Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). What could be more burdensome and heavy-laden than to be homeless in as rich a society as the United States? As we look into the issue of homelessness, we believe that there are three social factors that contribute to this predicament: economics, racism, and reasons stemming from abuse. Homelessness is not in all cases a voluntary choice made by social retreatist who, according to Merton's strain theory, "drop out" from the pursuit of culturally accepted goals. The 3 reasons listed above are examples of involuntary homelessness, the end result of other problems. Recent figures show that over 700,000 people a night are homeless, 40% are women with their children (International Justice Party). These figures are staggering when we compare the relative wealth of our "Industrialized Society" and how still so many go without basic needs every night. As we take a Christian perspective approach in examining this topic we see the words of Jesus in Matthew 21:31-40, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." To fix something you first have to understand what causes the problem, let us take a look at the three factors causing homelessness in depth.
Economics plays into the problem of homelessness through the lack of affordable housing available for single income families. The theorist would surmise that the wealthy landlords are controlling the pricing of their housing, therefore keeping the availability limited to the wealthier individuals. This keeps the lower income families with limited opportunities and options. The issue of economics contributing to homelessness is self-perpetuating in that an individual without money does not have the means to purchase nice clothes, afford transportation, obtain a mailing address, or even have a place to bathe.
Affordable Housing in Chicago In the last 10 years Chicago housing has went through drastic changes. Changes in Public housing, rental apartments, and the real-estate market. This report will look at the history of Chicago housing, current demographics, urban renewal, and the affects these chan...
Is it an extreme manifestation of poverty or the absence of a residence? Homelessness generally falls into two categories: the literally homeless and the population at risk. The literally homeless groups include all of those living on the streets or in shelters and the population at risk groups include those that are at risk of being literally homeless. The literally homeless include adults, children, and youth sleeping in places not meant for human habitation such as the streets, parks, alleys, and parking lots. Also, it includes adults, children, and youths in shelters such as emergency ...
The United States of America is often referred to as "the land of the free" or "the greatest country in the world." But for people who actually live here and see tens of thousands of men, women, and children walking the streets everyday with no home to go to, it is hard to believe that people could even categorized this country with a name so impressive. I agree that homelessness is not a problem just of the United States it is one of the world and we must work together to find a way to solve it. (1) In many ways, homelessness represents a new social problem. Excluding during the time of the...
