Homelessness in Birmingham Alabama, Essay Example

Homelessness is a condition in which people stay temporarily without having a regular place to dwell or shelter. Homelessness has been a major problem affecting the residents of Birmingham, Alabama. Alabama is the state especially the city of Birmingham is having many homeless people, which is increasing every year. The most affected and those increasing rapidly are the students. For example, in the year 2012 – 2013 the highest percentage was recorded when 29749 homeless students enrolled in K-12 schools and pre-schools. The number was equivalent to 68% increase as compared to the previous years. Homelessness in Birmingham, Alabama is the worst in United States and even all over the world. Homelessness can be controlled by determining the causes after which they will be addressed by giving alternatives or solutions.

Homelessness in Alabama is caused by various factors affecting the residents. High poverty rate contributes to homelessness because people are poor to the extent that they cannot afford to own or even hire a residential home. The residents remain poor and live below the poverty line, as they do not have any source to earn a living. Another factor is a lack of affordable housing in the nation (Smith 2011, p. 183). Most of the available houses are expensive to the extent that the residents do not afford hire or even acquire one. Economic recession is another factor that is causing homelessness in the state. The economic activities have slowed down to the extent that the residents do not depend on the earnings from economic activities to own or hire a home. The residents will end up being homeless because the earnings are not enough to secure their needs. Single parenting also contributes to homeless as the parent might be overwhelmed by the responsibilities to the extent that he/she remains homeless due to poor living standards. Effects of traumatic experiences may lead to homelessness especially the domestic violence. When there is violence in the family, one of the parents may decide to move out of marriage and live elsewhere. Due to difficulties in live and traumatic experiences, the couple might end up being homeless. Racial disparities may lead to homelessness as in the judicial systems might not be in a position the address the problem of the ethnic or racial group in the community.

Homelessness in Birmingham, Alabama will be solved by addressing the causes of homelessness. The best organization to address homelessness problem is non-profit making organizations with assistance from the government. It is because non-profit making organizations are working and mostly based in the community level where many people are affected by the problem of homelessness. The proposal will offer strategic solutions to the directors of non-profit making organizations on how to deal with the problem of homelessness. The organizations should reduce the increasing poverty rates in the community. It can be done in the community level where the organization will create opportunities for the residents that they can have a source of resources to sustain their lives (Alexander-Eitzman & North 2013, p. 681). The organization with the help of the government can establish firms or industries in the rural areas where the residents can be employed. The residents will draw monthly salaries and other benefits, which will enable them to acquire or hire homes and other necessities in their lives. Establishment of the firms or industries in the community level will not only create employment for the residents but will also improve the standards of living. For the firms and industries to operate without any problem, infrastructure should be improved in the community. The residents will benefit from the infrastructure in the community. For example, the road network in the community will be improved, and the residents will enjoy the convenience as they can move to different places easily. The residents will access the source of power that is brought to the community as a result of establishing industries and firms.

Non-profit making organizations should consider nurturing the young children and youths as they grow. It is because they will be parents and members of the community in the future, and they should afford to own a home and maintain their lives. It can be done by establishing schools and other social amenities in the community. When the schools are established, the youth and children will acquire the necessary knowledge and experience that will enable them to secure job opportunities in the future. The youth will be able to sustain their lives in the future leading to a reduction in the increasing poverty rate and eliminating homelessness in the community. The schools should not only be established but should be affordable to the community residents. Since the people in the community are poor and homeless, education should be made affordable by being subsidized or waiving fees to make it affordable for the poor families. Education will help to save the upcoming generation from being poor and homeless in the community. The organization should establish healthcare facilities in the community to address healthcare problems of the people (Kertesz 2014, p. 93). Since many people are homeless in the state, a few who have homes are facing healthcare challenges. In addition, the youths and young children will continue with their education without the accessibility of healthcare facilities when they are ill or in need of any medication.

Housing should be made affordable and accessible to all people in the community or even in the urban areas. A body or authorities should be formed such that they can control the prices of the houses set by the entrepreneurs and business people in the community. It will enable the prices to be set at the same level and prices for all people irrespective of their positions or living standards. Control of the prices or rental fees should be implemented because few people own the premises, and they offer as rentals to other people.  Non-profit making organizations with the help of the government should establish housing facilities, which will be offered at affordable prices to the community residents. Since the prices will be low, it will influence the other entrepreneurs to reduce their prices and the people will benefit as they will pay less and afford to hire or own a house. Non-profit making organizations will have neutralize the housing prices, and many people will afford to pay. Another alternative for the non-profit making organizations is to subsidize the prices by paying a certain amount to the entrepreneurs or business people owning and renting premises to the people. The entrepreneurs will reduce the rental or selling prices of the premises, and many people who are poor will afford to pay for the houses.

Many people are depending on the economic activities to earn a living and sustain their lives in the community. When there is an economic recession, the people will remain poor to the extent that they will be homeless (Smith 2011, p. 72). To control economic recession, non-profit making organization and other government departments should work together in establishing wide markets for the economic activities practiced by the people in the community. When there is poor market or reduced prices for the outputs of economic activities, the people in the community will remain poor and even homeless as they rely on economic activities. Non-profit making organizations should advise the people not to rely on the economic activities but to have other alternatives. When there is poor princess of low output on economic activities, people should opt for other alternatives to earn a living in the community. In addition, non-profit making organizations should hold seminars and workshops where the residents are educated on various businesses that they can venture into for them to earn a living. It is risky for the people in the community rely on one source as when it fails, it will be the end of everything and the person will remain poor and homeless. After training on various business opportunities and skills, people should be offered with starting capital, which will enable them to establish a business. It will not help when the people are only educated without any starting capital. Starting capital should be offered and monitored closely on how they are spending as they progress. When the capital is offered, it needs close monitoring because the residents should be able to manage the business and sustain their lives without monitoring after some time.

Non-profit making organizations should establish programs, which will help poor single parents in the community. Single parents in the community who are poor or not employed face many problems especially when they are homeless. The programs will help them to secure a home and educate them on how they can earn a living (Miller 2014, p. 1054). It will help in controlling and reducing homelessness in the community. Domestic violence should be dealt with accordingly in the community as it is the main cause of homelessness. Strict rules and regulations should be established to help in prosecuting those who are mistreating partners in the family. For example, when a woman or a man is assaulted in any manner, he/she should seek legal assistance instead of moving out of the family. It is because when he/she moves out of the family, there are high chances of being homeless when he/she is overwhelmed by the circumstances in living.

In conclusion, homelessness in Birmingham, Alabama is a major problem, which will be addressed by establishing the root causes. After establishing the causes, solutions to the causes are rolled out, and the problem will be reduced and completed addressed after some time. The problem should be addressed starting from the young children and youth in the community such that their lives will improve and live comfortably in the future and not affected like those of the parents.

Annotated Bibliography

Smith, A. K. (2011). Homelessness in Birmingham, AL: An analysis using the local homeless management information system and surveys of local supportive housing programs. The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In this brief analysis, Smith is trying to determine the causes of homelessness by examining the lives various individuals in Birmingham. He is also seeking ways of approaching homelessness in the current and condition and preventing it such that it cannot happen to the upcoming generations. Smith offered various methods of addressing homelessness and recommended more and extensive research to be done on how to handle homelessness.

Kertesz, S. G. (2014). Homelessness and Health Care. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society.

In this study, Kertesz is examining how healthcare challenges are affecting the homeless people. He argued that most of the people facing healthcare challenges are the homeless due to trauma from assault and weather conditions. Problems like diabetes, cancer, and hypertension is affecting many, which will be difficult to deal with without a stable residence. Kertesz recommended collaboration between housing organizations and health care systems to develop health facilities homes for the homeless.

Alexander-Eitzman, B. & North, C. S. (2013). The neighborhood context of homelessness. American journal of public health, 103(4), 679-685.

In this research, Alexander-Eitzman and North examined and compared different changing characteristics of a group of homeless individuals for some time. They argued that most of the people move to the urban areas due to homelessness, and the cause was unemployment, rent to income ratios, poverty and lower median incomes. They recommended the creation of opportunities for the homeless such that they can earn a salary and afford to hire or own a home.

Miller, P. M. (2014). Research for Social Justice in Contexts of Student and Family Homelessness. In International Handbook of Educational Leadership and Social (In) Justice (pp. 1047-1061). Springer Netherlands.

In this analysis, Miller addresses various theoretical and contextual issues on social justice in relation to family homelessness. He argued that poverty and student homelessness is associated with systems of injustice. Miller recommended more efforts to establish the causes of homelessness and encouraging inter-organizational collaboration to address the problem of homelessness.