The Definition of Homelessness - 1604 Words

The definition of homelessness can vary depending who you speak to, but according to Peter Rossi in his text, Down and Out in America, he defines homelessness as â€Å"not having customary and regular access to a conventional dwelling; it mainly applies to those who do not rent or own a residence† (Rossi 10). Robert Frost states in his poem, â€Å"The Death of the Hired Man†: â€Å"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, / they have to take you in† (qtd. in Rossi 14). For people who are branded with the term, â€Å"homeless†, there is no place they can go to where â€Å"they have to take you in†. They are faced with hardship after hardship. There are several factors that can contribute to why people are without a home and living on the streets, most of which can happen to any one of us, especially in the economy that we are currently living in today. The U. S. Census Bureau reported in 2007 that the population of unsheltered indi viduals living in Los Angeles alone is over 40,000, which reveals that for every ninety-six sheltered people, there is one homeless individual (Department of Homeless Services 9). The rate is so high specifically in Los Angeles because of the extremely high living costs that we have. The reason why there are so many homeless individuals in America vary depending on person as well as the obstacles they have experienced. In the book, The Homeless: Opposing Viewpoints, different aspects of being homeless are addressed from several different authors,Show MoreRelatedDefinition And Categories Of Homelessness2161 Words   |  9 PagesDefinition and Categories of Homelessness The Early Years The meaning of homelessness has changed many times in the past years, we have forgotten that casual laborers, vagrants, and the wandering poor were not unseen in early years, whereby homelessness is an uneasy situation in society. According to Shlay Rossie, (1992), homelessness is an individual without a home or a permanent place, but current perspectives indicate that intermittent homelessness falls into the definition. At the beginningRead MoreThe United Kingdom And The Implication For Women849 Words   |  4 Pagesand explore homelessness in the United Kingdom and the implication for women. Literature review Many historian and social scientist agree that the multi-dimensional and complex nature of homelessness has resulted in the relative difficulty in establishing a clear definition of homelessness. Accordingly, homelessness began to escape concise definition, due to the complexity and increasing diversification (Chamberlain and Johnson: 2001). However, globally the definition of homelessness states thatRead MoreHomelessness : A Worldwide Public Health Crisis Essay1423 Words   |  6 PagesHomelessness: A Worldwide Public Health Crisis In the United States, there were approximately 564,708 people who were homeless on a single winter night in 2015 (Housing and Urban Development, 2015). Worldwide, acquiring an accurate picture of homelessness has proven challenging due to varying definitions country to country. Furthermore, data on homelessness has also proven to be extremely sparse in many parts of the world. The last worldwide survey was attempted by the United Nations. Based onRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of Homelessness Essay792 Words   |  4 PagesAgencies Use the Same Definition of Homelessness†? A Rhetorical Analysis of Duffield’s â€Å"Should Federal Agencies Use the Same Definition of Homelessness†? The author, Barbara Duffield, Policy Director for National Association for the education of homeless children and youth, writes for CQ Researcher the article â€Å"Should federal agencies use the same definitions of homelessness?† Duffield aims to substantiate that federal agencies, using different definitions of the law create complicationsRead MoreHomeless On A Single Winter Night Essay1507 Words   |  7 Pagesacquiring an accurate picture of homelessness has proven challenging due to varying definitions country to country. Furthermore, data on homelessness has also proven to be extremely sparse in many parts of the world. The last worldwide survey was attempted by the United Nations. Based on the survey it was estimated that 100 million people were homeless across the world (United Nations, 2005). Due to the lack of data, greater focus should be placed on the issue of homelessness. Considering the well-knownRead MoreThe Different Types of Homelessness755 Words   |  4 Pageshomeless, and doubled-up is a term excluded from the definition of homeless, but could surely be considered a homeless category. Thousands of shelters exist across the country and they all share one common goal, to shelter the homeless. Sheltered homelessness refers to the category of homeless persons using emergency or transitional housing. â€Å"Transitional housing programs provide temporary residence—up to 24 months—for people experiencing homelessness. Housing is combined with wrap-around services toRead MoreThe Primary Social Problem Addressed By The Valor House1035 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The primary social problem addressed by the Valor House is veteran homelessness. The Valor House receives funding to operate from the Veterans Administration (VA). As such the Valor House must follow and adhere to the guidelines established under the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. The HEARTH Act established the final rule on the definition of chronically homeless that will be used by the Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentRead MoreSociological Perspective on Homelessness1248 Words   |  5 Pagesdate Sociological Perspective on Homelessness Homelessness is a social problem that is prevalent around the world. Homelessness has existed for much of civilized human history. In the last two centuries, homelessness and changed and expanded. Sociologists who study and research homelessness have argued over its formal definition for decades, though for some, the definition of homelessness seems self explanatory and obvious. The paper will examine homelessness, particularly as a sociological issueRead MoreHomeless Students During Modern Society1500 Words   |  6 Pagesdifficult. The definition of homelessness vary from country to country. Its also a challenge for the survey takers to see all homeless, the ones who are squatting in places not intended for shelters or who moving around, from shelter to shelter or stay with friend after friend. Those people are sometimes referred to as the â€Å"Hidden Homeless† (Global Homeless Statistics). The world has a major homeless problem, some countries have more than others. In other countries, homelessness is a much biggerRead More How Many People are Homeless? Essay1591 Words   |  7 Pagesis misleading. In most cases, homelessness is a temporary circumstance -- not a permanent condition. A more appropriate measure of the magnitude of homelessness is therefore how many people experience homelessness, not how many people are homeless. Studies of homelessness are complicated by problems of definitions and methodology. This fact sheet describes definitions of homelessness, methodologies for counting homeless people, and recent estimates of homelessness. Additional resources for further