Introduction
A homeless man in San Francisco holds a sign of the times. The city's new Care Not Cash program lowered payments to the homeless but increased the number of available shelter rooms. (Getty Images/Justin Sullivan)
|
More than 2 million Americans are homeless during the course of a year, and the number is rising. About 40 percent are families with children, 30 percent are substance abusers, 23 percent are severely mentally ill and 10 percent are veterans. Advocates blame the growing problem on the sluggish economy, Congress' refusal to raise the minimum wage, rising unemployment and stricter welfare-eligibility requirements. The Bush administration declared a commitment to ending chronic homelessness in 10 years and is pressing Congress to pass the Samaritan Initiative, which would provide $70 million for housing and attendant care specifically for the chronically homeless. Critics say the proposal does not go far enough because the chronically homeless represent only 10-20 percent of the problem. Meanwhile, although new research clearly shows that homelessness can indeed be solved, no consensus yet exists on a comprehensive approach to rooting out the causes of the problem.
|
|
|
 |
Jan. 11, 2019 |
Domestic Poverty |
 |
Aug. 04, 2017 |
Poverty and Homelessness |
 |
Jul. 17, 2015 |
Fighting Urban Poverty |
 |
Oct. 10, 2014 |
Housing the Homeless |
 |
Oct. 28, 2011 |
Child Poverty |
 |
Sep. 07, 2007 |
Domestic Poverty  |
 |
Jun. 18, 2004 |
Ending Homelessness |
 |
Dec. 22, 2000 |
Hunger in America |
 |
Apr. 07, 2000 |
Child Poverty |
 |
Jan. 26, 1996 |
Helping the Homeless |
 |
Aug. 07, 1992 |
The Homeless |
 |
Mar. 30, 1990 |
Why Homeless Need More Than Shelter |
 |
Sep. 30, 1983 |
Hunger in America |
 |
Oct. 29, 1982 |
The Homeless: Growing National Problem |
 |
Jan. 25, 1967 |
Status of War on Poverty |
 |
Feb. 05, 1964 |
Persistence of Poverty |
 |
Jun. 06, 1956 |
Pockets of Poverty |
| | |
|