This is huge, and I'm not sure how to post a pdf so I made it a word doc, further lesson plans for all ages should be forthcomeing; all info from the National Coalition on Homelessness:
National Coalition for the Homeless
2201 P. St. NW Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 462-4822 Fax: (202) 462-4823
Email: info@nationalhomeless.org |Website:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org Fact Sheet for College Students
Definition of Homelessness:
The word homeless translates to “without a home,” so the definition of a homeless
person would logically be “a person without a home,” right?
Not necessarily. There are so many other factors that must be in place when
determining the definition of homelessness. The federal government has defined a
homeless person using a set of very narrow criteria and will provide their services
only to those fitting those criteria.
According to the Stewart B. McKinney Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11301, et seq. (1994), a person
is considered homeless who "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence;
and... has a primary night time residency that is: (A) a supervised publicly or privately
operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations... (B) an
institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be
institutionalized, or (C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a
regular sleeping accommodation for human beings." The term “homeless individual”
does not include any individual imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an Act of
Congress or a state law." 42 U.S.C. § 11302(c)
The education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act includes a more comprehensive
definition of homelessness. This statute states that the term ‘homeless child and youth’
(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence... and
(B) includes: (i) children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence, and includes children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons
due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels,
hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate
accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in
hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement; (ii) children and youth who have a
primary nighttime residence that is a private or public place not designed for or ordinarily
used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings... (iii) children and youth
who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing,
bus or train stations, or similar settings, and (iv) migratory children...who qualify as
homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances
described in clauses (i) through (iii). McKinney-Vento Act sec. 725(2); 42 U.S.C.
11435(2).
However, even with this more comprehensive definition, there are still parts of the
homeless population left out. The federal government makes it very clear that a person
living in substandard housing or with relatives is not considered “homeless” and therefore
is not eligible for services. But homeless people who are living in rural areas of the
country don’t have access to shelters or transitional housing services because they don’t
exist in those areas. These people are more likely to live in substandard housing or with
relatives or friends, and even though they technically are “without a home,” they are still
not considered “homeless” by the government.
Statistics
Homelessness is a widespread and very serious issue that affects a diverse population.
According to a 2006 study done by the US Conference of Mayors, 42% of homeless
people were African American, 39% were Caucasian, 13% were Hispanic, 4% were
Native American, and 2% were Asian.
40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces.
A 2005 report by the US Conference of Mayors found that 16% of the homeless
population suffered from a mental illness.
A report by the US Conference of Mayors designated the five “meanest cities” in the
United States based on the number of anti-homeless laws in the city, the severity of the
penalties for breaking those laws, the general political climate towards homeless people
in the city, the homeless local advocate support, and the criminalization legislation that
has taken place in the city. Their findings were:
1. Sarasota, FL
2. Lawrence, KS
3. Little Rock, AR
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Las Vegas, NV
Causes of Homelessness
The reasons why people are homeless vary immensely, and each person has a different
story to tell. However, there are some general causes of homelessness in the United
States, some due to federal laws and regulations and the economy, and others due to the
personal choices of the homeless individual.
1. Unable to Pay Rent
Often times a homeless person works one or two minimum wage jobs full time and still
doesn’t make enough money to pay rent. A Fact Sheet put out by the National Coalition
reports: “Declining wages, in turn, have put housing out of reach for many workers: in
every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom
apartment at Fair Market Rent.1 A recent U.S. Conference of Mayors report stated that in
every state more than the minimum-wage is required to afford a one or two-bedroom
apartment at 30% of his or her income, which is the federal definition of affordable
housing. In 2001, five million rental households had “worst case housing needs,” which
means that they paid more than half their incomes for rent, living in severely substandard
housing, or both (Children’s Defense Fund, 2005). The primary source of income for
80% of these households was earnings from jobs” (U.S. Housing and Urban
Development, 2001).
2. Mental Illness
Some homeless people have mental illnesses or disabilities, and as a result struggle with
finding housing. According to a study by the US Conference of Mayors in 2005,
approximately 16% of the homeless population suffers from a mental illness. A report
put out by the National Coalition for the Homeless says that in 2006 the amount of
money it cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment was $715 a month, which is 113.1% of a
person on Supplemental Security Income. In 1999, in over 125 housing markets
throughout the country, the cost of a one bedroom apartment was more than a person’s
total monthly SSI income. In 2006, the national average rent for a studio apartment
became higher than the income of a person who relies solely on SSI income. Only 9% of
people not in mental hospitals or facilities receiving SSI have housing assistance.
3. Domestic Violence
Another major cause of homelessness is domestic violence. Battered women who live in
poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. In a
study of 777 homeless parents (the majority of whom were mothers) in ten U.S. cities,
22% said they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence (Homes
for the Homeless, 1998). In addition, 50% of the cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference
of Mayors identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness (U.S.
Conference of Mayors, 2005). Studying the entire country, though, reveals that the
problem is even more serious. Nationally, approximately half of all women and children
experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence (Zorza, 1991; National
Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2001).
4. Unaffordable Health Care
1
FMRs are the monthly amounts "needed to rent privately owned, decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing
of a modest (non-luxury) nature with suitable amenities." Federal Register. HUD determines FMRs for
localities in all 50 states.
Health Care in the United States is not universal and is often extremely expensive.
Homeless people are unable to afford basic doctor’s visits so they often go untreated for
illnesses. Those with mental illness or disabilities often could hold a job or maintain a
stable lifestyle if they were able to access medications and services that would assist
them. Unfortunately, those medications and services are expensive without health
insurance, and most health insurance plans are also too expensive to purchase.
In 2004, approximately 45.8 million Americans had no health care insurance. That
equates to 15.7% of the population (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005). Nearly a third of
persons living in poverty had no health insurance of any kind. The coverage held by
many others would not carry them through a catastrophic illness.
5. Addictions and Substance Abuse
While federal policies and the state of the economy are major causes of homelessness,
addictions and substance abuse also plays a large role. Without access to affordable
treatment services, many low-income people suffering from addictions are unable to keep
their jobs, and subsequently lose their homes and end up on the streets.
Violence Against Homeless People
From January-June of 2008, there have been 26 reported assaults against homeless people
and 13 of those have resulted in death. Hate crimes against homeless people are a serious
issue facing the country today, and the National Coalition for the Homeless is working
tirelessly to get homeless people into the hate crimes statutes for each state. This would
allow a higher penalty for those convicted of assault against a homeless person because it
would be considered a hate crime. Legislation has yet to be passed in the courts
regarding this issue on a federal level, but a few states have taken action individually.
Alaska is the most recent state to classify homeless people as a “vulnerable person” and
as a result the punishment for a crime committed against them is higher.
Most often, the perpetrators of these crimes are youth, with the youngest reported age
being 10 years old. The crimes vary, ranging from taunting a homeless person with
ethnic or racial slurs to burning the person in a blanket or other flammable material or
physically beating the person with a baseball bat or other weapon.
Unfortunately, many hate crimes against homeless people go unreported because the
victim is afraid of future retaliation from their attacker. So while the numbers for the
reported hate crimes against homeless people in 2008 are high, chances are the actual
number of attacks occurring is much higher.
Hate crimes narratives for 2008:
In Peoria, Illinois, officers responded to a call from employees at a McDonalds saying
that a man was inside the restaurant and was bleeding from his head. The victim, 39, was
not alert, according to police, and only responded to questions when the police officers
spoke loudly or shook him. The information that the authorities managed to gather was
that the man was attacked and kicked in the head by three youths, but he could not recall
what the boys looked like or where the attack happened. The man was taken to OSF
Saint Francis Medical Center for treatment.
Two homeless men were the victims of an attack on Easter Sunday in Bartlett, Tennessee.
Brenner Holloman, one of the victims, was unhurt from the attack but witnessed
everything. The attackers, adult males ages 19-22, used Molotov cocktails, a homemade
concoction that consists of a bottle filled with gasoline and set on fire. Holloman claimed
the flames only made the attackers laugh harder, and “they thought it was funny all right,
they absolutely did.” Holloman now says he can hardly recognize his friend, Jeffery
Martin. “It made me ill, he reports. “I just saw him yesterday, his head ballooned out to
there...his scalp was taken off, his right hand is completely bandaged up...” Martin
reports that it “was the worst pain I’ve ever been in in my life.” Martin sustained second
and third degree burns to his head, neck, ears, shoulders and hands. Police found the
attackers to be 20 year old Michael Grace, 19 year old Andrew Colin Hicks, 22 year old
John Tyler Eggleston and 19 year old Zach Addison Parrish. All four have been charged
with attempted aggravated arson, and Parrish was charged with the additional attempted
second degree murder, as police suspect he threw the flaming bottle at the victims.
Eggleston and Grace pleaded not guilty to the charges and waived their preliminary
hearing.
Government Action
There are some federal programs that address the issue of homelessness and work to get
homeless people off the streets and into a home of their own. There are three main
services that the government offers that help homeless people find housing.
1. Section 8/Public Housing: The Section 8 program provides assistance to
people living in privately owned apartments by allowing the person to pay
30% of their income towards the rent and have the government pay the rest.
Public Housing does the same thing except it’s for people living in housing
provided for by the government.
2. HUD Homeless Assistance Grants: The United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) helps to fund programs that work towards
ending homelessness. They also provide money for shelters, transitional
housing, and other services that homeless people need.
3. Health Care for the Homeless: A program that provides the health care
services to the homeless in an affordable way so that the person can receive
care that they would otherwise not be able to get because they can’t afford it.
Campus Action
There are an infinite number of ways for college students to get involved in the issues
surrounding homelessness. College students are socially aware and have the energy and
enthusiasm to make a difference. It is so important to take a stand on these issues both in
your own communities at home and on campus.
The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness is an amazing
resource that works with college students around the country to end hunger and
homelessness. Their website is
http://www.studentsagainsthunger.org and they have
additional resources on the site to use for programming.
Additional ways to get involved on campus are:
1. Organize a clothing drive and donate the items to a local shelter.
2. Write your congressman or representative and urge them to support legislation
that will benefit homeless people. If you are in the Washington, DC area, set up
an appointment with a staffer in the congressional office and discuss the issues
surrounding homelessness and poverty.
3. Volunteer with a local shelter or food bank
4. Get connected to a coalition. Visit NCH’s directory of organizations at
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/resources/natdirect.html 5. Organize a Faces of Homelessness Panel—The NCH has a speakers’ bureau
consisting of formerly homeless or currently homeless individuals who come to
speak about their experiences. Contact Michael O’Neill, the Speakers’ Bureau
Director at 202-462-4822 ext. 223, or email him at
moneill@nationalhomeless.org
6. Participate in a Homeless Challenge—spend 24 or 48 hours on the streets with
homeless guides and learn about the challenges of being homeless first-hand.
Call the National Coalition for the Homeless for more information at 202-462-
4822.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
