Why Do People Become Homeless?
From: Good Works, Inc.
Ever wonder how a person becomes homeless?
Did they really want to live with any type of home?
What goes into to becoming homeless?
The following is some insightful information from Good Works, Inc.
It is rare that a person would become homeless for just one reason, however, poverty is a common thread among nearly everyone who experiences homelessness. Whether the reason is situational (like outstanding medical expenses) or generational (coming from a poor family living in an already impoverished area), falling below the poverty line makes a household vulnerable to becoming homeless. According to 2010 Census data, 14.3% of people nationwide are living in poverty. For the state of Ohio, the rate is 13.6%, but in Athens county, our poverty rate is a shocking 32.8% (Poverty guideline for Athens county is $22,050/year for a family of 4).
According to the US Census Bureau, in 2009, 43.6 million people were in poverty, up from 39.8 million in 2008 — the third consecutive annual increase in the number of people in poverty. Also according to the U S Census Bureau, the rates of poverty for all types of families is increasing.
The poverty rate and the number in poverty increased across all types of families: married-couple families (5.8 percent and 3.4 million in 2009 from 5.5 percent and 3.3 million in 2008); female-householder-with-no-husband-present families (29.9 percent and 4.4 million in 2009 from 28.7 percent and 4.2 million in 2008) and for male-householder-no-wife-present families (16.9 percent and 942,000 in 2009 from 13.8 percent and 723,000 in 2008). As more people become poor, more people become increasingly at risk of homelessness.