Sometimes when I discuss homelessness with someone it feels like we are speaking different languages and seeing different worlds. I’m reading a book called Homelessness in America that helps me understand what’s going on in these conversations.
For some, homelessness appears to be only a result of individual failings or weaknesses. Drug abuse, alcoholism, and personal irresponsibility are seen as the causes for homelessness.
For others, homelessness appears to be only a result of the lack of housing for people with low incomes. Since the 1980s in our country we have lost so much low-income housing and we haven’t replaced it. From this perspective, homelessness is an infrastructure problem; we haven’t created the housing our society needs.
On the first view the blame for homelessness rests primarily on the homeless individual. Those who see a lack of affordable housing as the cause of homelessness primarily place the blame on our housing infrastructure.
At Open Doors we work with elements of both these views at the same time. We feel that some people need to eliminate behaviors that increase the likelihood of homelessness. But every day we work with people who are working hard and being fully responsible who are priced out of the housing market.
At Open Doors we think people who have personal problems that caused them to lose their housing are valuable people in need of help and a second chance. We also think that the lack of housing for low-wage workers and low-income disabled people is the primary cause of homelessness.
To avoid or overcome homelessness, the individual must meet certain standards and accomplish certain objectives, and we routinely see low-income people accomplish amazing achievements despite incredible odds. But there also has to be housing that is available and affordable to the many people working in entry-level, low-paying jobs in our community and there must be housing that disabled people living on Supplemental Security Income can afford.
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