What is the main reason for homelessness in this country? Mental illness, the government, what?

Answer 1

When I was in college, I interviewed 76 homeless men in the town where I attended school. The answers were very surprising. Many of them were educated professionals: doctors, lawyers, etc., who after they fell on hard times decided not to go back to their old lives. There were a few criminals, one mentally ill man, etc., but most had just decided not to be part of the rat race anymore.

I think they enjoyed freedom from responsibility, which is sadly a growing trend in the population at large.

Answer 2

I agree with Fergi the Great.. A lot of homeless people chose that way of life as they just don't want any responsibilities in their life.

I also took this in College and we did an experiment with an older lady that was living on the street. She was put into an apartment of her own, set up with some furniture, given some counselling and then left to run her own life.

she was financially able to pay, but found the responsibilities of rent payment, shopping for food, utility bills etc, were too much for her, she was not mentally ill, she just wanted to be free.

Six months later she was back on the street and happy.

Obviously, there are many homeless that this does not apply to, but it is one of the largest reasons for homelessness.

Answer 3

I would think mental illness could be a factor, but I wonder, too, how often mental illness occurs as a result of being homeless rather than a cause of it.

I think it is "The System" (which includes the government but also includes banks and other businesses who often have policies that make accounts/situations worse than they needed to be. Banks can actually create severe financial disaster (or make someone's financial problems worse) because they often refuse to correct mistakes they make and otherwise refuse to work with the individual.

Answer 4

I think mental illness and drug addiction run pretty much neck and neck. A distant third is the number of people who live in this country with no nest egg. If you're living paycheck to paycheck it only takes one unexpected problem to put you out on the street. It blows my mind that people don't make sure they have a month or two's rent in the bank just in case. I'm not talking people in extreme poverty either - I'm talking about people who are overextended.

Example, I used to have an officemate who had no money saved at all. She owned a townhouse and a car. She had cable TV, magazine subscriptions, nice clothes, and maintained elaborate hair styles that required frequent and expensive trips to the beauty parlor. She asked me how I thought she could save money. When I suggested she give up cable and make do with network TV she said she could not. She was equally adamant about "needing" her magazine subscriptions and other luxuries. The biggest expenditure - the beauty parlor - was especially off limits. Growing her hair out naturally was out of the question.

Americans have trouble differentiating between what they need and what they want. Once your wants have been promoted to needs you can't save money because you will always want more and more. You need food, clothing and shelter - and they don't have to be the very best of these things either. Wranglers will keep your butt covered just as well as Abercrombie and Fitch - plus you'll have enough left over to buy groceries.

OK, getting of the soapbox now :-)

Answer 5

Many people who choose homelessness (and I use that loosely) do so, not out of not wanting any responsibility as mentioned above, but out of the sense of the futility of society as a whole. What is the point to life now? To make as much money as possible? How can anyone think that it is right to have people who own 8-10 air planes living in the same place as people who loot dumpsters looking to feed their children?

The people who gave up on society realize that society is actually non exist ant. the USA (and Canada is heading that way too) is actually a collection of individuals looking to be at the top of the hill so they can say "look at me, I'm better than you!"

Answer 6

Lack of affordable housing. I did a short study for a class and met a 'tent city' of homeless people most of whom had full time jobs. They could not raise the money necessary for all the deposits required for a decent place to live. Eventually they raise the money, so the population changes, but more move in so the 'city' remains. I didn't do a follow up on what kind of housing they eventually acquired though.

Answer 7

Bush's fault for sendind so many troops to Iraq, Saddam is gone, there is no more weapons of mass destruction, what does he want?? A lot of homeless had been going to war at some time in their life, and to see so much killing and destruction affect them psychology, and end up in the streets, so yes the government is the one to blame!!!

Answer 8

Depends! Most homeless men and women are homeless because they abuse drugs and alcohol and refuse to stop to get aid. There are quite a few homeless women with children because of domestic abuse... most women in this case have been suppressed and unable to work by their partner so they have no experience or means to survive.

Honestly, it sickens me that America can have any homeless people... we fight to protect and set other countries free, have althletes that earn over a million dollars a season, have TV shows that offer millions, and have multi-billionairs with multiple houses... WAKE UP AMERICAN... HELP THE HOMELESS.

Answer 9

That first answer is money. But I refuse to believe that a bunch of profesionals are a great portion of the homeless community. If I was homeless I would say I was a dentist. Why not? It's more fun then saying I used to bag groceries. Plus it would improve my odds of getting a sandwich and a 40oz.

Answer 10

Drugs/alcohol/and mental illness are all up there.

But considering to so many kids are on the street, I think irresponsibility (either the kid's fault for running away from home, or the family's fault for not proving a descent homelife) is to blame.

Of course irresponsibility also covers drug abuse, drinking, getting pregnant while you are homeless and putting another kid on the street, or just plain being lazy. Irresponsibility covers it all.