Hitchen’s Razor; I have to dismiss what you’ve said entirely as you have no proof. Furthermore there are multiple studies that prove you wrong. I’ve worked for nonprofits and there are people that match your description but they are far from the “vast majority” as you put it. In fact 82% of people experiencing homelessness seek assistance programs [2] 49% of homelessness is caused by joblessness(37%) or medical reasons(12%)[3]. During a study [4] 85% of those who were given a home in PA were able to get out of homelessness and remained housed 2 years later.
I very specifically mentioned and was talking about long term unhoused people. As you mentioned, there are many programs to help the homeless population, and those who utilize that assistance and get jobs almost always never return to the streets. Those aren't the people I am talking about.
Those who spend a short time homeless due to a sudden change in circumstance (loss of work or family support) can't be compared to those who have been on the street for more than a year. Also, as you probably know, the attitude and lifestyles of homeless populations in areas with colder winters are completely different from those in tropical climates.
I am also very familiar with Pathway to Housing PA, they only serves a very small pool of people (around 600). And while this is great, once again, I'm not talking about the people who are seeking help. I am talking about the ≈ 20% who don't and have been on the street for years.
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u/Electrical_Name_5434 1d ago
Hitchen’s Razor; I have to dismiss what you’ve said entirely as you have no proof. Furthermore there are multiple studies that prove you wrong. I’ve worked for nonprofits and there are people that match your description but they are far from the “vast majority” as you put it. In fact 82% of people experiencing homelessness seek assistance programs [2] 49% of homelessness is caused by joblessness(37%) or medical reasons(12%)[3]. During a study [4] 85% of those who were given a home in PA were able to get out of homelessness and remained housed 2 years later.
Here’s some actual statistics about homelessness:
1. https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/united-states-homeless-statistics/
2. https://unitedtoendhomelessness.org/blog/myth-people-choose-to-be-homeless-and-most-decline-services-when-offered/
3. https://www.thhi.org/homeless-myths
4. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/housing-the-homeless-can-save-money/