This guest blog was submitted to The Key Alliance by Lillian Swift, a creative writer from Northern Arizona University. As an aspiring writer she specializes in writing about event planning and community issues.
The following blog contains Ms. Swift’s views and opinions:
Although much of the political focus in recent years has been on the economy and divisive political parties, one issue that continues to be a problem in American society is that of homelessness. On any particular night of the year in 2011, an average of 643,067 people were without adequate shelter or a place to sleep. Oddly enough, that number is lower than the years prior, despite a continually collapsing economy. Although that may seem like a promising trend and a rise in the number of homeless citizens who are provided for by the government, much research shows that the trend will likely reverse in the year 2012 and beyond.
It might seem odd that during years of economic difficulty such as those in recent US history, the rate of homelessness in the country was able to decrease as it did. Some would argue that the discrepancy lies in the statistics, which don’t tell the whole story. Despite a small drop in the national rate of homelessness, Nashville looks to be one of the areas where the population is rising in this category. The Nashville Rescue Mission has seen numerous individuals seek emergency food and shelter services, as many locals have lost their Nashville apartments and homes as a result of the struggling economy.
Many people who recently lost their homes are in a transition period, spending time with friends and relatives while they hope to get back on their feet. These individuals may not technically be considered homeless, although they technically lack their own reliable nighttime shelter. However, without drastic changes they will eventually become homeless, like thousands of other citizens in America. Additionally, many suspect that under-reported numbers are to blame, in an attempt to make homelessness look like it is decreasing when in fact it is steadily rising.
One thing worth taking note of is that there is a steady rise in families who are spending larger percentages of their incomes on housing. Although many economists and budget planners suggest spending 25% of income on housing, millions of people in America spend over 50% of their monthly income on housing. This means that a sudden job loss, pay decrease, loss of overtime or even a medical emergency could result in falling behind on payments, with no possible way to catch up. These people are often considered to be living on the edge of homelessness, as they are only one or two missed paychecks from being unable to afford their housing.
Although homelessness may have slightly decreased in 2011, there is certainly no indication that it will continue to do so in 2012 and beyond. As more and more people do things such as spending upwards of 50% of their income on housing, there is a greater risk of them losing their homes and being forced to look to family, friends, churches and local shelters to help them with long term accomodations.
To submit a guest blog, email it to jtackett@thekeyalliance.org.
The Key Alliance’s Speakers Bureau is a community outreach effort to address general and specific questions about homelessness in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
