Invest in Ending Homelessness

The financial crisis goes beyond Wall Street and Main Street. Americans are literally being pushed out on to the street. This includes "Joey" a nine-year old homeless child. Joey's mother could not afford the rent, following a bout with cancer, mounting medical bills and unemployment. Without a permanent address, Joey's school tried to deny him enrollment.

There are many cases like that of "Joey." These children could suffer potentially life-long harms, including developmental delays, illness, and academic setbacks. This puts them at increased risk for adult homelessness.

The problem is widespread. Massachusetts reports the number of families living in shelters rose by 33% in the past year, and eviction filings rose by 15% in the past quarter alone. In Panama City, Florida, 40% of the rescue mission's clients are homeless for the first time, due to foreclosure, job loss or both. In Los Angeles, at least one shelter reports that half its clients are formerly middle-class people.

Before the financial crisis, between 2.5 and 3.5 million Americans were homeless annually --living in shelters, temporary housing, on the streets or other public places. Now, as the numbers skyrocket, there is little safety net in place to catch them. If current trends continue, estimates suggest 1.5 million more people will become homeless over the next two years.

As I wrote in Mandate for Change, a book of recommendations for President Obama created by the Institute for Policy Studies, homelessness is a growing domestic human rights crisis.

It doesn't have to be. Homelessness can be solved, but it will take an up-front investment and a commitment by the President and Congress. Certain steps can prevent a new wave of suffering and help people off the streets.

We must protect renters caught in foreclosures through no fault of their own. Studies show that 40% of those being evicted due to foreclosure are renters. These renters receive little attention and have few rights. In most states, even if renters regularly pay rent, after a foreclosure, they can be summarily evicted, often with little or no notice. This system puts renters at risk of homelessness. At a minimum, renters should have 90 days notice. They should be allowed to stay in their homes through the lease term, as long as they pay rent.

Many states have homelessness prevention programs that pay rental or mortgage arrears to prevent homelessness for people facing an unexpected crisis like job loss. The federal Stimulus bill provides $1.5 billion specifically for homelessness prevention programs. While this will help, it will not be enough to close the gap between need and resources that these programs face.

Without a major, long-term government commitment to affordable housing and other safety net programs, homelessness will increase as more people lose their homes and jobs. In cities across the country, waiting lists for housing assistance are years long.

Federal funding for affordable housing has been slashed. Funding 200,000 new housing vouchers each year targeted at people who are homeless or at risk would help address the critical housing shortage. An additional170,000 units of permanent supportive housing that offers services like mental health care and substance abuse treatment would get people off the streets and out of shelters.

Solving homelessness is in everyone's interest. Not solving homelessness costs more than ending it with housing and supportive services. Homeless people are more frequently ill, but with little access to health insurance; minor illnesses become serious and expensive emergency room care becomes routine treatment. People living in public places increase managment costs for cities. And children like Joey risk becoming homeless adults, perpetuating the vicious cycle.

Investing in ending homelessness by building the safety net would create jobs, strengthen communities and save money--shoring up the interests of Wall Street.

It's time to end homelessness and ensure the basic human right to housing for all Americans.

Comments

[lawgrace]

An investigation is needed because far too many foreclosure proceedings are NOT even lawful due to lack of real party interest, while those debt collectors actually are being unjustly enriched! This FRAUD cheats Investors, and certain mortgage companies. It occurs when debt collector attorneys deliberately file judicial foreclosures under names of defunct mortgage companies, or companies which do not own the promissory notes, effecting illegal seizures. Some collectors charge fees far beyond "Acceleration Clauses," and make it impossible for borrowers to recover their properties or bring current mortgage arrears. SEE: http://chuckgallagher.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/foreclosure-fraud-an-interesting-variation-of-mortgage-fraud-comments-ethics-speaker-chuck-gallagher/.

Even more $$ comes from protracted litigations like "Unfair Debt Collection Practices," etc. (*Example of foreclosure litigation in: "Super Future Equities v. Wells Fargo Bank, et al.") For predatory mortgage lenders, foreclosure frauds makes possible real estate FLIPPING frauds. SEE:
www.lawgrace.org/2008/09/14/lehman-brothers%E2%80%99-mortgage-troubles-nationally-evidence-of-foreclosure-fraud-deception-and-conspiracy-with-wells-fargo-deceptive-judicial-filings/

Foreclosure fraud also enables mortgage companies to file false IRS 1099-A's and 1099-C's and receive unlawful tax write offs and tax credits. SEE:
www.lawgrace.org/2008/08/08/my-august-8-2008-statement-to-the-louisiana-secretary-of-state-office-of-financial-institutions-concerning-wells-fargo-irs-and-mortgage-frauds-sham-foreclosures-and-judicial-collusion-and-national-app/.

[lawgrace]

An investigation is needed because far too many foreclosure proceedings are NOT even lawful due to lack of real party interest, while those debt collectors actually are being unjustly enriched! FORECLOSURE FRAUD also cheats Investors, and certain mortgage companies. This fraud occurs when debt collector attorneys deliberately file judicial foreclosures under names of defunct mortgage companies, or companies which do not own the promissory notes, effecting illegal seizures. Some collectors charge fees far beyond "Acceleration Clauses," and make it impossible for borrowers to recover their properties or bring current mortgage arrears. SEE: http://chuckgallagher.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/foreclosure-fraud-an-interesting-variation-of-mortgage-fraud-comments-ethics-speaker-chuck-gallagher/.

Even more $$ comes from protracted litigations like "Unfair Debt Collection Practices," etc. (*Ex. "Super Future Equities v. Wells Fargo Bank, et al.") For predatory mortgage lenders, foreclosure frauds makes possible real estate FLIPPING frauds. SEE:
www.lawgrace.org/2008/09/14/lehman-brothers%E2%80%99-mortgage-troubles-nationally-evidence-of-foreclosure-fraud-deception-and-conspiracy-with-wells-fargo-deceptive-judicial-filings/

Foreclosure fraud also enables mortgage companies to file false IRS 1099-A's and 1099-C's and receive unlawful tax write offs. SEE:
www.lawgrace.org/2008/08/08/my-august-8-2008-statement-to-the-louisiana-secretary-of-state-office-of-financial-institutions-concerning-wells-fargo-irs-and-mortgage-frauds-sham-foreclosures-and-judicial-collusion-and-national-app/. For irrefutable proof and extensive details about real estate fraud, visit: www.lawgrace.org.

Barbara Ann Jackson

[CvilleDave]

Thanks Maria for bringing this issue to the forefront of our national consciousness. There are many people living on our streets or in our shelters who should not be expected to live independently because of mental illness, addiction, or physical disability. Yet we have cast them to the proverbial wolves. Your call for 170,000 new permanent supportive housing units for such folks would be a great start, but ultimately it's not enough. Permanent supportive housing is cheaper to operate than jails, cheaper than mental health facilities, cheaper than de-tox centers, cheaper than hospitals (all of which serve as "housing" for the homeless when permanent supportive housing is not available). In other words, building supportive housing not only improves the quality of life for the homeless, it also saves communities money. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

[Suzette Watkins]

It's time to end homelessness by putting the x-convicts back to work. It's time to end homelessness by investing heavily in at-risk children. It's time to end homelessness by discouraging teenagers to involve themselves in a pregnancy. It's time to end homelessness by holding Class C Misdemeanor offenders accountable. It's time to end homelessness by allowing businesses to pay someone less than minimum wage if the person is willing to work for such. It's time to end homelessness by requiring the homeless individual to do something each day toward becoming productive BEFORE he gets a free handout. It's time to end homelessness by holding parents accountable for their choice of involving themselves in parenthood. It's time to end homelessness by holding parents accountable for being involved in their child's education and life. It's time to end homelessness by not requiring the taxpayers to be responsible for other people's poor choices. It's time to end homelessness by truly helping the ones who want to be helped and practicing tough love for the ones that don't want to be helped. It's time to end homelessness by holding the non-profits and churches accountable for their tax exempt status. It's time to end homelessness by reforming our jail systems and investing in people when they first enter the system. It's time to end homelessness by holding the shelters accountable to good neighbor agreements. It's time to end homelessness. Absolutely!

[tompoe]

Please take your requirements somewhere else, and come back after you have done "something each day toward" solving your dictatorial, insensitive ranting. Readers will be waiting to hear whether you then qualify to join civil conversation.

Personally, you might want to contact the VA, and remind them to make sure every homeless veteran, sleeping on our nation's streets on any given night, fills out VA form 21-8940, and receives their VA pension of $11,181 per year. That simple task would remove over 200,000 homeless veterans from our streets.