Recommendations

Unfortunately, homelessness has become an industry. Many nationwide agencies exist and focus on creating a solution to end homelessness. However, even with good intentions, none have accomplished this goal. In fact, the number of unhoused individuals (counted on census data) has grown to over 500K in the U.S (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019).

Ensign (2016, p. 208) writes, "Homelessness is good for the economy because our US market economy is based on winners and losers, the wealthy and the poor: having people who are homeless on our streets—so visibly down and out and poor—reminds us that our economy is working."

Our nation's safety net does not address critical factors that cause homelessness, like mental health issues. Sustainable change to the homeless crisis can only be accomplished if we (as a nation) can irradicate systems of oppression.

These same agencies that exist to make change benefit from the systems that generate the inequities we see that lead to homelessness.

However, suppose we (as a nation) are serious about solving the homeless crisis, and can expand Medicaid and Medicare benefits and focus on a holistic approach to healthcare. In that case, it is possible to start making a dent in the overall problem of homelessness. Healthcare MUST be at the center of this change. For the most part, current agencies have only been a patch by managing the problem to a much larger issue.

There are many facets of homelessness, like one of Dr. Ensign's experiences, a sort-of-working poor, unable to afford even bare minimum living situations. At the center of it, are systems that create poverty (Ensign, 2016). Our recommendation to the homeless crisis would be:

• Providing rapid re-housing (without the prolonged waiting period)

• Expaning Medicare and Medicaid (Universal Healthcare) for ALL.

• Having a coordinated approach with all agencies (hospitals, government, etc)

• Assisting the most vulnerable through permanent housing

• Having an effective crisis hotline for mental health

• Increasing employment and income for groups with criminal backgrounds (for non-violent crimes)

• Removing strict rental checks (credit, income limit, etc.)

• Building more low-income housing complex (not low-income by Seattle standards but a nation wide income limit, like the federal minimum wage).

The rapid re-housing provides short-term rental assistance as well as connecting people with a home to help them get in a better position to deal with other challenges in their lives (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019).

Coordinated approaches use data to be able to make informed decisions for the most effective way to provide resources and services for the community (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019).

Assistance for the vulnerable (seniors, families with children, pregnant women,, ect) will through permanent housing will provide affordable housing to those who are chronically homeless, it also provides support services (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019).

The crisis hotline provides mental health outreach for people who are at risk or are homeless to be connected with workers for housing assistance and emergency shelter (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019).

Removing strict rental checks will be vital in solving homelessness, especially for those who are considered "working poor" and may have negative credit reports. Building more emergancy shelters that place individuals into affordable housing within a reasonable time would be ideal.