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Study: 744,000 homeless in U.S.
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| ogvh5150 |
| quote: | Study: 744,000 homeless in U.S.
First national canvass in a decade finds a quarter were chronically homeless
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:41 p.m. ET Jan 10, 2007
WASHINGTON - There were 744,000 homeless people in the United States in 2005, according to the first national estimate in a decade.
A little more than half were living in shelters, and nearly a quarter were chronically homeless, according to the report Wednesday by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an advocacy group.
A majority of the homeless were single adults, but about 41 percent were in families, the report said.
The group compiled data collected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development from service providers throughout the country. It is the first national study on the number of homeless people since 1996. That study came up with a wide range for America’s homeless population: between 444,000 and 842,000.
Counting people without permanent addresses, especially those living on the street, is an inexact process. But the new study is expected to provide a baseline to help measure progress on the issue.
“Having this data brings all of us another step closer to understanding the scope and nature of homelessness in America, and establishing this baseline is an extremely challenging task,” HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson said. “Understanding homelessness is a necessary step to addressing it successfully.”
U.S. agency plans its own report
HUD is preparing to release its own report on homelessness in the coming weeks, Jackson said. In the future, the department plans to issue annual reports on the number of homeless people in the U.S.
Some cities and states have done their own counts of the homeless, providing a mix of trends, said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. For example, New York City and San Francisco have seen decreases, while the number of homeless in Washington, D.C., has increased, Roman said.
“In the last 12 to 18 months, the homeless population has essentially exploded in Philadelphia,” said Marsha Cohen, executive director of the Homeless Advocacy Project, which provides free legal services to the homeless in Philadelphia. “We are seeing big increases in singles and families, both on the street and attempting to enter the homeless system.”
“It’s a whole influx of new people, and that’s the really scary part,” Cohen said.
In Columbus, Ohio, workers are scrambling to help an increasing number of people living under bridges and in wooded encampments near rivers and streams, said Barbara Poppe, executive director of the Community Shelter Board.
“We’re very concerned about the health and well being of those people being out in the elements,” Poppe said. “We had an encampment set on fire, and we had a woman struck by a train.”
Calif., N.Y. lead nation
California was the state with most homeless people in 2005, about 170,000, followed by New York, Florida, Texas and Georgia, according to the report.
Nevada had the highest share of its population homeless, about 0.68 percent. It was followed by Rhode Island, Colorado, California and Hawaii.
“The driver in homelessness is the affordable housing crisis,” Roman said. “If we don’t do something to address the crisis in affordable housing we are not going to solve homelessness.”
She said many of the chronically homeless have mental health and substance abuse problems. Others, she said, simply cannot afford housing.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16564208/ |
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| Krypton |
In this country, there's only 3 reasons to be homeless...
1. You refuse to take responsibility for your life.
2. You're mentally ill.
3. You got really really really ed over. |
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| fmodena369 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
In this country, there's only 3 reasons to be homeless...
1. You refuse to take responsibility for your life.
2. You're mentally ill.
3. You got really really really ed over. |
I agree with that...some homeless people just get ed over..I knew a dentist who just got outta school and instantly got a job..he got cancer and all his money had 2 go 2 his health...when he beat the cancer he had no money left...thus becomin homeless.
Only if homeless ppl were as hard a workers as mexicans! I've never seen a homeless mexican and I go to arizona state university! |
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| Krypton |
| quote: | Originally posted by fmodena369
I agree with that...some homeless people just get ed over..I knew a dentist who just got outta school and instantly got a job..he got cancer and all his money had 2 go 2 his health...when he beat the cancer he had no money left...thus becomin homeless.
Only if homeless ppl were as hard a workers as mexicans! I've never seen a homeless mexican and I go to arizona state university! |
Rats comin up the toilets? |
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| Shakka |
| I think about half of them live in the ATL. |
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| Shakka |
| quote: | Originally posted by fmodena369
I agree with that...some homeless people just get ed over..I knew a dentist who just got outta school and instantly got a job..he got cancer and all his money had 2 go 2 his health...when he beat the cancer he had no money left...thus becomin homeless.
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That just doesn't make any sense to me. Wouldn't a dentist of all people have decent health insurance? And furthermore, aren't the skills of a dentist something that is in demand pretty much all over the place? I'd think he could start up his own practice or something in the very worst case, let alone a job working for someone else if he has such marketable skills. Unless of course he's a ty dentist. |
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| DevilDogUSMC |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
In this country, there's only 3 reasons to be homeless...
1. You refuse to take responsibility for your life.
2. You're mentally ill.
3. You got really really really ed over. |
| quote: | Originally posted by fmodena369
Only if homeless ppl were as hard a workers as mexicans! |
+1 |
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| Marc Summers |
| quote: | Originally posted by Krypton
3. You got really really really ed over. |
4. You were born into it.
These are the most prominent reasons why people are homeless, actually. |
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| spdandpwr |
I wonder if there ever really will be a plausible solution to this problem...
But, on a side note (this may seem stupid), does the government, aside from moral reasons, have any incentive to rid homelessness? |
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| WM2 |
Nope.
It's sounds cold, but the government really couldn't care any less than they do about homeless people. People don't vote for you cause of what you're doing to help the homeless. The unfortunate part is that even if our government did care there really isn't any sure fire way to combat this issue. |
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| DevilDogUSMC |
| quote: | Originally posted by WM2
Nope.
It's sounds cold, but the government really couldn't care any less than they do about homeless people. People don't vote for you cause of what you're doing to help the homeless. The unfortunate part is that even if our government did care there really isn't any sure fire way to combat this issue. |
I believe local politicians city/state deal more with
the homeless problem than federal. Don't think there's
all that much the federal government can do as in
funding for certain programs or new laws. It's the
system in place on the local level directly dealing
with the homeless population that is more responsible.
Blaming the problem on the federal governement, especially
the Bush administration isn't the way I think. Not that you
personally believe that I'm just saying in general.
Also it's very hard to be homeless. There's plenty of
shelters/charities,organizations that can help people
live somewhere and get placed in a job even if it's
min. wage. Anything is better than pan handling on the
street but some prefer and choose that lifestyle.
Some have substance abuse problems and need help but they
have to want the help. I feel real bad for the kids of the
world that are homeless more than adults in the US who are
homeless with so much aid readily available to get off the
streets. |
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| WM2 |
| It would be a local issue. Now, tell me how many times you've seen someone running for Major, or maybe State congress that includes helping the homeless in their platform. I know I've never seen it. |
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