Essay on Homelessness in Massachusetts

Homeless is a serious issue taking place in the whole of Massachusetts. It may however not be clear of the exact number of people who remain homeless across the entire state, but the issue remains to be one of concern. Various cities within the state have conducted surveys to identify the number of homeless people. Several Massachusetts cities have counted and surveyed their local homeless youth populations (Massachusetts). The national center on family homelessness in Massachusetts identifies that homelessness has often been associated with those living on the streets. The organization further expresses that there is evidence of a significant rise in the number of families on the streets. They make up forty percent of the population who are homeless in Massachusetts. Historically homelessness has been associated with individuals living on the streets, but families have become the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population, comprising nearly 40 percent nationally, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness (Schoenberg). The Worcester Teen Housing Task Force together with the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance remain to be important players in addressing the issue of homelessness in Massachusetts. The two organizations have gathered information on the homelessness statistics in different Massachusetts cities. The Worcester Teen Housing Task Force conducted a survey within Worcester in 2011 and discovered that there was a high prevalence of homeless families, youths, and children within the city. The rates were higher for the whole state with many living in shelters, others out of shelters while others with friends. As Collins says Family homelessness is a complex problem that arises from stagnating or decreasing wages, a severe shortage of affordable housing, and a lack of tools to help families obtain and maintain housing and economic stability (5).

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The state is reported as one among those with the highest rise in family homeless across America. As Schoenberg report Since 2008, Massachusetts has experienced one of the greatest increases in family homelessness in the U.S., according to a report released Thursday by the Boston Foundation (Schoenberg) . Massachusetts and New York are the two states that report the highest population of the homeless with a large number of families. There are various factors believed to be the cause of increased homelessness in Massachusetts, and these include structural factors like high costs in housing and household incomes that remain small Structural issues (high housing costs, low household income) (dta). The costs of housing in Massachusetts remain high with many individuals lacking the ability to reach what is already in place. Many of these people especially from poor backgrounds lack reliable sources of income and when they get employed their income is not enough to get adequate housing. Therefore many of them will be used but depend on shelters around the state for housing.

Many of those who are homeless come from poor backgrounds. Some of them are single parents who struggle for to survive. As Dame states Despite these efforts, the culmination of low wages, high housing costs, and a shortage of supports experienced across the country have created housing instability for thousands of additional families, preventing them from increasing their economic mobility (Dame). In many instances, these families will turn to shelters to get a roof over their heads and get food in some instances They cannot get help even though they have too little income to pay their bills (Bingulac). There are also personal issues that cause homelessness in Massachusetts including various forms of disability, substance abuse, and mental illness Personal issues (mental illness, substance abuse, other physical and mental disabilities) (dta). Many youths and parents engage in drug addiction for numerous reasons, and it acts as a hindrance for these individuals to make a good life for themselves. Eventually, these youths, parents and their children end up on the streets with their only option remaining to seek shelters. Mental illness is also another cause of homelessness where those affected become incapacitated and therefore cannot cater for their basic needs. Their condition makes the lack the ability to earn money thus acquire the appropriate housing. Disability is also a major concern in the issue of homelessness. It is mainly a problem for individuals from poor backgrounds who may lack the necessary resources for their loved ones who are disabled Nearly a quarter of Massachusetts wage-earning families are unable to cover the basic cost of living even with public supports supplementing their income (Bingulac). In such instances, the disable will have no option but to end on the streets.

There is also the issue of social policies, which play an integral role in determining the rates of homelessness in Massachusetts. These plans include programs for mental health, assisted housing programs that are effective, programs that deal with substance abuse and many other intervention programs. As Schoenberg states Personal issues and social policies vary among the homeless population but the structural problems are common to all homeless families and individuals (Schoenberg). Many of those who end up homeless do not access these programs in time, and they eventually end up without housing. Some may get the help the help they need beforehand, but a higher percentage always ends up homeless due to delayed involvement by the specific programs that can contribute to making their lives better.

Massachusetts guarantees its citizens a right to shelter which means that every individual especially families that have small children have a right to access a shelter once they become homeless Massachusetts is a right to shelter state (Schoenberg 1). Records indicate that since the year 2008 more than thirty thousand families seek shelter in Massachusetts, which adds up to more than one hundred people to date. Dame states that Recent data suggest that that the number of individuals entering or returning to the shelter system is declining, but the length of stay in the shelter is increasing to an average of nearly a year statewide (Dame). Many of these individuals elongate their stays in the shelters due to various reasons. In some cases, they are unable to access a job for a reliable source of income while in some instances, they may be employed but their pay is not enough to cater for their housing and daily needs. Those who are mentally and physically disabled often need the most help and are some of those who stay in the shelters for long because they find it hard to care for themselves and the shelters offer the best opportunities for them. The city of Boston presents the highest number of individuals who stay in shelters the longest compared to other areas of the state The most prolonged shelter stays are in the Boston area (Schoenberg). It is because the cost of living in the city is slightly higher than other areas. It, therefore, means that the general cost of living and that of housing is high thus, those with a minimal or no income find it hard to survive outside the shelters. As Collins states A second challenge is that current affordable housing production programs, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, cannot subsidize rents to a level that Extremely Low-Income (ELI) households can afford (11).

Homelessness remains to be a prevalent issue in the economy of Massachusetts There is no one-size quick fix to family homelessness (Bingulac). It is evident that homelessness takes an individual cycle because there are those who will be homeless for a short while due to job loss and once they acquire a new source of income they can house themselves. There are those who will go through numerous episodes of homelessness in some instances as they move from various systems of care, hospitals, or even prisons. Others often spend a lot of their time on the streets or in shelters as they struggle with issues like disability, addiction or mental illness. It does not, however, mean that all hope is lost for the homeless in Massachusetts Homelessness is a housing crisis that affects people from all walks of life (Schoenberg). The state government has strategies in place to aid those who are struggling with homelessness, and though some of them are in progress, there is still a lot that can be done. As Dame states, Still, homeless individuals in Boston and Massachusetts are far more likely to be sheltered here than if they lived elsewhere in the country (1). There are shelters in place to care for the homeless, but evidence indicates that leaving people on the streets or putting them in shelters is more costly for the states than if these individuals would find a stable form of housing. As MHSA states A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that it is more cost effective to place a chronically homeless individual in supportive housing than to leave that person on the streets or in shelter (Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance). There is often a significant drop in expenses that go to the homeless including shelter, Medicaid, and incarceration costs once they get a stable place to stay and continued access to support.

There is a consensus that the development of decent, safe, affordable housing is a critical first step to ending homelessness (dta). It is evident that shelters help numerous individuals in Massachusetts but it remains expensive and a short-term solution to the issue of homelessness. There needs to be a plan in place that will ensure that the homeless do not stay on the streets or in shelters for long periods. The plan needs to be one that will involve a quick transition of the homeless from the streets and shelters into stable housing where they can easily access support services. It would include assessment, permanent aid in housing, almost immediate housing and short-term shelter The report recommends targeting families early on in their shelter stays to figure out what resources the family needs (Schoenberg). It remains to be a critical issue in Massachusetts, but with time and cooperation, the state may be able to eradicate homelessness.

Works cited

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Bingulac, Marija. Responses to Rising Family Homelessness in Massachusetts | Scholars Strategy Network. N.p., 2015. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.

Collins Jr, Edward J. "ON SOLID GROUND: Building Opportunity, Preventing Homelessness." (2015).

Dame, Jonathan. BY THE NUMBERS: How Homelessness in Massachusetts Compares to Rest of the U.S. Newton TAB. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.

dta. Update on Homelessness in Massachusetts. Health and Human Services. N.p., 18 Mar. 2004. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.

Massacheusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance. Homelessness in Massachusetts | Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance. N.p., N. D. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.

Schoenberg, Shira. Massachusetts Sees Large Increase in Family Homelessness, Report Finds. masslive.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.

Worcester, HOMELESS YOUTH IN. "Massachusetts." (2016).