Homelessness

Argumentative About Homelessness

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

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Issue of Homelessness in America Essay

Introduction, literature review, research methodology, recommendations.

Homelessness is the condition in which individuals or families lack permanent shelter. In other words, the individuals or the families lack a place to call home. Homeliness is not only a condition associated with the minorities but also people with regular income. However, the income cannot afford a decent housing. In most cases, homeless is caused by lack of adequate income to cater for a decent housing.

However, extreme poverty and lack of affordable housing has been attributed to increased cases of homelessness. Actually, minorities constitute the largest percentage of the homeless people. In most cases, the homeless families are composed of single mothers having children of less than six years. Low education levels, poor job skills and limited job opportunities that could pay for a livable wage characterize the single homeless mothers. In fact, such families experience increased rate of domestic violence, mental health problems and high costs of medical care. Even though not all homeless people have similar experience, studies indicate that majority are found within the descriptive bracket.

Generally, most of the homeless families and individuals go through a traumatic experience. In fact, the circumstances in which the individuals and families have no shelter coupled with the disconnections from support services are stressful. The problem is exacerbated in single motherhood where mothers have multifaceted roles ranging from being the breadwinner to parenting. Based on the longitudinal studies that have been conducted, single parents with no homes have increased vulnerability to sexual and other abuses as well as exposure to other form of violence particularly within the family or in relationships.

Currently, the government and various agencies are collaboratively focusing their efforts towards preventing and ending the problem of homelessness among the population. The efforts are backed by a policy framework that provide clear guidelines and responsibilities to the governments at all levels as well as various agencies on how to manage the preventive measures and stop the problem of homelessness. Moreover, the current policy framework focuses on all groups of homelessness particularly the families.

Problem Statement

Currently the numbers of homeless families have significantly increased compared with the number in 1980s and earlier. The number of homeless in 1980 accounted for less than one percent. However, the numbers of homeless individuals and families have considerably augmented by over thirty percent in the last ten years. Given the number of homeless families, the increasing rate of homelessness is alarming calling for appropriate interventions from the governments at all levels. However, studies on homeless families indicate that other problems the families face obfuscate the pressing need of having a decent place called home. Moreover, interventions methods have not been focused on addressing the related problems rather on real issues concerned with homelessness.

The Purpose of the Study

The main aim of this study is to establish the manner in which US government is aiding various local government agencies in the prevention and ending the problem of homelessness in their various jurisdictions. The study will be critical in the understanding of the manner in which the federal government helps their local counterparts in alleviating the problem of homelessness among the various city populations.

Research Question

Upon completion of the study, the following question will be answered.

• Is the federal government helping local governments reduce homelessness within their cities?

Hypothesis Testing

The study tends to test the assertion that the US government is helping the local governments reduce homelessness in their various cities. As such, the hypothesis of this study include

• H0: US government is helping local government reduce homelessness
• H1: US government is not helping local government reduce homelessness

Definition of Terms

Homelessness refers to the situation in which an individual or families lack permanent shelter or descent housing.

Affordable housing refers to less expensive rental houses provided by the government or any agency to the public. In most cases, affordable houses are normally targeted for the low-income earners.

Homeless families are families that have no pace to call home. In fact, most of the homeless families normally lack adequate income even to rent affordable houses.

Studies indicate that factors such as the mental illness, the childbirths, hospitalization of parents are not the causes of homelessness. Essentially, these factors are associated with individual susceptibility of being homeless (Bassuk, 2010). In addition, these factors simply indicate individuals that are likely to be affected by structural issues related to homelessness. In fact, this review is chosen due to its focus on the stated topic and its ability to answer directly the stated study question. In other words, the review tends to provide a broader view of the topic while directly answer the research question.

Causes of Homelessness

Various factors have been cited to cause homeless in America. Studies indicate that acute shortage of basic needs and deficiency in reasonably priced housing are the major causes of homeless (Bassuk, 2010; Guarino & Bassuk, 2011). Statistics indicate that the number of affordable rental housing units have reduced drastically by approximately 23%. The percentage represents an estimated number of 1.2 million housing units.

Besides, over six million Americans both individuals and families are at the level of increased risk of being homeless (Guarino & Bassuk, 2011). Such kinds of families are characterized by huge amount of their income being allocated to housing. Even though the families spend over fifty percent of their income on housing, they still dwell in substandard private residences. Besides, such families have little or no resources for other important necessities including food and clothing (Guarino & Bassuk, 2011).

To make it worse such individuals have no housing vouchers. In the circumstances that the vouchers are available, they still face difficulties in turning the vouchers into decent housing. The vulnerable economic conditions and increased levels of housing for disclosures worsen the housing situations of these families. Studies indicate that during the 2008 economic recession, the number of homelessness increased by over nine percent (Herman, Conover, Felix, Nakagawa & Mills, 2007).

In fact, families that find themselves homeless normally experience residential instability as well as community disconnections. Further, studies indicate that families headed by women have increased vulnerability of becoming homeless (Guarino & Bassuk, 2011; Geller & Bassuk, 2006). The reason is that single woman parents have insufficient access to programs geared towards eradicating poverty as well as childcare support. Moreover, single mother have increased multiple roles to play ranging from being the breadwinners to homemakers. The reasons explain why over single families headed by women account for over 84% of the homelessness.

Strategies Applied by the Government to Address Homelessness

Given the current situation of homelessness, policy makers often find it difficult to formulate a comprehensive policy framework that would completely address the current needs of the homeless individuals. Before, the federal policy on homelessness focused its efforts towards ending acute homeless among individuals of advanced age or the elderly (Geller & Bassuk, 2006). In most cases, the federal government through the policy supported the states or local governments plans geared towards ending acute homelessness among the elderly individuals.

The support was being provided through Housing First Approaches (HFP) that rapidly provided housing to the needy individuals. Through the program, chronically needy people have been provided with decent shelters regardless of whether they have met certain conditions (Geller & Bassuk, 2006; Herman et al., 2007).

The Corporation for Supportive Housing (TCSH) argues that approximately over eighty percent of supportive housing leaseholders tend to preserve their housing for a minimum of one year and engage in meaningful and productive services (Herman et al., 2007).

The agency further noted that the use of more expensive services such as criminal justice system and emergency healthcare decreases. The Federal Collaborative Initiative to end Chronic Homelessness (FCICH) indicated that the provision of descent housing contributes to the family stability and reduced usage of public utilities as well as reduced healthcare costs (Geller & Bassuk, 2006). Even though the federal policies were aimed at accomplishing the stated benefits, fewer quantities of funds were allocated to only one group of homeless people. The policy framework assumed the statuses of the homeless families.

In 2010, the Interagency Council on Homeless (ICH) issued all-inclusive strategic plan aimed at preventing and ending homelessness. In fact, the strategic plan majorly focused on homeless families particularly with minors. The strategic plan called upon the government agencies at all levels to put their resources collectively towards providing descent housing to the homeless families (Guarino & Bassuk, 2011). The policy framework was supported by various legislations allowing government agencies at all levels to adopt collaborative approach in order to prevent and stop homeless within the population. Within the last five years, the policy has made remarkable achievements regarding the provision of descent housing particularly to the acute needy families.

In fact, the policy framework has increased the collaborative efforts between the private and public sectors geared towards reducing chronic homelessness. Besides, the pubic-private sector partnership have contributed hugely to the reduction of chronically-ill sub-group of homeless individuals as well as persons that have experienced homelessness for longer periods (Guarino & Bassuk, 2011). The strategic plan has also provided a roadmap through which tragic housing problems can be addressed among the sub-groups of homeless people. In fact, the policy ensures interagency collaboration at all levels of government, help in strengthening the collaborative efforts of the private-public sectors partnerships both at the state and local government levels and align mainstream resources towards stopping and preventing homeless.

Local Government Intervention Programs

At the local government level, the policy provides a framework on how various projects and programs should work to attain the desired outcome. In fact, all programs focusing on homeless families should emphasize on activities that address the need of individual families. At minimum, the programs at the local government level should focus on rapidly re-housing the families (Geller & Bassuk, 2006). Local governments are supposed to participate on funding the programs efforts geared towards rapidly re-housing the families. In addition, local governments should support programs that rapidly respond to the immediate requirements of the families.

Moreover, the local governments have the responsibility of linking housing projects with government services and support (Geller & Bassuk, 2006). Collaboratively, the local governments and various programs operating within the jurisdiction are supposed to assess families and come up with individualized housing and support services plans that take into consideration the needs of individual homeless families.

The section of the study provides the methods of gathering the required information to answer the research questions and hypothesis. The methodology used in any study should be judged by the manner in which it informs the research purposes. Essentially, the aim of the research methodology is to provide data that responds to the research issues, present logical background assumptions and to ensure that techniques used account for the credibility of the study results.

The Study Design

As indicated, the study will utilized a survey as the method of data collection. The survey method of data collection is chosen due to its effectiveness in reaching out to the respondents and the quality of the obtained data. The desired data for this novel study will be obtained through administering self-designed survey questionnaires..Moreover, the data will be gathered from respondents selected through random sampling procedures.

In other words, the empirical data will be collected within the specified number of participants. In addition, the number of participants will be limited to a few numbers of respondents and will be chosen through simple random sampling procedures. Besides, in terms of data analysis, integrated statistical analysis tools including Microsoft office applications and statistical software have been applied. The analyzed data will be presented through the application of Line graphs, tables as well as statistical bar charts. Further, the methods of data collection are chosen due to the reliability and validity of the obtained results.

Population and Research Sample

The study focused on whether the federal government is supporting local governments to reduce homelessness. Moreover, the study is focused on actions taken by various local government agencies to reduce the homelessness. Therefore, all the representatives of various agencies focusing their efforts towards reducing homelessness were deemed viable for the study. However, only a small number of participants were selected through random sampling procedures and depending on the frequency with which they were involved in the actions geared towards reducing the homelessness. In addition, other attributes including type of the organization particularly the government sponsored were also taken into consideration. From the total number of representatives that could have been sampled, just 10 participants from various agencies particularly from homeless outreach Miami Beach were selected via a technique dubbed as convenience simple random sampling strategy. The self-administered survey was conducted, which helped in addressing the formulated research questions.

The study procedures are divided into various activities that are allocated certain duration in which they are supposed to be completed. Besides, the study is divided into four main parts including preparation, data collection and analysis as well as writing the research paper. In preparation, sequential activities begin with the consultation of the supervisor to provide guidelines on selecting the research topic, designing the study, creating the study questionnaire as well as acquiring the study literature.

Data Collection Procedures

As one of the most important studies, the required information were collected through administering properly well-designed survey questionnaires to unbiased selected participants. The soundly designed survey questionnaires were administered to 20 participants. Each part of the questionnaires constituted of key items that suitably attend to the research questions. For instance, part one constituted the possible causes of homeless in Miami while other parts will generate insights on the government intervention methods and aids towards reducing homelessness. Some items in the questionnaire threw light on efforts of various agencies towards doing away with the problem of homelessness.

Data Analysis

To obtain the best correlation approximation values, the study quantitative data analysis were carried out by utilizing the integrated Statistical Analysis Tool (WISAT). In addition, the data were also analyzed through the application of various techniques including statistical analytical software such as the SPSS to come with measures such as percentages, frequency distribution and deviations to help in the understanding of the type of correlation between the variables. The techniques were used to determine the research respondents’ proportions that chose various responses. The methods were also applied for each group of items available in the questionnaire that ideally corresponded to the formulated research question and objectives. Line graphs, tables as well as statistical bar charts were used to make sure that quantitative data analysis is simply comprehensible.

Assumptions

The major assumption in this study is that all the procedures would be successful. However, various problems have to be encountered and sorted out. In addition, it was assumed that the methods applied would provide the desired data. Further, the study assumed that there would be one hundred percent response from the survey questionnaires. In other words, the study assumed that all the respondents would return the questionnaires with all the questions answered.

Limitations

Given the kind of research study that were carried out, the stipulated timeframe might hindered the full investigation and covering of all the required aspects as well as the parameters. Moreover, most of the factors were not easily measured since such variables are non-quantifiable. The limitations were anticipated to pose considerable threats when the gathered research data were to be evaluated and consequently analysed.

The findings indicate that the federal government is hugely supporting the local governments in their efforts towards reducing homelessness in their various cities. In fact, the federal government is supporting the local governments through various interventions particularly providing a policy framework and guidelines, which the local government agencies base their operations. In addition, the federal government support the local government programs through the provision of funds and technical capabilities critical in attaining their set objectives. However, the findings indicate that the federal government still focus on the chronic cases of homelessness.

Various government agencies are currently focusing their efforts towards reduction and prevention of homelessness in US. In particular, the federal government through policy intervention and promotion of private-public sector partnerships have managed to support the local governments on their efforts aimed at reducing the cases of homelessness among all groups. Therefore, the hypothesis that the US government is supporting the local governments to reduce homelessness in several cities of jurisdiction is supported by the findings of this study.

The study is very limited in terms of scope design and resources. In fact, the anticipation of this study is that it should inform further research. Therefore, further studies should increase the scope of the study to make the results have reliable and valid conclusions. In addition, the study is limited to only one organization dealing with homelessness. In other words, many government and non-government agencies need to be studied in order to come up with valid and reliable conclusion.

Bassuk, E. L. (2010). Ending child homelessness in America. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 80 (4), 496–504. Web.

Geller, S. & Bassuk, E. L. (2006). The role of housing and services in ending family homelessness. Housing Policy Debate, 17 (4), 781–806. Web.

Guarino, K., & Bassuk, E. (2011). Working with families experiencing homelessness. Journal of Zero To Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, 30 (3), 11–20. Web.

Herman, D., Conover, S., Felix, A., Nakagawa, A. & Mills, D. (2007). Critical time intervention: An empirically supported model for preventing homelessness in high risk groups. Journal of Primary Prevention, 28 , 295-312. Web.

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