The Misconceptions of Homelessness and the Homeless

Like many things in this world, we humans like to generalize and paint things in black and white which often leads to a misguided understanding of reality. This is especially true with how our society understands homelessness and the perception of the homeless. Thought as lazy, uneducated and unwilling to better themselves, too often homeless individuals are seen as irredeemable and sometimes even a threat to modern society. But in reality, they are an outcome of modern economics.

Here are some common misconceptions about homelessness and the homeless.

People who are homeless are addicts

• In fact according to Homeless Hub, the percentage of homeless people that are experiencing addiction is comparable to the general population

Homeless don’t take advantage of the services and support provided to them

• The reality of these services is that they are focused on emergency services, such as shelters and food banks, that help these people survive rather than help them escape the cycle of poverty and homelessness

Homeless people should just get a job

• Interestingly enough, Council for the Homeless revealed that a nation-wide study showed that roughly 40% - 60% of homeless people are employed. Often the challenge is not only getting a job, but keeping the job long-term. Also a single job in most cases is not enough to break the homelessness cycle.

There is nothing I can do about homelessness/ it can’t be solved

• The Borgen Project highlights how Finland decreased their homelessness rates by nearly 40% due to “individually tailored solutions, affordable housing, policy changes and local support”. Change can happen through inspiring community effort and supporting holistic policy changes regarding housing in our society.

The reality of homelessness is that it affects demographics that you wouldn’t expect (children) and economically costs taxpayers. A Sierra Sun article illustrates how providing permanent housing for homeless people actually saves taxpayer money through less frequent hospitalizations, use of emergency care services, fewer police interventions and decreasing incarceration rates. Not to mention lowering cleanup costs and the sheer volume of services offered to this large community.

Getting involved, pushing for policy change and inspiring community efforts should not only appeal to us because it helps more people find a place to live but also alleviates many societal problems that this housing crisis has caused.

Our society demonizes homeless people and hyper focuses on the individual rather than the societal context that has led to so many to be without the means to have a place of their own. In order to solve an issue like homelessness, a broader approach that addresses housing inequality in our society will be required.