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Homelessness, the state of being without a home, is due to a lack of cheap rental housing and an increase in poverty. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, health care, and education. And because housing absorbs the greatest proportion of income, and jobs with an honest pay as well as public assistance are not available, some people have no other choice but to live in the street.
The connection between impoverished workers and homelessness is clear. For many people, work provides no escape from poverty. “My pay is not enough to cover daily expenses. I’m simply on the border of poverty” said Joe Kline, a bagman. These people are called so because they use sleeping bags to spend the night in the street.
More recently, the weak economy has caused a rise in unemployment, putting housing out of the reach of the poor. For individuals struggling to pay the rent, a serious illness or disability increases the risk of the phenomenon. At first, they lose their jobs, then their savings to pay for health care begin to decrease, and finally they find themselves on the street. “My first nights out were a terrible experience. It was too cold.” Tom Clancy told some companions in a homeless shelter, an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals. Tom still recalls how voluntary citizens and charity associations assisted them. “We were a group of four, we shared the same problems. But we didn’t use to communicate a lot. Each one of us was carried away by his thoughts. Sometimes good citizens would come over and hand out blankets, while others would bring hot food which we usually accept without looking up. This went on for days until a charity association came and drove us here”.
Domestic violence is another alarming cause of homelessness. Poor women who experience violence at home are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. In fact, most of them are fleeing home only to face another unsafe...