The "problem of homelessness" is a misnomer.
Homelessness is a symptom of numerous problems and afflictions that plague modern American society. The contributing factors that cause people to become homeless are many and varied and there is no single, unique cause that applies to everyone who find themselves without proper housing.
While large-scale efforts to end homelessness are certainly helpful, seeing this as "a" problem can miss many underlying issues that must be addressed. Just as each person and every family is unique, so too may be their situation. At the Red Geranium Project, we work with our clients individually to assess and address their specific needs.
Financial Causes
In many cases, particularly here in California, the cause is primarily financial. Many people are but one paycheck or one rent-increase away from losing their home. In the greater San Francisco Bay Area one must earn $200,000 per year or more to afford a home; far beyond reach for many.
Likewise, rental rates are closely tied to home values so the income needed to afford a rental in California is also very high. Rent increases in California have outpaced wages and salary increases by an ever-widening margin. This, along with proportionally higher costs for nearly everything else in California has pushed the cost of living to unsustainable levels for many.
Addiction, Substance Abuse, Mental Illness & Compound Causes
Unfortunately, for some, homelessness is but one more negative effect of an addiction to alcohol or drugs. In some cases these addictions begin with prescription drugs. Regardless of how the initial addiction or drug abuse begins, the problem often metastasizes, creating other problems like unemployment and broken relationships, all of which ultimately result in one losing their home.
Some people are struggling with mental illness in one form or another, often exacerbated by an addiction or simply as a result of overwhelming stress or "burnout." Oftentimes the root cause was financial which then led to an addiction or other complications, such as physical or mental illness or a severe emotional breakdown.
Long Term Effects & Damage Caused by Homelessness
One generally overlooked effect of becoming homeless is the damage it causes to a person's self esteem and self image. Regardless of the initial cause, becoming homeless compounds and magnifies one's feelings of hopelessness and failure, often creating new problems for one to deal with.
By and large, broad-based government and institutional programs fail to address or even recognize this most important dimension of the issue. For many, losing what most in our society consider a "decent place to live" becomes a final rung on a downward ladder, to a place of ultimate failure. Being homeless can then result in a "cycle of despair," further eroding one's self-esteem and self image, making it nearly impossible to escape homelessness and function productively.
Homelessness is a complex problem that can only be addressed with a multitude of targeted efforts, considering each individual's and family's specific needs.