prepared
by National
Coalition for the Homeless with
contributions from Minnesota
Advocates for Human Rights
An
increasing number of Americans are an illness, an accident, or a paycheck
away from living on the streets.The
majority, and a disproportionate number of those subjected to homelessness,
are people of color.In a 1999 study,
the U.S. Conference of Mayors reported that an estimated 50% of the homeless
population is African American, compared to 31% Caucasian.Hispanics
compromise 13% of the homeless population while 4% are Native Americans
and 2% are Asians.Thus, people of
color comprise 69% of the total homeless population.[18]As
a percentage of the national population, African Americans are significantly
over-represented among the homeless.
Homelessness,
the inability to secure permanent and affordable housing, stems from a
myriad of social problems inextricably linked to the growing numbers of
poor Americans nationwide. Despite
recent economic growth, there has been a significant increase in the number
of Americans living in poverty. In
1996, 36.5 million Americans had incomes equal to or less than the federal
poverty level, while 14.4 million--nearly two-fifths of all poor persons--had
incomes of less than half the national poverty level (US Bureau of the
Census, 1997).Even in a booming
economy, it is estimated by the Urban Institute that “at least 2.3 million
adults and children, or nearly 1% of the U.S. population, are likely to
experience a spell of homelessness at least once during a year.”[19]This
likelihood increases to 6.3% of the population if only people living in
poverty are considered.
Despite
the substantial and growing need, the government response in the provision
of assistance to the homeless has been far from adequate.Many
people who lack a stable, permanent residence have few shelter options
because shelters are filled to capacity or are unavailable.A
recent study of twenty-six U.S. cities found that in 1999, 25% of all requests
for shelter went unmet due to the lack of resources provided by governments
(Waxman and Hinderliter, 1996).In
addition, a review of homelessness in fifty U.S. cities found that in virtually
every city, the city's officially estimated number of homeless people greatly
exceeded the number of emergency shelter and transitional housing spaces
available in their areas (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty,
1999).Moreover, there are either
few or no shelters available in rural areas of the United States, despite
significant levels of homelessness (Aron and Fitchen, 1996).As
a result of these factors, many people who lack permanent housing are forced
to live with relatives and friends in crowded, temporary arrangements,
assuming this is even an available option.The
severe lack of affordable housing, employment opportunities that pay a
livable wage, employment training and education -- combined with diminishing
access to dwindling federal resources that are allocated to address these
concerns -- are major structural issues that have caused and promoted the
substantial increase in the number of homeless Americans over the past
twenty years.
Simultaneously,
local governments around the country have been engaging in ongoing efforts
to criminalize homelessness through a variety of law enforcement strategies.
Additionally, an increasing number of hate crimes are committed in the
United States against homeless citizens, amidst the growing hostility expressed
by many Americans waging a "war on the poor." Racial
and ethnic discrimination remains one of the critical elements affecting
homelessness, and is reflected in the disproportionate negative impact
of policies relating to homelessness on people of color.
