Misconceptions
Myth #1
Myth #1: Homeless people are lazy and don't want to work.
Fact: A 2013 US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) study found 17% of homeless adults in families had paying jobs, and 55% had worked during the previous year.
Myth #2
Myth: Homeless People Are Taking Advantage Of The System.
Fact: Over 40 percent of homeless persons are eligible for disability benefits, only 11 percent actually receive them. Most homeless families are eligible for welfare benefits but only 52 percent of them receive them
Myth #3
Myth: Getting a job will keep someone out of homelessness.
Fact: Minimum wage jobs are not livable wages. Some individuals have a criminal past, learning disabilities, and a lack of education that holds them down. Others have a source of income through employment, disability, and/or VA benefits; however, their income is insufficient to afford housing in our community
Myth #4
Myth: The majority abuse drugs and alcohol.
Fact: Abuse is rarely the sole cause of homelessness and more often is a response to it because living on the street puts the person in frequent contact with users and dealers.
Myth #5
Myth: “Bad choices” led to their homelessness.
Fact: Far more often a sudden illness or an accident, losing one’s job, or falling into debt leads to eviction—or doubling up with family or friends becomes untenable.
Twelve percent (12%) cited medical/disability issues that led to their homelessness.
Myth #6
Myth: They prefer the freedom of life on the street.
Fact: There is no evidence to support this notion that homeless persons are “service resistant.” People on the street often reject the option of crowded, unsafe shelters—not housing in general.
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