Practical Spirituality Series
The US Supreme Court will review a law banning homeless individuals from just about any public areas, imposing fines and jail time. Here is where you can make an important difference.
This problem has two sides. On one side is the homeless, who often, through no fault of their own, have no place to stay. This includes women and children. (Statistics later in this article.)
On the other side is the in-your-face problem created by lack of affordable housing and lack of job security. This creates unsanitary conditions on the streets and places the homeless in unsafe conditions. These are things few want to see or address in a meaningful way other than to just get rid of it.
“Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you.” – Leviticus 25:35 (NASB)
In the previous decade around 3.5 million people became homeless every year because of things like job loss and divorce. But most of them later found jobs. In a tragic twist, affordable housing has become nonexistent in many areas. So people without high-paying jobs can’t keep or find homes. This includes people like nurses. Ironically, none of us want to pay higher prices so others can have homes. We just want the problem to go away.
Correcting Mythology with the truth
There are a lot of myths about homelessness that enable us to ignore the problem. We think substance abuse and people who don’t want to work cause homelessness. According to a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) study, “… simple economic challenges that could impact any of us at any time are more powerful and present forces. These include a dearth of affordable housing, lack of employment opportunities, and low wages.
“Many are living so close to economic disaster that one financial setback, such as job loss, car troubles, illness, divorce, abandonment, or any unexpected expense, can lead to the loss of their home.” And, “Domestic abuse is the leading cause of homelessness among women.”
So while we can yell, “Get a job!” And “Get off alcohol and cocaine,” from the sidelines, this doesn’t create jobs with livable wages. This situation raises enormous questions about who we are as a people. Are we humane? Do we care enough about others to help them? As Christians, can we love others as ourselves as Jesus asked us to do?
The sad fact is, homelessness is getting worse as affordable housing disappears.
In many areas, homeless shelters are full and can’t take in more people. Many are overnight shelters where people can’t securely leave belongings or children. Some are only open, as in my area, when temperatures get extremely cold. I only gave the statistics below for unsheltered homeless, but shelter only helps survival.
This is not only inhumane, it teaches people they aren’t important and not loved. Self-esteem plummets. For an abused woman and children this kills Self-esteem. Don’t let this happen!
Where would the homeless go?
Before I get to the statistics, consider the implications of a Supreme Court ruling that would effectively banish the homeless from cities with the contested laws.
Where would these people go?
- Run them out of town so they live in the countryside or desert where they can’t find food, jobs, or housing?
- Bus them to some other city, which probably has the same problem? But at least it’s out of sight, out of mind, and some other area’s problem. What are we, five years old?
- Send them to an island or other country, like Australia and the UK do with unwanted immigrants?
We should keep in mind that capitalism, which I’m for, doesn’t have any concern for people. Capitalism is about making money and that is business’ only mandate. We the people are in charge of making life humane. We set the conditions. We find solutions or change the system so it works for everyone, not just the privileged few like in some developing country.
What can you do?
Make sure the Supreme Court doesn’t make inhumane laws. The court takes into consideration the impact of its laws on people. The court will hear you and has contact information available for that: https://www.supremecourt.gov/contact/contactus.aspx
Let the Supreme Court know your opinion!
Give this to others so they can act.
The statistics – breaking the cycle of myths
- Total number of people experiencing homelessness in the United States: 653,104
- Unsheltered: 256,610
- Unsheltered Women: 250,009
- Unsheltered Unaccompanied youth: 34,703
- Chronically homeless: 154,313
- Only 24% of those unhoused have chronic patterns of homelessness.
Not since the Great Depression have so many families been homeless in the United States. Today, families account for nearly 30% of the total population of those experiencing homelessness.
What works?
The Lotus Campaign model is a holistic, systems changing answer that breaks the often-unrelenting cycle of homelessness. https://www.lotuscampaign.org/
Humanitarian Way: Preventing homelessness one step at a time. https://thehumanitarianway.org/
Tamarack Institute: Strategies to End Homelessness: Current Approaches to Evaluation. https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/vclibrary/strategies-to-end-homelessness-current-approaches-to-evaluation
Humble Design: Transforming lives. https://www.humbledesign.org/
Coalition for the Homeless. Federal housing programs are one of the most successful housing-based solutions to reduce homelessness. The two largest federal housing programs are public housing and federal housing vouchers, known as Housing Choice Vouchers or Section 8 vouchers. https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/
- Rapid re-housing: Quickly connecting people to housing and services
- Permanent supportive housing: A proven solution for the most vulnerable
- Crisis response system: Helping people quickly exit homelessness
- Increasing employment and income: Assistance programs to keep people in their housing
- Building more housing: Local governments should remove land use regulations and zoning laws that make it difficult to build housing
- Universal strategies: Public housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, SSI, TANF, Head Start, unemployment benefits, Medicaid, legal aid, tenant rights policies, and affordable housing production
Conclusion
Solving the homeless problem takes one thing: A willingness to solve it.
Instead of making more laws to try to eradicate the problem of homelessness, which is simply eradicating people, we need to take charge and solve the problem.
Start by making sure the Supreme Court doesn’t make inhumane laws. The court takes into consideration the impact of its laws on people. The court will hear you and has contact information available for that: https://www.supremecourt.gov/contact/contactus.aspx
General Contact Information:
U.S. Mail:
Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543
Telephone: 202-479-3000
Let the Supreme Court know your opinion!
Give this to others so they can act.
Probability Space
What probability spaces can we open in our minds to focus on how to eliminate the problem of homelessness? It will require action in each town.
Potential Space
If you think creatively and allow your mind to wander and explore, how can we make the world more just and fair in the realm of housing and economic opportunity?
The world’s billionaires now hold a combined $14.2 trillion in wealth. This exceeds the GDP of every country in the world except the US and China.
– Dorian
Our answer is God. God’s answer is us. Together we make the world better.
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