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Understand Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities (Primary)

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How Tax and Spending Policies Can Reduce Poverty and Inequality

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Schools Working Together to Reduce Wealth Inequality

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Greensboro Police Department partnering with local organizations to prevent homelessness

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Everyone deserves to have a shelter over their heads to call home.

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Can we understand homelessness as a people?

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Can we understand homelessness as a people?

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Have a clear picture of the issue so that we all can work together to create a solution.

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People experiencing homelessness can be individuals, children, or families. As of 2015, 37% of people experiencing homelessness were in families with children, 64% experienced homelessness as individuals, and 6% were children.1

They can be currently without housing, but are also considered eligible for homeless services if they will be without housing in 14 days (i.e., eviction) or if their current housing situation is life-threatening (i.e., domestic violence).2

SPECTRUM OF SEVERITY:

On the Streets

Abandoned Building/Vehicle

Shelters/Missions

Transitional Housing

Single Room Occupancy (SRO)

Precariously "Doubled Up"

2+ Moves within 60 Days

These unstable situations result in a spectrum of homelessness severity, ranging from those who have simply moved more than twice in 60 days, to those living on the streets. Each of these situations can reasonably be included in the full definition of homelessness.3

From the system perspective, a society with a lack of supportive and health services, a suffering economy, or a lack of affordable housing can be challenging for individuals on the brink of homelessness. From an individual perspective, these people can be classified as those unable to work without assistance, those able to work but are unemployed, and those who are employed. The grey areas in between, where the individual can't seem to succeed within the broader socio-political environment (however flawed it may be), is where conflicts happen that result in someone heading toward homelessness.

Some people experiencing homelessness are actually employed and reasonably able to afford most of the things they need-except for affordable housing. Perhaps they have been foreclosed on or evicted, or maybe their neighborhood has undergone gentrification. Regardless, with a lack of affordable housing reasonably available to this population, despite having jobs that pay above minimum wage, they risk becoming homeless.

Also in the category of those able to work but are unemployed (or underemployed) are those who are not particularly suffering a personal hardship: instead they have found themselves experiencing an economic hardship, such as job loss or chronic unemployment, because of a system-wide suffering economy. As the economy improves, or as these individuals can re-establish themselves in a changing economy, their chances of economic suffering decline.

... or the ability to call upon friends and family to help in a time of need. Those who experience homeless not only experience system-individual conflict, but they have fallen through this personal safety net. In a time of need, with dwindling personal connections to rely on, faced with the overwhelming systemic challenges described above, they become homeless.

From the system perspective, a society with a lack of supportive and health services, a suffering economy, or a lack of affordable housing can be challenging for individuals on the brink of homelessness. From an individual perspective, these people can be classified as those unable to work without assistance, those able to work but are unemployed, and those who are employed. The grey areas in between, where the individual can't seem to succeed within the broader socio-political environment (however flawed it may be), is where conflicts happen that result in someone heading toward homelessness.

Also in the category of those able to work but are unemployed (or underemployed) are those who are not particularly suffering a personal hardship: instead they have found themselves experiencing an economic hardship, such as job loss or chronic unemployment, because of a system-wide suffering economy. As the economy improves, or as these individuals can re-establish themselves in a changing economy, their chances of economic suffering decline.

... or the ability to call upon friends and family to help in a time of need. Those who experience homeless not only experience system-individual conflict, but they have fallen through this personal safety net. In a time of need, with dwindling personal connections to rely on, faced with the overwhelming systemic challenges described above, they become homeless.

The housing first approach simply gives homes to people experiencing homelessess, regardless of whether they are sober, have jobs, or have health problems. Being homeless is a traumatic event in itself, and so providing stability with a home first makes other issues more conquerable.11 The housing first model has proven to be very effective, retaining people in homes at higher rates while surprisingly cost-effective.12

This approach goes one step beyond alleviating symptoms to empower those experiencing homelessness-which in turn provides them with more choices about their own futures. Approaches in this category include efforts like job seeker assistance, life skills training, and education, with the hope that these stepping stones, in addition to basic provisions like food and shelter, will be enough to launch them to success.

This most traditional approach involves organizations alleviating the symptoms of homelessness (such as providing people with shelter, clothing, or mental health resources). The hope is that these supportive essential services will be enough to help them get back on their feet, and eventually enable them to establish themselves in a home of their own.

Ready to learn more?

EXPLORE DATA

Use an interactive map and chart interface to view the homelessness issue in the U.S. and compare related factors. Zoom to your city to examine local trends.

BROWSE STRATEGIES

Browse a set of strategies that cities and organizations worldwide are already testing. Find the solution that best fits your resources and needs.

II. HISTORY

The complexity of this definition was not always so broad; in fact the term "homeless" did not originate until the mid-20th century. SOURCE People without homes have surely always existed, but the form that homelessness has taken has evolved in recent decades.

1800-1860

In the pre-Civil War era, the homeless were called hobos or tramps, following where jobs led them. This era of rapid industrialization included a shift toward wage labor (as opposed to practicing trades), which resulted in jobs being less stable because workers were easier to replace. Young men followed railroad jobs west or migrated to the city for factory jobs, living wherever they could find shelter.

1860-1930

After The Civil War, this population of job-seeking workers expanded as veterans and freed slaves joined the ranks. The suffering economy of the post-war depression combined with unregulated capitalism served only to create more instability for workers - requiring them to be even more migratory to find work. The Bowery Mission in New York City was formed in 1879, one of the first shelters designed to support young men struggling to find work.

1930-1950

After the Great Depression, the negative economic impact spread to include entire families, instead of just young men - migrant workers became the norm. Skid rows began to develop in cities across the country, as these growing misplaced communities sought to create shelters for themselves. Homelessness began to be a widespread impact.

1950-1970

In the mid-19th century, the United States began to implement systemic changes that shifted the articulation of homelessness. Skid rows were cleared in the name of urban renewal, and new housing regulations (zoning, plumbing, fire codes, etc.) resulted in nightmarish tenements being torn down. While these regulations raised the bar for the condition of housing structures, low income populations were left out. Housing was now more expensive to build and maintain, and single room occupancy (SROs) were significantly depleted - meaning that low income populations, or those without jobs altogether, had even fewer housing options.

1970-2000

Beginning in the 1970s, more shelters and service organizations sprang up to help fill this void, including Rosie's Place in Boston, the first shelter specifically for women. At the same time, several court cases established "right to shelter" and homeless assistance at the federal level. However, federal budget cuts for social service programs further exacerbated the problem - and the deinstitutionalization of mental health hospitals nationwide caused a major influx of homeless people. These vulnerable populations, those people most in need of care and attention, often had nowhere to go when they were forced out of the hospitals. This era was the beginning of modern homeless as we know it today: a chronic problem embedded in the system.

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People experiencing homelessness can be individuals, children, or families.

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A lot of us live paycheck to paycheck with no increase in pay. This is a reality for a lot of people. One paycheck away from being homeless.

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It must stop. Our children need to see us love one another, respect one another and believe in one another so that they can follow in our footsteps.

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The History of White Violence Against Black Americans

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We all must come together to understand and do better for the generation of children that is coming next. Everyone should be and deserve to be treated equal. 

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We will go extinct if the population to grow as it is.

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The more people in the world the less resources and the faster we will go extinct. The location of this problem is mainly in Asia more specifically India and China. It's an issue because China and india make up 36.5% of the Human Race. Too much is you ask me because the U.S.A. (Third in lead) is about 4.43% of the population. Together that makes a whopping 40.93% of the Human population that is almost half of the worlds population in 3 countries! Citation: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-overpopulation.php

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The more people in the world the less resources and the faster we will go extinct. The location of this problem is mainly in Asia more specifically India and China. It's an issue because China and india make up 36.5% of the Human Race. Too much is you ask me because the U.S.A.

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A factor in our over populated state. We can become educated on ways to prevent teen pregnancy.

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Here at The Overpopulation Project, we try to keep a positive outlook. Although many environmental trends are grim, there exist clear paths forward toward a more sustainable world: one where people steward resources for the future and share habitat and resources generously with other species.

Recently, a correspondent wrote challenging us to identify solutions to the demographic and environmental problems we write about. We appreciate the reminder to remain forward looking and in response share the ideas below. Obviously, no one person or organization can cover all these efforts. But each of us can do something and together we can create a sustainable world.

These are personal and policy suggestions that we and others study. Some points are obvious, others fairly well established, but all need more research. If you are a scientist or scholar, one of the most important actions to take is to address population matters in your research, or join other researchers who are doing so.

What suggestions would you add or take off this list? Which ideas need further research? We would love to hear from you!
Actions on the individual level

Have fewer children! One is good, two is enough - read more here

Consider adoption!

Read, educate yourself about population issues - read more here

Reduce your personal consumption: go vegan, limit flying, share your household with others, and more

Educate your teenage child(ren) about sex and contraception early, without taboos

Spread your knowledge and concern among your friends and family, raise awareness about overpopulation on social media - read more here

Donate to family planning programs in your own or other countries - for example to International Planned Parenthood, FP2020 or another equally deserving organization

Vote for politicians who acknowledge the detrimental impacts of population growth and propose political solutions

Actions on the community level

Join local environmental groups, encouraging them to "connect the dots" between population and the environment and address population issues

Write opinion pieces for local newspapers, contact local media sources requesting more reporting on population issues - create demand!

Municipalities should set growth management boundaries, discouraging sprawl development on their fringes

Towns and cities should purchase surrounding lands, or the development rights to such lands, in order to set them aside as nature preserves and open space

City councils should pass resolutions accepting limits to growth, and directing their national governments to develop policies to stabilize or reduce national populations

Actions on the national level In high fertility developing countries, governments should ...

Generously fund family planning programs

Make modern contraception legal, free and available everywhere, even in remote areas

Improve health care to reduce infant and child mortality

Restrict child marriage and raise the legal age of marriage (minimum 18 years)

Introduce obligatory education as long as possible (minimum until the age of 16), and generously fund the necessary infrastructure

In low fertility developed countries, governments should ...

Embrace rather than fight aging and shrinking societies - read more here

Reorganize pensions and other socio-economic systems to accommodate aging societies

Eliminate baby bonuses, government funding for fertility treatments, and other incentives to raise fertility rates

Reduce immigration numbers (at least to a level that will stabilize national populations, preferably to one that will lower them) - read our blog here

Reduce resource consumption and pollution through an effective mix of taxes, incentives and regulations

I n every country, governments should ... Actions on the global level

Empower women, assuring equal rights, treatment and opportunities for both genders

Provide information and access to reproductive health care, including all types of low cost, safe, effective contraception - read more here

Make sterilization free, for men and women, or at least covered under all healthcare plans

Legalize abortion without restrictions or social stigma - read our blog here

Integrate family planning and safe motherhood programs into primary health care systems

Make population and environmental issues and sex education part of the basic educational curriculum

Disincentivize third and further children non-coercively, by limiting government support to the first two children

Create a national population policy built around an optimal population size, and work to achieve it

Set aside half the national landscape free from intensive development and dedicated to biodiversity protection - read more here

Make "ending population growth" one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals - read our blog here

Greatly increase the amount of foreign aid going to family planning - learn more here

Change the current foreign aid distribution, giving more support for health and education, while ending international military aid - read more here

Global religious leaders should approve modern contraception methods and forcefully reject a fatalistic view of procreation - read more here

Financially support media programs designed to change social norms to bolster family planning, best example is Population Media Center

Hold a new global population conference, the first in twenty-five years, to reaffirm the ecological need to limit human numbers and the basic human right to family planning

Connect family planning to international environmental and development funding; e.g., include family planning in the Green Climate Fund

Create a new global treaty to end population growth, with all countries choosing population targets every half decade with a plan on how to achieve them (similar to the NDC format) - read our blog here

Create an online platform similar to the ClimateWatch platform, where visitors can see countries' goals, plans and achievements to date

The views and opinions expressed through the MAHB Website are those of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect an official position of the MAHB. The MAHB aims to share a range of perspectives and welcomes the discussions that they prompt.

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Solutions to overpopulation and what you can do - MAHB

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Here at The Overpopulation Project, we try to keep a positive outlook. Although many environmental trends are grim, there exist clear paths forward toward a more sustainable world: one where people steward resources for the future and share habitat and resources generously with other species.