What's the main cause of homelessness in the US?

[OtterMan68]

Lack of affordable housing

Mental illness

Drug & alcohol addiction

Lack of good paying jobs

All of the above equally

Other

[Longshanks1968]

Everyone has a different background and story.
Mine started with a judge who decided in error against me in my divorce which financially ruined me.
8 years later i became disabled and unable to work.
Then I lost my home and the remaining of my family and all those who I thought were my friends.
Then I moved into my RV.
Then it got wrecked and towed, when I got it back from the tow yard, everything of value was gone, and then the yard person completely destroyed it bringing it out.
Then I moved into a tent for a year.
Then I got the conversion van that I'm presently living in.
All this time I'm awaiting approval from disability for monthly checks that even though I'm eligible for max pay (2560) will not be enough to live on unless I continue to live in my van.
I've met and seen a lot of people out here.
There are many reasons people are out here, but drug addiction is usually secondary, as it becomes necessary to mentally survive out here.
In no particular order, these are the top reasons people are out here.
1. Mental illnesses
2. Unaffordable Housing
3. Unfair Divorce
4. Lifestyle Choice
5. Unemployment

[bolverk]

Have a look at the local government of the areas that have the highest levels of 'Homelessness' It is probably their policies that have lead to the increases in 'Homelessness'. But that will not be the case for those Ex-Service men and women who have a greater tendency to move away from urban areas if not go 'off grid' completely.

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2023/11/have-the-top-us-cities-in-homelessness-had-democrat-mayors.html

[OtterMan68]

but is the fact they are large cities have anything to do with the homeless migrating there? Is it easier to be homeless in a large city or a small town?

[bolverk]

It is due to what those 'homeless' people get from those Dem City/State governments in the forms of the programs they have to give homeless' people free stuff without trying in any significant way to get those 'homeless' people off the streets,

[sage2021]

I think they don't have any family to help them. No support system in their life.
People living paycheck to paycheck can become homeless very fast and if they don't have family and friends to help them until they find another job, they end up on the streets homeless.

Sometimes a person needs just one person to give them a leg up!

If you want to help someone from adding to the homeless population, then help them for God's sake, help them.
Give of yourself - especially if you have more than enough like some people do on here, but they are shellfish and don't want to share anything with someone who is down and out.
Their attitude is "I went to college and nobody helped me_ which is a crock of shit - you had your family to help you. Don't fricken lie about it.

[Shgshshdg]

People committing crimes and finding it hard to find employment after that

[Shgshshdg]

No everyone has the same reason but I reckon this is a popular reason

[exitseven]

It is a complex issue. Drug and alcohol is part of it but in many cases people fail at life and fall behind and never catch up. I see people all the time that get into a training program and are given free tuition, free tutors and extra help and they fail to do the work and just want to play video games. They fail despite haveing a good opportunity to make their lives better. Covid has made people expect a handout.

[purplepoppy]

The American mentality. Americans believe in always standing on your own two feet and its wrong to help people who are struggling. So instead of catching people as they begin to slip they let them fall beyond the point of no return.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Its not that its viewed as “wrong” to help people. Its more that nobody gives a sh*t and most people just live for themselves

[Avicenna]

The many people who work fir social welfare agencies and charities in the US are shaking their heads at your silly European caricature.

[Kingofkings1992]

Huh, someone in the UK is telling us what we believe. That’s interesting

[Chazmatazz269]

Addiction falls under mental illness.
It’s a combination of factors. A deplorable economic system is high on the list, but mental illness is right up there too.

[Chazmatazz269]

I didn’t say they were the same. I said addiction falls under mental illness. I recommend brushing up on your reading and comprehension skills. In the meantime, kindly avoid polluting my contributions with your nonsense.

[Longshanks1968]

You are a wrong regardless, it doesn't “fall” under mental illness either, dumbass!!

[Chazmatazz269]

You resort immediately to name calling AND doubt that i know what i’m talking about? You are a class act. aren’t you? Bye bye!

[Kingofkings1992]

@longshanks1968 I have first hand experience with addiction. It is absolutely a mental illness. I can’t believe someone would actually refute that.

[jennifer_bloom]

Between 50 - 90% of homeless people have brain injuries - I think it was 80% - God will send the Christian’s who accuse them of being drug addicts to hell

[WhiteBoyChill]

I’m sorry but a high proportion of homeless people are drug addicts and that is fact. Even if I were somehow the ignorant one here (the opposite is true) I still don’t see how a false belief is enough to land a person in hell

[msc545]

People with lots of money will always tell you how important it is that they get more money regardless of the suffering of others...

[WhiteBoyChill]

Well let’s be honest, they’re the ones that run the government and control everything; those with money

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

All of the above, but mainly housing is too damn expensive and minimum wage just doesn't cover the expenses of many adults who work for a minimum wage so they can easily find themselves homeless with one bad break.

[WhiteBoyChill]

But doesn’t it seem like most of the homeless people you talk to seem a bit off?

[AviatorTom]

Main cause is people losing their job without having an emergency fund to support them until they get a job.

[pethouse]

Multiple reasons. I’d say the top is addiction and mental illness.

[Snakeyes7]

The implementation of socialist policies that most people won't notice because it is slowly being pushed one policy at a time and idiots fall for it because it just sounds good.

[strateguy632]

usually they spend their money on drugs but under biden it increased more n faster.

[Longshanks1968]

You are ridiculous and have no idea what you are saying. You should probably not voice your uneducated opinions.

[Anonymous]

@abc3643 How is the GOP responsible for homelessness? Every time Democrats get into office, homelessness doubles in the U. S. It has doubled from what it was in 2019 since Biden's been in office.

[WhiteBoyChill]

As far as I’m concerned, California has a far worse homeless problem than Florida does

[strateguy632]

@WhiteBoyChill the democrat goal is to shrink the middle class. that is some policiy goals.

[Longshanks1968]

Homelessness has been going on for much longer than Biden has been in office.
Don't get me wrong, I think Biden is a piece of shit.

[WhiteBoyChill]

@Longshanks1968 Well yeah, but clearly blue states have far worse issues with it

[Anonymous]

A lot of factors such as depression which leads to addiction which leads to homelessness plus the root cause which capitalism and a government who over pays a minority and excludes lower class.

[OtterMan68]

the more economic freedom a country has, the better off it is.

[Opinion Owner]

If you think of such thing as economic freedom or freedom at all then you’re brain washed.
When big corporations get benefits and deals other small companies can’t then this defies free economy.
In the 70s supermarkets had products from 50+ brands but now only 5.
You will find different names of the same products yet they mostly belong to the same brand.

[OtterMan68]

Economic freedom is the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please. In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital, and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself.
The countries that do that the best often have low poverty and homelessness
https://www.heritage.org/index/pages/report
Compare that to countries with lots of corruption and government interference in the economy
https://www.heritage.org/index/pages/report

[Opinion Owner]

Corruption and the type of economic aren’t correlated, I hope that you know most countries are a free economy.
I’m not a communist, I believe free economy is the best right but today’s free economy is a scam.

[OtterMan68]

I said "most free"

[Opinion Owner]

What I’m saying is most countries are free economies, so you implying that “most” are doing okay is incorrect.

You could say that countries that have tight global power like the US and France.
France steals gold, uranium from African nations because it has power. These African nation are a free economy too.

What I’m saying is the root cause of homelessness is higher power monopolies like what you call in Russia oligarchs.
Russia too has turned into a free economy.

The only not free economy nations are only china, Vietnam, North Korea etc an other small nations.
China isn’t poor by the way

[OtterMan68]

Russia is not a free economy

[Opinion Owner]

My advice is that you should educate yourself more on this topic, best regards.

[WhiteBoyChill]

I don’t know about “all of the above equally”, but certainly all those factors play a role for sure.

In my experience though, many homeless people don’t seem particularly right in the head.

[Longshanks1968]

I've read your comments and you are correct about a couple of things but overall you don't know enough to comment as if you are educated on the subject.

[Massageman]

The thought that anyone else is going to help you, least of all, the government.

[Longshanks1968]

I've received more help from volunteer programs than from anywhere else.

[Massageman]

@Longshanks1968 Amen for that. I work at our church Food Pantry every week. We used to get about 30-36 families per week. It's up to 50-54 a week lately and the food supplies we do get (NONE from any government programs or sources, by the way) are getting lower and lower. We do what we can. One man ( a retired Vet) who comes to the pantry - in turn- volunteers at a center for mentally challenged Vets (PTSD, etc), so you never know how each life touches that of others. (Gee - sounds like a promo for It's a Wonderful Life).

[douride2]

Mostly it is to many people making bad decisions. That is my thought any how.

[Med_guy1978]

Poorly run country not in the interest of it's citizens but of corporations.

[DonVitoCorleone]

USA is underdeveloped. Greetings from Italy 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇷🇺

[WhiteBoyChill]

God, I wish I could’ve been born there instead. XD

[Enginn]

It has to be because they have no money or job to rent one.

[strateguy632]

because thry bought drugs

[Longshanks1968]

Strateguy, you have no idea what they buy and don't buy!
Don't comment while ignorant on the subject.
You only perpetuate the problem.

[Anonymous]

Drugs and mental illness.

[NathanDavis]

lack of house

[abc3643]

The GOP.

[strateguy632]

biden caused much more

[FunkyMonkee]

Joe Biden.

[Pterodon]

Democrat policies

[DonFredoCorleone]

democrats