1
Homelessness
The homeless are one of the most marginalized groups in society. They are misunderstood and
there is a stigma against them. Those under our overpasses, on our park benches, or pushing
grocery cart filled with a hodgepodge of belongings, is what most people observe about the
homeless. If you ever take the time to talk to one, or better yet a handful or more, you’ll never
hear exactly the same story twice about how things got to be the ways things are. Some mention
joblessness, domestic violence, addiction, or perhaps something I’m leaving out or a
combination of these unpleasant circumstances.
The homeless have reached the ultimate level of poverty in the United States. Possibly some are
entirely to blame for their misfortunate or are exploiting every handout possible. Some homeless
people will say that they don’t want help or that they prefer living on the street, but I see it more
as they have received help and it didn’t work and that they’ve come to terms with it rather than
go after a false-hope. This is a symptom of chronic homelessness.
A tangible example of help that never worked is that there is currently about a forty-three year
long waiting list for a studio apartment through the District of Columbia Housing Choice
Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8 Housing).1 Other frustrations could include
struggling with an overpowering addiction or applying for a job at age 45 with a disability and
resume saying that you dropped out in ninth grade.
Despite these depressing situations various cities across the United States are making matters
worse by passing legislation criminalizing homelessness. From a fiscal standpoint this makes no
sense because it costs about three times as much to put someone in jail than it does to place
someone in supportive housing according to the Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness,
Congressional Budget Office, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness as shown in
the graph below.
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1
Wheeler, Candace. "For Many, D.C. Housing Waiting List Offers Little More than Hope." Washington Post. The
Washington Post, 05 Nov. 2012. Web. www.washingtonpost.com/local/for-many-the-citys-housingwaiting-list-offers-little-more-than-hope/2012/11/04/e092348a-19f8-11e2-aa6f-3b636fecb829_story.html
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Source: U.S. Interagency on Homelessness www.usich.org.
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Despite this growing trend of criminalizing homelessness in the United States, it is nothing more
than a quick-fix solution to remove homeless people from sight without thought for addressing
the underlying causes of homelessness or an exit strategy for the homeless post incarceration.
The National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness &
Poverty has identified the top twenty cities with the most anti-homeless legislation.3
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Sarasota, Florida
Lawrence, Kansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Atlanta, Georgia
Las Vegas, Nevada
Dallas, Texas
Houston, Texas
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Santa Monica, California
Flagstaff, Arizona
San Francisco, California
Chicago, Illinois
San Antonio, Texas
New York City, New York
Austin, Texas
Anchorage, Alaska
Phoenix, Arizona
Los Angeles, California
St. Louis, Missouri
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Examples of anti-homeless legislation includes Atlanta, Georgia, #4, has outlawed panhandling
and supportive housing inside the city limits and Lawrence, Kansas, #2, has criminalized sitting
on the sidewalk. These laws have targeted the homeless in a way that brings into question
human rights violations. In Atlanta a Hurricane Katrina evacuee was arrested of asking for a few
dollars outside a department store since it was in violation of their anti-panhandling law.
The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 signed by President Barack Obama
requires the United States Interagency on Homelessness (USICH), an independent federal
agency within the executive branch composed of nineteen cabinet secretaries and agency heads
that coordinates the federal response to homelessness through national partnerships at every level
on government and the private sector, to devise constructive alternatives to criminalization of
homelessness. The first comprehensive federal legislative response was the McKinney-Vento
3
"National Coalition for the Homeless." National Coalition for the Homeless. Web.
www.nationalhomeless.org/civilrights/crimpress2006.html.
3
Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 signed by President Ronald Reagan, created the U.S.
Interagency Council on Homelessness and provided federal money for homeless shelter
programs with special emphasis on assisting elderly persons, handicapped persons, and families
with children, Native Americans, and veterans.
Fortunately, the District of Columbia has not criminalized homelessness and instead made
attempts to responsibly addressing people’s needs. The first comprehensive District of Columbia
legislative response was the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 passed by Mayor Anthony
Williams. Modeled after the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, this legislation
established the DC Interagency on Homelessness (DCICH), facilitating interagency, cabinetlevel leadership in planning, policymaking, program development, provider monitoring, and
budgeting for the Continuum of Care of homeless services. Considering the complexity and
variety of experiences that led to homelessness, there is a consensus that it necessary to work
multifaceted with government departments and agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and
communities to alleviate the negative effects of homelessness on neighbors as well as the
negative health outcomes that the homeless endure.
To the left is a map
of the Washington
Metropolitan Area,
shown below,
demonstrating the
serious problem
with homelessness
in the region.
According to the
annual Point-InTime Count
conducted there
were 13,205 people
without homes,
which is the eighth
highest metropolitan
in the country.
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DCICH cabinet-level leadership includes: Chairman: City Administrator - Allen Y. Lew
Agency Directors/District Officials
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Department of Human Services - David Berns
Department of Mental Health - Stephen Baron
Child and Family Services - Brenda Donald
Department of Housing and Community Development - Michael Kelly
Department of Health - Saul Levin
District of Columbia Housing Authority - Adrianne Todman
Department of Corrections - Thomas N. Faust
Director of Employment Services - Lisa Mallory
Office of the State Superintendent of Schools - Hosanna Mahaley Johnson
District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Christopher Geldart
Department of General Services - Brian J. Hanlon
Metropolitan Police Department - Cathy Lanier (Diane Groomes)
Fire and Emergency Medical Services - Kenneth B. Ellerbe (Ex-officio)
District of Columbia Public Schools - Kaya Henderson
Community Members - Representing the Homeless
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Donald Brooks
Cheryl K. Barnes
Brian Watson
Scott McNeilly
Nan Roman
Margaret Riden
Gary James Minter
Continuum of Care
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Hilary Espinosa
Polly Donaldson
Kelly Sweeny McShane
Jean-Michel Giraud
Kimberly Black King
Chapman Todd
Sue Ann Marshall
Michael Ferrell
E. Schroeder Stribling
Hannah M. Hawkins
Deborah Shore
Luis Vasquez
Contact Information: Darrell Cason, DC Department of Human Services darrell.cason3@dc.gov
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The alternative to criminalizing homelessness is to understand how people become homeless,
while exploring policies that can be implemented to stabilize the homeless and prevent others
from becoming chronically homeless in the future. Typically people become homeless by last
resort. It starts will with a series of unfortunate circumstances. The individual or family loses
their home and they either move in with a friend or family member. After an extended amount
of time, they move into a shelter or onto the street. Below is list of leading reasons for
homelessness.4
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Lack of Affordable Housing
Low Paying Jobs/Loss of Job
Physical or Mental Disability
Alcohol Addiction
Drug Dependence
Family Issues/Domestic Violence
Unemployment
Poverty
Prison Re-Entry
Extended Illness
Although homelessness has increased 13.1% from 2008-2012, chronic homelessness – having
experienced repeated or lengthy episodes of homelessness or deep disabilities, has decreased by
about 10% from 2008-2012. The District of Columbia has 6,954 homeless persons. Family
homelessness has increased 73% from 2008-2012. This is shown in the graph and chart below.
4,500
Individuals & Persons in Families
counted at Point in Time, 2008-2012
Persons in
Individuals Families
2008
4,207
1,836
2009
3,934
2,294
2010
4,016
2,523
2011
3,858
2,688
2012
3,769
3,187
4,000
3,500
3,000
Individuals
2,500
2,000
Persons in
Families
1,500
1,000
500
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
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5
"Ten Causes of Homelessness Print PDF." Thrive DC. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
www.thrivedc.org/blog/ten-causes-of-homelessness.
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Homeless in the District of Columbia: The Point in Time Enumeration. The Community Partnership for the
Prevention of Homelessness, 2012. Web.
http://ich.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ich/publication/attachments/2012%20PIT%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
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Single
Homeless People
Homeless living in Families – most often
headed by sole female adult
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33% are chronically homeless
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14.5% have chronic health problems.
69% are chronically homeless
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29.1% have chronic health
problems.
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25% formerly lived in foster care,
jail, prison, hospital, substance abuse or
psychiatric treatment facility in the past.
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23.7% are physically disabled.
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20% lived outside of the District of
Columbia prior to becoming homeless.
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19.2% are employed.
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17.5% were formerly
institutionalized.
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15.1% are chronic substance
abusers.
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An insignificant percentage formerly
lived in foster care, jail, prison, hospital,
substance abuse or psychiatric treatment
facility in the past.
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An insignificant percentage is
physical disabled.
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Most lived in Ward 7 or Ward 8 prior
to becoming homeless.
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16.7% are employed.
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8.6% are formerly institutionalized.
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4.2% are chronic substance abusers.
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13.4% are U.S. Military Veterans.
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An insignificant percentage is a U.S.
Military Veteran.
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13.3% are mentally ill.
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11.8% are a language minority.
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An insignificant percentage is a
language minority
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Men are three times more likely
than women to be single while homeless.
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Average Male Age to be single
while homeless: 48
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Women are about one-third as
likely as men to be single while homeless.
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Average Female Age to be single
while homeless: 39
12.7% are severely mentally ill.
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Women are four times more likely
than men to be homeless living in a family.
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Average Female Age to be homeless
living in a family: 30
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Men are about one-fourth as likely as
women to be homeless living in a family.
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Average Male Age to be homeless
living in a family: 33
Source: "The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness." The Community Partnership for the
Prevention of Homelessness. Web. www.community-partnership.org/cp_dr-fastf.php.
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Homeless Families vs. Single Homeless People
Homeless families and single homeless persons are the two distinctly different groups each
accounting for approximately equal proportions of the homeless population. As the facts on the
previously page show homeless families statistically are better off in terms of health, wellbeing,
and chances of overcoming homelessness, than single homeless persons. The ambiance of
family or community promotes safety and security that is an essential pathway to creating more
stable people.
Something major to note is that women are four times more likely to be living with a family than
men. Considering that there is a 73% growth in homeless families from 2008 and 2012 this is
especially concerning. The majority of these homeless families once lived in Wards 7 and 8,
where unemployment is 15% and 22% respectively,7 which is the highest in the District of
Columbia and one of the highest in the United States. The District of Columbia is starkly
different from the western to eastern quadrants of the city. In Northwest, specifically Wards 2
and 3, people enjoy prosperity in terms of income and education, while those living in Wards 7
and 8 are afforded the least social mobility.
While affordable housing and jobs should be at the forefront of the homelessness debate, quality
education should be close behind since it is one of the greatest equalizers in terms of providing
opportunity to people. This will most help homeless families. Single homeless people may need
additional services to deal with physical or mental disability and alcohol or drug addiction. Each
situation is case by case.
Considering that affordable housing, job creation, and quality education is expensive and largely
more broad-sweeping policies, transportation costs are an immediate need of the homeless today.
The homeless spend a significant portion of their day traveling throughout the District seeking
resources. In an ideal world the homeless would not prioritize transportation, because there
would be small, efficient operations throughout the District of Columbia that provide wraparound services such as healthcare, career resources, meal services, housing, counseling, and
alcohol and drug resources/rehabilitation.
Additional resources that may be helpful for further research include the U.S. Interagency
Council on Homelessness (www.usich.gov), DC Interagency Council on Homelessness
(www.ich.dc.gov), and the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness
(www.community-partnership.org).
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"Falling D.C. Unemployment 'good News,' Not Great." The Washingtion Times. N.p., n.d. Web.
<http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/23/falling-dc-unemployment-good-news-not-great/>.