With a nationwide rate of 565, 000 people experiencing homelessness on any given day, emergency shelter, and transitional housing programs are only putting a dent in this overgrowing population of less fortunate individuals. While the poverty rate increases to 47 million people, many of these low-income families also experience homelessness, as a result of eviction or foreclosure of their previous homes. This isn’t always the fault of the households, since the cost of living in major cities has become difficult for many lower, and middle class families. If we can increase the amount of transitional housing programs in developing areas, where the population consists greatly of poverty-stricken families, the rate of homelessness will go down significantly, as the emergency shelters become a means of temporary arrangements until families can get back on their feet. Along with the creation of more shelters, there has to be concern about the ongoing violence and theft that occurs within these programs, consequently prompting many individuals to live on the streets, rather than asking for help.
– Siya Sharma (10th Grade Student, Santa Clara, CA)
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