Osuna 1
Anna
Osuna
Professor
Broadous
PAS
114B
22
March 2012
Chasing Pavements
The space around you defines who you are;
your house, your car, your room, your clothes, your shoes, and your family are
what normal citizens of the Untied States are accustom to having. Due to the
downfall of the economy many normal middle class people are finding themselves
left without jobs, money, homes, and eventually find themselves homeless. How
would you feel if everything you once had was swept beneath your feet without
warning? Most people consider homeless people to be dirty, crazy, substance
abusers, and lazy. However they forget that some people who are homeless did
not choose to be this way some use to be middle class citizens like you and I
that had unfortunate luck. The reality of poverty in the United States and
around the world is continually increasing. This dramatic change of space
defines these people differently then the average citizen like you and myself.
People who become homeless change dramatically their personality and morals
shift entirely due to the circumstances they are now left with. I was asked to
visit a homeless shelter and I choose the Los Angeles Mission. The Los Angeles
Mission is located on East Fifth Street in the City of Los Angeles. Their
location is in the heart of Skid Row, one of the largest stable populations of
homeless people in the United States. The Los Angeles Mission offers “hot
meals, safe shelter, clothing, personal care, and life-
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transforming long-term rehabilitation to hungry, hurting
and homeless men, women and children”
(Los Angeles). Entering the Los Angeles mission no one would know what to
except or how to react to the people of the shelter but once I did I saw
benches of homeless men and women sitting down and relaxing. They had all their
belongings gathered and held as closely next to them as possible. After we were
escorted outside to the jacket give away I saw the frantic individual outside
waiting fighting for their place in line to receive anything given to them.
What struck me the most is that I saw a mother and her daughter in line as
well. I had never seen a homeless child before and I observed her and her
mother I realized that not all people chose this life. Volunteering at a shelter
will realize living on the streets is another world you would never imagine
encountering. The streets of Los Angeles is the reality of these citizens but
by observing these people I learned to never judge a situation until you really
think of the circumstances. Many women, men, and children become homeless not
because they are lazy but due to mental illness, substance abuse, domestic
violence, and financial and life circumstances. We must not forget that we can
improve the circumstances for these people by improving programs geared towards
the homeless.
. Many
women and children become homeless due to domestic violence. For example “When a woman leaves an
abusive relationship she has nowhere to go” (Domestic) due to “ lack of
affordable housing and long waiting list for assisted housing mean that many
women and their children are forced to choose between abuse at home or life on
the streets. Moreover, shelters are frequently filled to capacity and must turn
away battered women and their children. An estimated 29% of requests for
shelter by homeless families were denied in 2006 due to lack of resources”
(Domestic). Women and children who become homeless due to domestic violence
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have are already unstable and being put
on the streets only intensifies the trauma they are dealing currently dealing
with. Watching the mother and her family in the shelter you could tell the
difference between their family and the average, the mother was constantly
watching her surroundings to protect her children. You would only imagine how
uncomfortable and fearful her and her family must be. “A ford foundation study
stated 50 percent of homeless women and children are fleeing abuse” (Domestic).
A number of shelters have been created specifically for domestic violence
victims such as the House of Ruth, the Jenesse Center, the Haven House, Valley
Oasis, and many others. These facilities offer shelter, food, programs,
opportunity, and education to help further their re entry into the working
society.
Many
people are also homeless due to mental illness. For instance “ 20 to 25 percent
of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of
Mental illness” (Mental). Whether these individuals are schizophrenic,
bi-polar, or anti-social they are unable to sustain a normal life within
society due to their mental condition. Many people say “why don’t they just get
help?” because many mentally ill individuals loose control over their illness,
along with some may not be able to afford to pay for their medication or chose
not to take it. “Serious mental illnesses disrupt people’s ability to carry
out essential aspects of daily life, such as self care and household
management” (Mental). Explaining why so many mental ill people end being
homeless because of their mental illness these individuals develop poor heath.
“ Mental illness may cause people to neglect taking the necessary precautions
against disease. When combined
with inadequate hygiene due to homelessness, this may lead to physical problems
such as respiratory infections, skin diseases, or exposure to tuberculosis or
HIV” (Mental). Many mental ill are raped because their “psychiatric condition
may impair the ability of some homeless
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women to identify and avoid potentially
violent situations” (Community) Substances abuse is also a cause of
homelessness individuals become so dependent on drugs and alcohol they loose
their family, friends, and often their jobs. “ Substance abuse is the single
largest cause of homelessness” (Substance) In many situations substance abuse
is a result of being homeless rather then a cause of homeless individuals who
are homeless turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their feelings and is an
easy escape.
Not
all homeless have any self-problems at all some just had unfortunate luck
talking to one a homeless mother, who preferred to stay anonymous stated “
everyday is a constant struggle, where they are going to stay, who they are
going to encounter, how the whether is going to treat them that night” things
the average American probably does not have to think about on a day to day
bases but for this mother this was her reality. This is what is happening to
many middle class citizens due to the recession and it is said numbers are
bound to keep rising. Many individuals have lost their jobs, their houses, and
end up having no choice but living on the streets. “ I never appreciated what I
had before but now everyday I have learned to appreciate the little stuff I
have here at LA Mission” the women said. “The government considers a family of four to be impoverished if they
take in less than $22,000 a year”(CBS) which is very common now because of the
lack of jobs in American. An
individual who becomes homeless may start stealing become untrusting, to
themselves, and develop paranoia; opposed to before they were carefree, loud,
cheerful, and trusted the majority of people. Living on the streets is a
different world these people never know what to expect they are living by day-to-day
and only hope to survive. They no longer have anything they can call their own
except the few belonging they have left. Their entire space has been violated
and shaped them into individuals who have to fend
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5
for
themselves. “I do not really know who to trust anymore”, stated the women. This
epidemic needs to come to an end the United States needs to improve their
tactics in trying to get these people all the streets so they can live safe and
secure life’s because that is their right. No one should deserve to struggle
whether they were mental ill, or use to live in a four-bedroom house and now
have to sleep on the cold pavement of the sidewalks each night.
The Untied States needs to put their best foot
forwards and improve their programs to keep people off the streets and having
to resort living on the streets. Starting off with offering better programs to
help the mentally ill and substance abusers, which end up going hand in hand. Many
mentally ill are substance abusers but cannot find anywhere willing to help
them to recover. “Many programs for homeless people with mental illnesses do
not accept people with substance abuse disorders, and many programs for
homeless substance abusers do not treat people with mental illnesses”(Substance).
What does not make sense is if these people have both of these issues, why are
they not qualifying for the help? Also, “Better mental health services would
combat not only mental illness, but homelessness as well”(Mental). More funding
towards these programs would help provide more housing for homeless individuals
but the programs should be sure that they are providing the housing to the
right people. For example “even if homeless individuals with mental illnesses
are provided with housing, they are unlikely to achieve residential stability
and remain off the streets unless they have access to continued treatment and
services” (Mental) Housing should not be wasted on people who do not have the
mental stability yet to get back on their feet. Housing should first be
provided to those without illness, and those with mental and substance abuse
issues should be put in rehabilitation programs that can help support their
success to stability. Homelessness is a tragedy that needs to and can be
stopped.
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People should not be having to live on
the streets although some people do live on the streets by choice it does not
mean they have no value to this society. These people are as important as a
middle class American in this nation, they have purpose; they have feelings,
and deserve the right to be given a second chance if they are willing to take
it. The United States should not just give up on these people and throw them
away because if you were in their shoes wouldn’t you want to be helped?
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Work Cited
"Domestic Violence and Homelessness." Nationalhomeless.org.
The National Coalition for the Homeless, Aug. 2007. Web.
"Los Angeles Mission." About History. Web.
26 Mar. 2012. <http://www.losangelesmission.org/AboutUs/History.aspx>.
Heslin, Kevin C., Paul L. Robisonson, Richard S. Baker, and
Lilian Gelbery. "Community Characteristics and Violence against Homeless
Women in Los Angeles." 1-4. Print.
"Homeless Children: The Hard times Generation." CBSNews.
CBS Interactive, 06 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18560_162-20038927.html>.
"Mental Illness and Homeless." Nationalhomeless.org.
The National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009. Web.
"Substance Abuse and Homelessness." Nationalhomeless.org.
The National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009. Web.
