Cause Of Homelessness In America

America currently obtains more than 500,000 people living on the streets. Homelessness is a rising issue that is continuing at full speed. Everyday more people are forced to the streets with no other options. The main cause of homelessness is loss of income, divorce or breakups in a home, and traumatic incidents in a person’s life, these factors can push people out onto the streets and damage their mental and physical health. Loss of income in a home can produce multiple problems within a household. A sudden job loss can flip a household upside down. Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, so losing their only source of income can significantly change their life. This forces people onto the streets with nothing but the clothes on their back. With no income, houses are taken away, cars are repossessed, and food is no longer bought. The loss of income not only causes people to relocate to the streets, but eventually effects mental and physical health. The stress of having no income and the problems entangled with it, is stress enough itself. Lack of income,
results in no insurance with results in no doctors’ appointments and annual checkups. Overall health and well-being is altered due to the lack of income. The divorce rate in America is fifty percent, this means that half of marriages end in divorce.
The loss of multiple incomes, legal fees, and extra unaccounted for cost all play a factor in people resulting to the streets. Breakups due to verbal and domestic violence are also another factor that contribute to people living on the streets. People leaving their significant other and separating their lives can be a life-altering situation. Learning how to manage one income, instead of two, and all the expenses that come with it can become stressful and eventually not need managing when money runs out. With more women and children on the streets due to breakups, this leads to more cases of violence and sexual assault. Women are taken advantage of on the streets. Women are used and abused just like they were when they were in their homes. Divorce and breakups are a majority of the reason people become
homeless. As troops return home from the military, many veterans are staring homelessness in the face. Homeless veterans tend to be single males with a mental or physical disability who have been relived with medical discharge. Veterans have low economic status and can suffer from traumatic incidents when returning from the military. Being released into normal life after being in the military for a period of time puts a strain on the veteran’s life. Without a strong support systems and skills to help them obtain a job, veterans are left with nothing to turn to. Homeless shelters such as, Midtown Terrace Suites are available for veterans to resort to after their service. But, shelters are often full, and part-time, so veterans still find themselves on the streets. Traumatic incidents in a person’s life may result in living on the streets. Homelessness is increasing rapidly for veterans, altering their mental and physical health during and after military service increases their chances of becoming homeless. Homelessness is an issue that is getting worse every day. There aren’t enough shelters or affordable housing arrangements available; Resources to help end homelessness are running dry and the issue is still rising. Loss of income, breakups, and traumatic incidents all contribute to the rising of this issue. Mental and physical health are constantly being affected by the way of life people are forced to live now that they have been thrown out of a loop. Homelessness is increasing every day and it is not slowing down for anyone.