5 Myths & Facts about Homelessness
Myth #1: Homelessness is a permanent problem. We will never solve it.
Source: Coalition for the Homeless
Each day people are ending their homelessness. Permanent supportive housing, an approach that combines affordable housing with support services for individuals and families living with mental illness or other disabilities — has been proven to reduce homelessness AND save taxpayer dollars otherwise spent on costly shelters and hospitalizations.
Fact: There are proven solutions to the problem of homeless. Every day people are ending their homeless.
Myth #2: People choose to be homeless.
Source: Homeless Hub
Some of the obstacles that may lead people to experience homelessness include: Experiencing homelessness as a child or teen, a lack of affordable housing for people with low to very low income, job loss or death of the household breadwinner, or one large unexpected expense, like a medical crisis, which makes it difficult to maintain independent housing.
Fact: A variety of different factors can contribute to an individual’s experience of homelessness. Often, people experience homelessness when all other have been exhausted.
Myth #3: Homeless people are all drunks and drug users. We’re just enabling them!
Homelessness, which is usually accompanied by loss of income, isolation, and loss of self-worth, may drive people to use addictive substances to ease pain, quiet fears, and generally cope with the demands of living without a permanent home. It is often mistakenly assumed that people experiencing alcoholism and drug use lack moral principles or willpower and that they should simply choose to change their behavior. Recovering from addiction is difficult for housed people; it is even more difficult for people experiencing the additional trauma of homelessness.
Fact: Research shows that substance abuse is often a result of homelessness, rather than a cause.
Myth #4: People experiencing homelessness are lazy.
Source: Homeless Hub
Due to the barriers that they face, many people experiencing homelessness do not have the option of being stagnant or lazy. For example, searching for a job becomes even more challenging when an individual does not have access to a phone, computer, or fixed address on a regular basis. When people have no place to be, they are often walking and searching for a place to rest, eat, and meet daily human needs.
Fact: In order to survive, many people who experience homelessness are constantly in search of the necessities of life, such as food, shelter and a source of income.
Myth #5: People experiencing homelessness should just find a job.
Source: Homeless Hub
A number of different challenges, such as lacking a permanent address, not having regular access to showers, barriers to transportation, and other difficulties like mental health challenges, make it difficult to find and maintain employment. Many people living outside work multiple jobs and are still unable to find affordable housing due to the high-cost of rent.
Fact: Many people experiencing homeless are employed; however, it is difficult to maintain or find a job while unhoused.