Homelessness as a Social Problem

Homelessness as a Social Problem
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Homelessness as a Social Problem
Introduction
Homelessness is a social problem that continues to plague the entire world. In the U.S., the problem remains a constant thorn, and most of the country's major cities find themselves fighting to deal with it. According to National Low Income Housing Coalition (2022), the U.S. suffers from a shortage of available and affordable housing units for low-income renters. Currently, for every 100 low-income renter households, there are 36 available and affordable housing units, meaning that 64 have to grapple with either living in deplorable conditions or finding themselves out in the streets. In Riverside County, the homelessness problem continues to be a major issue, with the latest information indicating that the county's homeless population has ballooned by 15% since the COVID-19 pandemic was announced (City News Service, 2022). Though the county has been trying to make things better for the homeless population, more still needs to be done to help alleviate the problem.
While addressing or assessing the problem of homelessness, one can use two approaches: the person-blame approach and the systems-blame approach. The person-blame approach to social problems mainly entails the idea of holding people responsible for their decisions and the consequences of the same. With regard to homelessness, it entails holding the homeless partly or wholly responsible for their plight. On the other hand, a systems-blame approach blames the system for all the social problems in society. Here, factors such as poverty, the unavailability of affordable housing, high unemployment levels, and poor education are often seen as the major contributors or causes of homelessness.
Evidence of a Person-Blame Approach
In Riverside County, numerous pieces of evidence or instances often showcase the shifting of blame to the person rather than the system. While blaming the person, people often look out for attributes within a person that predispose or expose them to homelessness. In a report by Kennedy (2018) from the Desert Sun, the Sheriff's Department in Riverside often conducts sweeps of homeless encampments and ends up arresting a number of homeless people. As per Kennedy's article, in the instance described, the Sheriff's Department sought to reduce 'chronic trespassing' that had become rampant in the area. Arresting said individuals to prevent trespassing is akin to blaming them for their inefficiency in dealing with their housing problems. Erica Murphy's story is well captured by Hayden (2019), whereby it is explained that though Erica had clearly showcased that she had a problem, she remained in a cycle of jail and homelessness. Such an approach is indeed one that seeks to place the blame on the person, not on a failing system.
Aside from the above, another piece of evidence aligning with the person-blame approach is found in individuals who come from normal and well-to-do families. According to an article by the Santa Monica Daily Press (2022), there are instances when families evict their children for things like substance abuse issues, sexual identity conflicts, and even being sick. In such instances, some people end up in the street and struggle to make ends meet while having healthy families with enough shelter for them. However, these individuals end up being blamed for being homeless on account of making a decision contrary to their family's stance. Such cases mainly speak to the lack of empathy and an extension of understanding to the individuals who are simply finding themselves and their way in life.
Evidence of a Systems-Blame Approach
Evidence of a systems-blame approach in Riverside County also exists and goes to show how the county is lacking in its quest to help its residents. In Riverside County, affordable housing continues to be one of the major causes of homelessness. With fewer affordable and available housing units, people continue to struggle to find places to stay within the county. According to an article by the California Housing Partnership (2015), renters in Riverside County need to earn more than twice the state minimum wage for them to be in a position to afford the asking rents within the county. Further, the article indicates that rent in Riverside County has been growing steadily from 2000 to 2013, and this has led to a growing need for more than 65,000 affordable rental homes to meet the county's housing needs. Such statistics point to a failing system that appears to be heavily impacting the lives of low-income earners and subjecting more people to homelessness.
Remedies to Reduce Homelessness in Riverside County
Riverside County can implement the Housing First approach. The recovery-oriented method endeavors to end the problem of homelessness by moving homeless individuals into independent and permanent housing, then offering them additional services they need (Tsemberis, 2011). The method is based on the idea that individuals are better placed to move on with their lives if they are housed first. In this arrangement, people experiencing homelessness...