The Homeless Crisis
- Good For Youth Massachusetts
- Sep 10, 2021
- 3 min read
Written by: Namya Arora
Cover Design by Joshika Prabhugee
People seem to be paying a whole lot of attention to the pandemic itself today. Whereas finding a solution to end this deadly coronavirus may be the most important thing on everyone’s minds as of right now, it’s also important to shift our focus to the problems this pandemic is branching out to. Homelessness is that one problem in our world today which existed before the pandemic but continues to worsen as the pandemic takes over the world.
What’s Happening Today?
Recently, New York has been pushing homeless people off the streets through an aggressive campaign. The city continues to respond to the complaints about homeless people taking over public spaces, threatening people who walk past them, and even performing physical violence. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo states “We have to get homelessness under control”. He blames the delay in recovering from the pandemic on the homelessness problem. As per statistics, over 2,000 people live on the streets and subways in New York City today.
Also, the expiration of a national eviction moratorium brings fear of a new surge of homelessness inside people’s minds today. The federal eviction moratorium was issued by the CDC which was to expire on June 30th. However, the Biden administration extended it through July 31st, 2021 to apply a whole-of-government approach to avoid a historic wave of eviction. This action gave the state and local governments more time to distribute $46 billion + ERA to those who are in need. The federal eviction moratorium prevents landlords from evicting housing tenants within a given time. Because of the Coronavirus outbreak, the number of homeless people has increased significantly due to the lack of job opportunities.
How has the Pandemic affected the Homeless Crisis?
The pandemic has played a significant role in affecting the homeless crisis. It has increased a notable number of homeless people from the past year. A lot of this problem is caused by the economic consequences of this pandemic which continues to put Americans at risk of becoming homeless. The pandemic has shut down many businesses which leads to a lack of job opportunities and employment. No job → No money → No housing.
Data:
How can you help?
According to the article How to Interact with Someone Experiencing Homelessness, 6 things you should remember when interacting with homeless people are:
Remember that they are humans, just like you.
Do not be afraid to offer cash when they ask.
Listen to your personal instincts.
Take time to listen and understand their stories.
Carry items needed to survive to hand out to people.
Avoid giving unasked advice.
According to the article 7 Practical Ways You Can Help People Experiencing Homelessness, 7 ways you can help homeless people are:
Promote nearby shelters
Donate clothes, for all seasons
Volunteer your time
Fundraise
Research your local candidates
Participate in your city’s Point-in-Time count
Remember youth homelessness
Donation and fundraising are the most common ways to help out and every single donation counts. Maybe try putting yourself in the homeless people’s shoes for a moment. Imagine living on the streets and experiencing a lack of clothes and food to keep you alive. Lack of medical help and financial help. You may even be separated from your family members or may struggle to give them a comforting life. It’s important that we appreciate what we have right now because there are people out there who literally don’t have a roof above their heads. Help them out because you would want to be supported too if you were them.
*If you are at immediate risk of becoming homeless, call the Office of Housing Stability at 617-635-4200 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.). For help outside these hours, please contact BOS:311. You can dial 3-1-1 or call 617-635-4500.* (City of Boston)
To learn more about homelessness, click on the links posted below.
Sources + learn more links:
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