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Homelessness is growing throughout America. Recent statistics in New York City show a record number of homeless families seeking shelter. And that was before terrorist attacks on that city rendered thousands more homeless. The waiting list for women seeking shelter in Portland, Ore. runs as long as five weeks. Despite record economic growth during the last decade, the income of the poor has either stayed stagnant or decreased while the richest Americans continue to amass wealth. Today more than 30 million Americans live in poverty, and housing prices are out of reach for an increasing number of low-income families and singles.

Poverty

Poverty is the leading cause of homelessness, although public policymakers often like to argue that point. They would rather say that alcoholism and drug addiction — cast as failures of personal virtue — are the main reasons homeless shelters continue to be overflowing. This line of reasoning allows policymakers to ignore the moral and ethical responsibility society faces for helping people lift themselves out of poverty and homelessness.

Consider the facts available from the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH): In 1997, 13.3 percent of the U.S. population — or 35.6 million people —lived in poverty. While the number of poor people has not changed much in recent years, the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased. In 1997, 14.6 million people — 41 percent of all poor persons — had incomes of less than half the poverty level. This represents an increase of over 500,000 from 1995. Forty percent of persons living in poverty are children. In fact, the 1997 poverty rate of 19.9 percent for children is almost twice as high as the poverty rate for any other age group. Census 2000 figures, just now being made available, show this trend continues.

Affordable Housing

Poverty’s evil twin when discussing homelessness is the lack of affordable housing. Housing prices in some urban communities have jumped more than 80 percent in the last decade. The national minimum wage, which is not adjusted for inflation, cannot keep pace with market forces. During the early years of the Reagan Administration the federal government began a dramatic cutback in funding affordable housing programs. The long-term results were clear as housing disappeared. Urban renewal also meant the loss of large numbers of housing units. Data from NCH shows the demolition of housing was most notable in large cities: between 1970-1982, New York City lost 87 percent of its $200 per month or less single room occupancy (SRO) stock; Chicago experienced the total elimination of cubicle hotels, and by 1985, Los Angeles had lost more than half of its downtown SRO housing. From 1975 to 1988, San Francisco lost 43 percent of its stock of low-cost residential hotels; from 1970 to 1986, Portland, Ore. lost 59 percent of its residential hotels; from 1971 to 1981, Denver lost 64 percent of its SRO hotels.

Public Assistance

Growing poverty and rising housing prices are not the sole factors in America’s housing crisis. Once Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (otherwise known as Welfare Reform), America’s commitment to providing financial support to low-income families ended. Politicians have praised the results of this Act: millions of people are no longer on welfare rolls.

What political leaders hate to mention is that few of the people who have left welfare have also left poverty. In fact, for many the situation is worse because part of the Act includes a lifetime limit of five years for public assistance programs. In addition, most of those affected by these policies are low-income children.

Other Factors

People ultimately fall into homelessness for a variety of reasons. More than 40 million Americans lack basic health insurance. The United States continues to be the only industrialized nation besides South Africa not to provide basic health insurance. Families are often forced to choose between paying for health care, housing and food.

There are many women on the streets fleeing domestic violence. Forty-six percent of cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 1998 identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness. Women consistently have to make a decision between staying in an abusive household or living in the streets.

The relationship between addiction and homelessness is complex and controversial. While rates of alcohol and drug abuse are disproportionately high among the homeless population, the increase in homelessness over the past two decades cannot be explained by addiction alone. Many people who are addicted to alcohol and drugs never become homeless, but people who are poor and addicted are clearly at increased risk of homelessness. The loss of SRO housing, a source of stability for many poor people suffering from addiction and/or mental illness, was a major factor in increased homelessness in many communities.

It is also important to note that addiction is a disease that requires treatment; addition is not a personal choice. Of course, the United States does not provide universal access to treatment.

Community Reactions and Civil Rights

As homelessness continues to grow, the response from many communities has turned to frustration and anger. When new programs for the homeless do get off the ground there is often strong opposition from neighborhoods who do not want them — the so-called NIMBY phenomenon, “Not In My Back Yard.”

Cities across America have also criminalized homelessness. Those who live on the streets are cited, fined and arrested for sleeping, going to the bathroom, and storing their belongings; everyday acts they are forced to commit outdoors and in public. Because of their economic status many are harassed and treated as criminals. NCH has also documented an increasing number of hate crimes, including torture and murder, committed against homeless Americans.

Faith View

“What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 3:15) There is no question that those who are poor continue to feel crushed. The Bush tax cut recently passed by Congress, which primarily benefits the wealthy, is yet the most recent example. A concentrated effort to build affordable housing, create living wage jobs, and provide universal physical and mental health care opportunities will bring an end to homelessness. Only government has the resources to wage such a campaign. Sadly, we have never made the effort. Let us pray that one day soon we do.

Chuck Currie is director of community outreach at First United Methodist Church in Portland, Ore. and on the board of directors of the National Coalition for the Homeless. He can be reached at 503-228-3195 or ccurrie@fumcpdx.org.
For more information visit www.nationalhomeless.org and www.fumcpdx.org