i need three reasons on how we can improve homelessness in the US ?

Question

due to natural disasters, bankruptcy and drug addiction

Answer 1

Provide low cost housing to indigents,
Employment opportunities must be given to the homeless, and
Government projects must be directed for giving shelter to people who have no houses.

Answer 2

Being European I believe in state-administered assistance, which goes down poorly in the US, but living here I believe it's time the US really examined the way it deals with this issue:
You mentioned three issues so I'll tackle these:
1) On the natural disasters front - I assume you mean Katrina - FEMA really didn't work. It was fine to move people away from their homes, but relief should have converted into genuine assistance with rebuilding projects on the ground - small loans to restart businesses, federal emergency assistance to get people back into their homes again as soon as possible. Caravans for life is a stupid idea.
2) Bankruptcy - the US bankruptcy laws are designed for the wealthy, not the poor. There's a real need for state-sponsored agencies (the UK has something called the citizen's advice bureau) which provide free legal assistance in sorting debt relief, dealing with small claims tribunals, and relieving credit card-related debt.
3) Drug addiction - The US's policy is woeful. A rethink is absolutely necessary. I don't necessarily advocate legalisation, but a scale removing severe penalties for minor infractions, and a state-sponsored scheme to assist those with serious drug addiction is a good idea in my opinion.

You failed to mention mental health - this is really a serious problem here amongst the homeless in DC, and from what I have seen in other US cities - the US desperately needs a coordinated, federally managed system of support for the mentally ill - not institutions, but community based and responsive to the individuals' needs.

I hope that answers your questions!!

Answer 3

Some Euro who posted is clueless that the New Orleans & LA politicians hadn't made & submitted an acceptable plan for rebuilding &c - a State & local issue. Clueless also about debt restructuring resources.

Next about stable housing for the mentally ill, that's a BIG problem, given there are 50 US States, and economies vary. When is there ever enough $$? Where do you put them, in whose 'back yard'? How do you keep them there? What about the medication non-compliance problems in a huge nation where anyone 18 and over has all Rights? A citizen may not be institutionalized and forcibly medicated until and unless they're a danger to self (or others). Some mentally ill persons just don't want to stay in one place whether their reasons seem logical to others or not. <-- those are only a few of the problems of homelessness, a majority of whom are mentally ill. It is VERY common that the mentally ill self-medicate with street drugs.

Answer 4

First, provide stable housing. Most shelters kick people out after a set number of days.
Second, provide help for the issue that made them homeless. A majority of the chronically homeless have alcohol, drug or mental illness issues. Until the underlying problems are dealt with the cycle of homeless will continue.
Third, provide training for re-entry into society. Job skills, reading, social skills, etc.

Yes this is expensive, but it is less expensive than what we are paying now for medical care, police, courts, social service agencies who only treat the symptoms. Let's cure the disease once and for all. A nation that has an annual budget of $2.6 Trillion should be able to tackle and solve this problem.

Answer 5

Did you ever think some of them want to be homeless. I have a relitiave whom is homeless in austin. He is smart, could easily pass college. He just dosent want the responsibillty of a job, morgage, car note, and all the other crap. No not everyone is this way, but I would guess most of them are.

Answer 6

Make all the actors in Hollywood pay reparations to those people who they've lied to and ruined. These people have more money then they'll ever spend in a life time and yet they continue to misquote, misrepresent and steal from the masses in order to further they pathetic lives. Tax actors at a rate commensurate to the amount they laughable believe they earn. Continue in a similar way with big corporations who pay their CEOs millions and in order to do so scale back the work force so greatly that it creates regional poverty and homelessness, make them responsible. Affordable housing and social training programs that help the homeless train/retrain in order to find work. However you may find that many homeless don't want to work and it's never going to be a totally done deal! Good luck though!

Answer 7

Put laws on businesses so they can't rip people off and bring socialism to the country. That's not going to happen because the rich are in power, so unless you are willing to fight, you might as well face that many people are homeless and that there is little you can do about it.

Answer 8

In my view to use charities more effectively. They are specialised charities which know how to deal with this sort of problems in our society but as usual the lack of funds will not allow them to do more for less fortunate.

Answer 9

other than natural disasters or mental illiness i believe most people are homeless because of choices they have made to put themselves in that situation

Answer 10

Ah, just bring back the state mental hospitals. People are homeless have mental problems and need help.