What is the biggest cause of homelessness in your opinion?

Question

Jamie05rhs · Accepted Answer

The housing crisis (lack of available units, price gouging, etc.) Lack of educational opportunities. People being beaten down too much for too long. Lack of community. Toxic individualism.

Cubus · Accepted Answer

I believe all of above

Moose304 · Answer

I don't know! I know of a situation of a single person that last I heard was living in a tent in California. His daughter is a close personal friend. This lady lives in Williamsburg Virginia and has tried everything to get her father out of that tent and into a better situation. After her mother divorced him around 1997 he went off the deep end. Started using drugs and drinking alcohol. He was up around Baltimore and was locked up there several times. This daughter drove up there and got him, collected his things, and brought him home to live with her. Then went through living hell for almost 5 years. She was going to see about a   but that blew up. Then one day he had stolen from her and left. About 2 years ago she discovered he was in Los Angeles living in a tent. When some of you who are smarter than she or I can figure this out please let us know. Because I sure as hell don't know why a man would steal from his daughter and then ghost her. This is slowly killing his daughter. She has sent him money as well as bought a ticket to fly there. Still made it clear he has a place to go, but he still chooses to live in the streets.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

From what little I observed, it's usually mental and/or physical illness. Not because of healthcare bills, but for a prolonged inability to work. In the documentaries I watched it was an astonishingly high number of previously successful people, with jobs or self-employment that suddenly had to deal with having no or a massively reduced income. The banks have no problem to cancel all lines of credit and take your house. To come back from that, while being on record for having defaulted on a credit - is very hard.

MCheetah · Answer

Drug abuse/addiction. Option C.
Mental health issues is probably a distant second place.

It sure as hell ain't money, cause I've technically been homeless twice in my life. The second time was for 7 weeks in a country where I don't speak the native language. You can get by on homeless shelters, soup kitchens, Whore's Baths in gas station restrooms, and public libraries, to find a job and escape poverty. It's not nearly as hard as you think. You can go from nothing, to off the streets, in a month or less.

Most homeless people stay homeless by their own life decisions and inability to want to get clean and get help. And the government wastes way too much money trying to offer them help when they don't want it.

BlueScorpio · Answer

I know it can be combination of different things, but from what I've been reading/hearing on and offline is that money is tight for a lot of people. The common complaint I often hear is the average American is working paycheck to paycheck, capitalism/inflation putting the hurt on us, and how one trip to the emergency room can be financial chaos if you don't have the best Healthcare insurance.

I've had a few coworkers who were high functioning addicts. They came into work like everything was fine, did their jobs, and went home. Eventually it caught up to them but up until then they worked like everyone else. I also have 2 uncles that were alcoholics, one of them got sober but the other one unfortunately hasn't. Somehow he manages to keep the lights on, I don't know how he does it, the last time I've seen he was completely mess and had a fit when we went home to visit.

Andridaca · Answer

All of the above options are opinionated; so is mine.

I believe that poor parenting is the ultimate precurser of homelessness.

In rough cases, it can lead to poor mental health AND substance abuse. But in others, it can just lead to raising lazy, unintelligent adults. discipline must be introduced early in life, else this may happen. I am not talking about spanking, but intellectual discipline, and general hardship. A child is incapable of taking responsibility, so take it for them until they can do it themselves. Be a good parent, for fuck sake.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

Going by what I've seen, I'd say mental illness. I've talked to some of these people and most of them have characteristics of schizophrenia. I'd guess that a lot of them came from families where one or both parents were mentally ill, or the parents "kicked them out" at some point not being able to deal with it.

Anonymous · Answer

In the developed world (so say the US) it's going to be FAR and away substance abuse and mental illness (and those two are often going together). Money and domestic issues aren't even going to come close. The people who think homelessness is the result of high housing prices are just delusional and/or have literally never set foot in a major city. Pretty much everyone you see on the street with almost no exceptions is EXTREMELY mentally ill and/or has a very clear and severe substance problem.

purplepoppy · Answer

None of the list. Although many play a part the biggest cause is a failure by society to catch people before they fall that far. A person with mental health issues may need extra help understanding what welfare of he's entitled to. Early intervention can clean up that junkie before he's lost to the streets.

The reason you see so many drunks and addicts is they find it easier to get through the night when they're out of their mind.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Often times is people with mental illnesses or criminals who can't find work or some buildings don't let them move in because of their criminal record.

Also, people who desperately mismanaged their money with drugs and alcohol addictions.

HighValue · Answer

Not owning a house is the biggest cause of homelessness. :P

Seriously though, not having enough income to debt ratio is the cause which has been made worse due to regulations in many areas not allowing a regular two bedroom house without granite countertops, marble floors, and other unnecessary things.

Sixgunsound · Answer

In my subjective experience, it has been substance abuse. I qualify that by the thousands of homeless people, some repeat business in the interest of fairness, that I have helped check into the Portland Avenue hotel otherwise known as Rochester General Hospital.

Kaneki05 · Answer

Family issues for sure. If you had a family that's there for you, you wouldn't be homeless.
If you took drugs or had mental issues your family would help you out if they were any good at been a family. If I suddenly was at threat of becoming homeless my dad would take me in hell even my conservative racist grandma would. Because that's what family does.

motownplayer2000 · Answer

Corporate greed, government negligence, greed and overall carelessness. And humans not giving a shit about others.

It also happens that hard work from the individuals does play a part, but that’s not a big part because more of the people I’ve known that were homeless worked there asses off, and still couldn’t make ends meet. So hard work usually isn’t the issue.

slatyb · Answer

Here in Seattle it seems like it's mostly B & C. But we don't have really good data. I get the feeling that many of the unsheltered homeless on the west coast came here from elsewhere for the mild climate.

Hairylegs222 · Answer

Their choice not to work, mental illness, or drugs. I work in the ER of a hospital and deal with homeless people on a daily basis. Almost all of them are on heroine, meth, etc. Hospital tests find out what's in them. Then when they're discharged, we find out where we send them for a ride. Usually it's to a homeless shelter.

worldscolide · Answer

It's a combination of mental illness, drug addiction and domestic abuse. And the majority of our homeless are ex military. I see that right there as a major failure. Not even slightly kidding. Our military should NEVER have to worry about being homeless. Period.

dustybiker · Answer

Healthcare system. You get sick you get *huge* hospital bills. You lose your home and everything you own.

whiskeyontherocks · Answer

Addiction by far is what not only puts people on the streets but keeps them there.
Treating it like a mental health issue is what puts the burden on the general public. I’m not saying arrest them for drugs. Arrest the for shitting in public spaces, violence, and robbery. Invest public funds for people trying to do what’s right and be a productive part of society.

OddBeMe · Answer

Not really sure. I imagine it would be hard to poll homeless people. But seeing that logic would say working hourly anywhere would get you more money than panhandling…I think mental illness and drugs. Drugs usually lead to prostitution or other criminal money-making, thus technically they’re homeless.

Paris13 · Answer

People refusing to Work. Lots of Jobs Out There. xx

BLP11520 · Answer

I had to deal with homeless people years ago and it is heartbreaking. Winter is very hard on them. The have shelters for them. Many are mentally ill , a regular woman I know of got divorced and lost everything somehow? Someone stole her shoes when she was asleep...

melanieeeB · Answer

I took substance abuse, I'm sure that mental healt is also part of the reason but overall I don't think I know enough to make up my opinion yet... I should research more

GreatVallue · Answer

Drugs. I get so sick of Libertarians that say that drugs are a personal choice.  Yeah, right. So just don't take your kids to the park, because they might step on a needle.

TroyDT2 · Answer

Different causes. Short term: money and DV Long term: mental illness and drug abuse

FreyaRed · Answer

Alcohol and drugs. I don't know how it looks in other countries, but in mine are 99,9% of homeless people addicted

JustiReno · Answer

Most people become homeless because money but stay homeless 100% drugs and as @mcheetah said mental issues second, you can get a job at TSA if you are severely mentally disabled 🤷🏽‍♂️

Bricealan · Answer

Working in Social Work in College, Alcohol and Drug use was a major factor, not just someone being "down on their luck.

LadiesFavoriteToy · Answer

Laziness. Poverty and homelessness is a choice. You want to do drugs your choice. Sick or fucked in the head dont take your meds your choice. I have no sympathy for those who make poor choices in life.

Shy_Steve · Answer

It's just not enough Jobs and Employers not being Leniant enough or being to leniant when Hiring.

What's the point in blaming Homeless People and their decisions when the Jobs market won't change at all.

VanillaSalt · Answer

None of the above… it’s poor choices based by bad community.

Anonymous · Answer

It’s usually substance addiction that leads to mental illness or vice versa. These people often have criminal records which further compounds their ability to find gainful employment.

Havthrills · Answer

Substance abuse it seems from your selections. There are some that just don't want to work, so no income, so no home.

Anonymous · Answer

Lucy, All of the above, add in PTSD and you have defined what our government has been unable to for years. When are you running for office? KIK

Still-alive · Answer

Currently its the High cost of housing.

Staximus · Answer

I used to work at a gas station and saw many of the local homeless people on a regular basis. I'd say about 80% of them were fucked up on drugs and the remaining 20% were crazy or drunks

Ad_Quid_Orator · Answer

Landlords buying up property and pushing up the price.

ArtemisSilver · Answer

A combination of disability, mental illness and substance abuse. A lot of them are disabled people trying to self medicate.

bolverk · Answer

It would be a toss up between Mental Illness and Domestic Issues and divorce is usually the cause of both.

Guardian45 · Answer

All of these can be factors, but I chose mental illness, because that is what I experienced and blamed on my homelessness. A mind is a terrible thing to waste!

Fuentes · Answer

Probably the fact that the US is throwing money towards foreign wars that don't affect us & giving FREE money to illegals over Americans, who are homeless.

PainusNdeeAnus · Answer

Terrible educational system

BJP21 · Answer

Oppression due to Cultural Imperialism, Exploitation, and Powerlessness as well as being deprived of basic needs.

Rangers · Answer

High housing costs, low job availability mixed with an over abundance of drugs

KrakenAttackin · Answer

It's a combination of factors. I would put substance abuse, which leads to mental illness, at the top of the list.

Anonymous · Answer

I personally feel like it’s a bit of everything.

Luopio27 · Answer

Not enough welfare, not enough public housings and not enough jobs.

Anonymous · Answer

Probably substance abuse and losing everything and close friends and relatives because of it, also mental illness could be part of it or just bad choices in life

gag6474 · Answer

they might not able to find jobs or lost their job and income

Guanfei · Answer

All of these, which cause a lack of money, which cause homelessness.

Anonymous · Answer

I blame politicians... They steal a lot of money from government and they don't even think of welfare of people in average in come. they control markets and house prices. They can make many people homeless. IT's about rotten politicians.

ALewis30 · Answer

I say it's a mix of all the things you've listed.

jimmy2 · Answer

Add jobless then all the pic are plus some times it's by choice

XXblack88 · Answer

Alcohol and drug abuse.

Anonymous · Answer

Women are gold diggers. We men want a woman that wants us at the start instead of just want us cause we won the race.

SoIcyGang · Answer

Government intervention in the economy.

LaBokaChula · Answer

Greed and money..

suzzieQ · Answer

Not having a home

exitseven · Answer

I think it is money.

ZenJen444 · Answer

Their own poor decisions

LimitedBenefits101 · Answer

Lazy people become homeless.

What is the biggest cause of homelessness in your opinion?

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