Homelessness
, Unhoused people are a social issue. Since I have witnessed homeless individuals in
Philadelphia, I want to help. Based on my interests in non-profits, this paper discusses the history
of homelessness and looks at current problems and possible answers. Using study and
experiences, I discuss essential Philadelphia needs and my promise to fight homelessness
through service. The research supports upcoming efforts by showing how homelessness works
and reminding me why I care about this problem.
People have been homeless for a long time, but economic changes, like the Great
Depression, worsened it (Watts, 2020). After World War II, people were less likely to be
homeless for a while, but by the 1980s, cuts to mental health and cheap housing services had
made homelessness more common, especially in cities. While moving to the suburbs helped
some families move up the economic ladder, inner cities fell apart. Homeless people face
unemployment, low pay, high incarceration rates, urban gentrification, rising inequality, and high
housing costs. Homelessness now is identical to it in the past, but the sheer number of homeless
people reveals that society's structures are failing its most vulnerable. We need more general
answers right away (Brooks, 2023).
Philadelphia has the highest rate of poverty among big towns in the U.S. In 2022, over
5,700 people were living on the streets (Roberson, 2023). People of color, disabled people, and
people who abuse drugs are more likely to be affected than others. Root causes include not
having enough cheap housing, wages that are enough to live on, and health care access (Cooper,
2024). Homelessness is a cycle that keeps going because of things like mental illness, marital
violence, and being locked up. Human costs are high regarding health, food insecurity, and
quality of life. Camps, high demand for social services, and health risks for the public also strain
, Unhoused people are a social issue. Since I have witnessed homeless individuals in
Philadelphia, I want to help. Based on my interests in non-profits, this paper discusses the history
of homelessness and looks at current problems and possible answers. Using study and
experiences, I discuss essential Philadelphia needs and my promise to fight homelessness
through service. The research supports upcoming efforts by showing how homelessness works
and reminding me why I care about this problem.
People have been homeless for a long time, but economic changes, like the Great
Depression, worsened it (Watts, 2020). After World War II, people were less likely to be
homeless for a while, but by the 1980s, cuts to mental health and cheap housing services had
made homelessness more common, especially in cities. While moving to the suburbs helped
some families move up the economic ladder, inner cities fell apart. Homeless people face
unemployment, low pay, high incarceration rates, urban gentrification, rising inequality, and high
housing costs. Homelessness now is identical to it in the past, but the sheer number of homeless
people reveals that society's structures are failing its most vulnerable. We need more general
answers right away (Brooks, 2023).
Philadelphia has the highest rate of poverty among big towns in the U.S. In 2022, over
5,700 people were living on the streets (Roberson, 2023). People of color, disabled people, and
people who abuse drugs are more likely to be affected than others. Root causes include not
having enough cheap housing, wages that are enough to live on, and health care access (Cooper,
2024). Homelessness is a cycle that keeps going because of things like mental illness, marital
violence, and being locked up. Human costs are high regarding health, food insecurity, and
quality of life. Camps, high demand for social services, and health risks for the public also strain
