Homeless FAQ

1. How would you define homelessness?

             The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines the term "homeless" or "homeless individual or homeless person" as -- (1) an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and (2) an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is: A) supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodations for human beings. 

            I personally believe that people who don't have shelter are houseless - not homeless! Homelessness has nothing to do with a lack of shelter. Define Homeless: An inadequate experience of connectedness with family and or community.  This fact is now recognized by Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

2. What does homelessness involve? 

            Homelessness not only involves the physical condition a human finds themselves in but also includes the mental and emotional impact of not having a home or a home community. 

3. What are some of the negative effects of homelessness?

            Think of the illness, poor nutrition, exposure to the elements and even the elective crime some of the homeless may be involved in just to be able to eat or have a roof over their head.  Also, imagine that, only having contact with people who are paid to have contact with you! This is chronic homelessness.

4. What causes homelessness? How do people become homeless?

            The major reasons and causes for homelessness as documented by many reports and studies include:

Lack of affordable housing

Substance abuse and lack of needed services

Mental illness and lack of needed services

Domestic violence

Poverty, caused by many factors

Prison release and re-entry into society

Lack of affordable healthcare

Natural Disaster

Lack of education

5. Can you put a face on homelessness?

            Homelessness can happen to anyone – it does not discriminate by race, age or gender.  Most families are one or two paydays away from being homeless.

6. How many families w/children in the U.S. are homeless & what are some of the approaches for serving those families?

            The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade.  Families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. In its 2005 survey of 25 American cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that families with children comprised 33% of the homeless population, a definite increase from previous years (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). These proportions are likely to be higher in rural areas.  Research indicates that families, single mothers, and children make up the largest group of people who are homeless in rural areas (Vissing, 1996).

7. Why are so many vets homeless?

            Research indicates that 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34% of the general adult male population (Rosenheck et al., 1996). In 2005, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey of 24 American cities found that 11% of the homeless population were veterans – however, this does not take gender into account (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005).  The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that on any given night, 271,000 veterans are homeless (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 1994). 

            In my opinion, the vet suffers from all the same problems that any other person has who becomes homeless – but add one more factor – finding a job that you can do as a civilian that you were trained for in the military.  This creates a problem for the vet – he is trained to fight the enemy and do a job but there are none of those jobs available in the civilian world.

8. How many people are homeless in the U.S.?

            944,000 in Jan 2006 according to an AP report.

8.b. What type of homeless situations might not be counted in official stats, but is still regarded as being homeless?

            Other federal agencies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), interpret the McKinney-Vento definition to include only those persons who are on the streets or in shelters and persons who face imminent eviction (within a week) from a private dwelling or institution and who have no subsequent residence or resources to obtain housing. This interpretation of homelessness serves large, urban communities where tens of thousands of people are literally homeless. However, it may prove problematic for those persons who are homeless in areas of the country, such as rural areas, where there are few shelters. People experiencing homelessness in these areas are less likely to live on the street or in a shelter, and more likely to live with relatives in overcrowded or substandard housing (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1996).

9. Why is it an increasing problem?

            We are looking for a quick fix solution to the problem – housing first – lets give them an apartment – but who are they going to invite to their apartment and how long will they last isolated from the community they know – other homeless people. 

10. Many people believe that the homeless choose to be that way. What is your opinion?

            Only a small percent of homeless individuals choose to be homeless.  Estimates put it at less than 1% and those are usually individuals with mental illness or substance abuse problems.

11. Some think that homelessness can be solved by putting a roof over their head. Do you agree?

            No, for all the reasons I have covered.

12. Why are shelters not an adequate system for ending homelessness?

            If the problem was a lack of shelters for the homeless why aren't all the homeless shelter always full? During winter they are more busy but more shelters won't solve the problem.

13. What is the housing first concept and will/would it work in the greater Johnson City area?

            There is an initiative in the United States, to help the homeless get re-integrated into society, and out of homeless shelters, called "Housing First". It was initiated by the federal government's Interagency Council on Homelessness. It asks cities to come up with a plan to end chronic homelessness. In this direction, there is the belief that if homeless people are given independent housing to start off with, with some proper social supports, then there would be no need for emergency homeless shelters, which it considers a good outcome. This is a very controversial position.

14. Housing courts are touted as a means of preventing homelessness. Is there a housing court in Johnson City?

            No, and I am not sure we can use the courts to educate the home owners or landlords in the plight of the homeless.

15. How would a housing court help prevent homelessness?

            I am not sure they would.  Without education and coordination between the providers and the landlords, the homeless will still be homeless with the roof over their head.

16. Is anyone working on trying to establish a housing court in TN?

            Not to my knowledge.

17. What does the city of Johnson City do to serve the homeless?

            In Johnson City we have two shelters, two transitional housing programs , the melting pot and other places which serve meals to the homeless.  The city has not expressed an official position regarding the homeless, however, the local downtown business owners would like to ship all the homeless to Knoxville so we don’t have to fool with them. 

18. What, in your opinion, should the U.S. do to help end homelessness?

            Develop a community response to the homeless.  Give them an address to get their mail, a telephone number for messages and a place to get the services they need.  We have services but they are spread all over the city.  We have duplication of services which creates the turf issues we have in our programs.

19. What is the most important thing people, agencies, or the government should do first as it regards homelessness?

            Get to know some homeless in order to understand what they need to change their lives.  Make the homeless a priority – we can feed the world but we let some of our own go hungry.  We can rebuild countries but cannot make housing affordable for the person who is homeless.  Consolidate services that can be effective for the average homeless person. 

20. What do you want people to know about the homeless and homelessness?

            We at the Manna House believe that the majority of persons “falling through the cracks” of society are middle aged males who are perceived as “drunken lazy bums”.   These individuals have the most difficulty accessing and “navigating” the system because the system is designed to defeat them.  Manna House is attempting to be a safety net for those persons whom society has deemed criminal, worthless, or even expendable.  Our clients are real people with real problems that can be solved and set them on the path to becoming productive citizens in our community.