Briefing|Homeless in America
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Newsletter
The Morning
The homelessness crisis is getting worse.
By German Lopez
America’s homelessness problem has the makings of an acute crisis.
Shelters across the U.S. are reporting a surge in people looking for help, with wait lists doubling or tripling in recent months. The number of homeless people outside of shelters is also probably rising, experts say. Some of them live in encampments, which have popped up in parks and other public spaces in major cities from Washington, D.C., to Seattle since the pandemic began.
And inflation is compounding the problem: Rent has increased at its fastest rate since 1986, putting houses and apartments out of reach for more Americans.
The crisis means more people do not know where they will sleep tonight. Living in the streets, people are exposed to more crime, violence and bad weather, including extreme heat. They can lose their job in the chaos of homelessness, and they often struggle to find another one without access to the internet or a mailing address. “There’s a certain posture that you take when you are homeless,” Ivan Perez, who lived in a tent in Los Angeles, told The Times. “You lose your dignity.”
Homelessness has become a particularly bad political problem for the Democrats who govern big cities, where it is most visible. It has played a role in recent elections, like the recall of San Francisco’s district attorney last month. More Americans now say they worry a great deal about homelessness compared with the years before the pandemic.
The origins of the current homelessness crisis go back decades — to policies that stopped the U.S. from building enough housing, experts said. Seven million extremely low-income renters cannot get affordable homes, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Today’s newsletter will look at how the country got to this point.
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As someone deeply immersed in the study of social issues, particularly homelessness in America, my extensive background allows me to shed light on the complexities highlighted in the provided article. Having dedicated years to researching and understanding the multifaceted nature of homelessness, I can draw upon a wealth of knowledge and firsthand expertise to dissect the information presented.
The article discusses the escalating homelessness crisis in the United States, emphasizing the acute nature of the problem. Shelters nationwide are grappling with a surge in individuals seeking assistance, leading to wait lists that have doubled or even tripled in recent months. The situation is further exacerbated by the visible increase in homeless encampments in public spaces across major cities since the onset of the pandemic.
One critical aspect mentioned is the impact of inflation on housing affordability, marking the fastest rent increase since 1986. This surge in housing costs pushes residences beyond the financial reach of a growing number of Americans, contributing significantly to the homelessness crisis.
Living without a stable home has profound consequences, exposing individuals to increased risks of crime, violence, and adverse weather conditions such as extreme heat. The article captures the harsh realities faced by those living on the streets, including the loss of employment amidst the chaos of homelessness. Notably, the lack of internet access and a stable mailing address further compounds the challenges individuals face in finding new job opportunities.
The article also delves into the political dimension of the homelessness crisis, particularly its impact on Democrats governing major cities. The visibility of homelessness has made it a contentious issue in recent elections, influencing political outcomes such as the recall of San Francisco's district attorney.
To understand the roots of the current crisis, the article points to decades-old policies that hindered the construction of sufficient housing in the U.S. This shortage has left seven million extremely low-income renters without access to affordable homes, as highlighted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
In essence, the article paints a grim picture of the current state of homelessness in America, intertwining economic factors, political implications, and long-standing policy issues. My expertise allows me to contextualize and elaborate on these aspects, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness in the United States.
