On June 16, 2010, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released its 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress confirming what many of us already knew—family homelessness is on the rise. The same report documented an overall increase in homelessness in Maryland of 26.89% between 2008 and 2009. Baltimore County already uncovered a similar increase in homelessness of 25% from its March 2010 homeless census and Baltimore City public schools reported a doubling of the number of homeless children last year.
We take for granted that a home provides a location for congregation of family and friends, preservation of belongings, and the creation of memories—all of which contribute to our sense of stability and our belonging within a community. The loss of a home, consequently, can create such stress and anxiety that homelessness itself becomes traumatic.
The trauma of homelessness—its causes and effects—has been well documented by researchers and social service providers alike. Over 85% of homeless women have had a major depressive episode. Approximately half of school age homeless children experience anxiety and depression, with 20% suffering from emotional conditions requiring professional intervention.1
Homelessness at this level is not an inevitable condition. Homelessness in its current form—affecting so many people for such extensive periods of time—did not begin until the 1980s.
So, let us step back. Can we remember a pre-1980 decade when there were not thousands of homeless people?
What would Baltimore look like if everyone had a home? On Monday, July 12, 2010, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Wheeler Auditorium, 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD, Tanya Tull, CEO, Beyond Shelter, will discuss Life Without Housing and the possibilities for ending homelessness based upon her successful efforts in Los Angeles.
1The National Center on Family Homelessness, America’s Youngest Outcasts, p. 25 (2009).
Hello my name is Dajai Swann from Wide Angle Youth Media & I attend Patterson High School. I agree we do have to help the homeless because I would like to help Baltimore become a better place.
Did you know that 38 percent of all sheltered homeless persons are between 31-50 and most of them have a disability. Most people that are homeless are mostly homeless because of poverty. Some people become homeless because they can’t find jobs that pay enough money for them to support their families and bills. Also there is not enough decent or affordable housing. In 2007 foreclosure rates were up 97 percent over the previous year and I personally think that is crazy. Another reason for homelessness is because of extreme health care costs or unexpected injuries. Many working people live pay check to pay check and are unprepared for the outstanding costs of medical bills.
Did you also know that if you live on someone couch you are homeless even if they are your family? I didn’t even know that. So if we help the homeless now it will help other people from being homeless.
My name is Douglas Moffatt, Jr., I am 17 years old and attend Carver Vocational High School in Baltimore City. After reading this blog entry about family homelessness on the rise, I feel this is probably true because I have lived in neighborhoods where homelessness is common among people and it would not surprise me to see that families are out on the street or staying in shelters together.
I know that the economy has been rough on a lot of people and it’s even more of a struggle to survive when there are constant things happening with government money and city budgets. Families are trying to hold on, but sometimes it may not work out for them, and they risk being homeless.
I think there needs to be more employment in the city so families may stay financially stable. Since so many people are losing jobs or are getting cuts in their pay and it’s a real hassle to stay afloat.
Right now in Baltimore we have a city summer job program that is supposed to serve a certain amount of youth ages 14 – 21, and they did not hire the amount they were supposed to. The youth are being paid minimum wage and the program still does not serve all of the youth it hoped to. Some students are trying to look for a job, and help provide their families with additional income, but they cannot seem to find one and it takes so long that after awhile they give up. Unemployment, where for youth or adults makes a lot of families stuck in a position that makes everything scarce for them. I feel like it is a horrible situation to be in when you try so hard and end up with nothing. It’s horrible when you’re an innocent family and get the results that you don’t deserve. My point is that there are people in this city that not only have nice jobs and nice homes, but they also have excess money and walk pass the families that are in need. The people in charge of the city actually need to give more back to the community and to the city as a whole.