Homelessness – what we know and why it matters
Mike William / Professor of Political Science / Op-Ed
A good friend of mine once told me that sometimes we do not have the luxury of choosing the social justice issues that we focus on. In some cases, the world simply calls on us to take action whether we want to or not. With this in mind, what is your response when you walk by a homeless neighbor in Linda Vista, Pacific Beach, or downtown? Do you think, this is really a problem but it is not my problem, and therefore, I do not have to act? Do you think, this is really a problem, it is not my problem but I did not cause this problem, and therefore, I do not have to act? Do you think, this is really a problem, it is not my problem, I did not cause this problem, but someone should really do something about it, and therefore, I do not have to act? But what if you are the person that is supposed to do something about it? What if you are the perfect person to do something about it?
Before you read the next paragraph take a moment to think about how much you already know about homelessness. How many individuals would you estimate are homeless in America? In San Diego? At USD?
According to federal government data from 2017, there are approximately 554,000 people in the United States who are homeless. Of this number, around 194,000 are living without shelter. In San Diego County, as of January 2018, there are 8,576 men, women, and children who are homeless – with 4,990 living without shelter. While the number of homeless people in San Diego County has declined nine percent since 2011, we still have the fourth-largest homeless population in the United States (with New York City, Los Angeles County, and Seattle having the most).
How do we know this? Well, the federal government mandates that every two years cities and counties count the number of people who are homeless in their communities. In San Diego, we have decided for public policy reasons to do this count every year. So, during the last 10 days of January, a nationwide Point-in-Time count takes place. Volunteers set out early in the morning and spread out across their cities and towns and literally count the number of people they find living on the streets. This process, along with collecting data from service providers on the number of people sleeping in shelters, lets us know how many people are homeless in our communities. It is imprecise and it is only a snapshot but it is the best estimate we have.
Through surveys conducted with our homeless neighbors each January we also know that there are a variety of experiences of homelessness. For example, approximately 25 percent of those who are homeless in San Diego County – around 2,100 individuals – can be designated as “chronically homeless.” According to the federal government’s definition, someone is chronically homeless if she/he has been “continuously homeless for a year or more or has had at least four separate occasions of homelessness in the past three years where the combined total length of time is at least 12 months.” Those suffering from this type of homelessness present the most difficult issues for governments and for non-profit service providers. These individuals are often unable to care for themselves because of mental health or addiction issues and they require many different types of services to survive. The evidence shows that the chronically homeless – even though they represent a minority of the homeless population – account for a majority of the resources allocated by governments and non-profits.
Some cities have decided the most dignified way to address those who are chronically homeless is to simply give them a place to live and provide them with services for as long as they need it. In some cases, this means they are provided homes and services for their entire lives. This policy, referred to as housing first, is controversial, though. Even though there is evidence that it is more dignified and less expensive to provide this type of housing, some argue that it is not “right” to provide housing to some and not to others.
The majority of the homeless population, however, are in a different situation. Some of our neighbors and friends find themselves in shelters or on the streets for short periods of time during the year. In fact, it is estimated that 11 to 19 percent of college students attending four-year schools experience housing insecurity. These individuals, referred to as the transitional homeless, are ones who may have to go to a shelter once or twice during the year for a short stay. How does this happen? In some cases, it might be that you are at college and your parents lose their jobs or get sick, and suddenly, you are unable to pay for your rent. Or, the spring semester ends and you do not have the income to afford a place to live during the summer. You check out of your dorms and then what? These issues are closer to home than many of us may think. Based on conversations with students, faculty, and staff here at the University of San Diego, there are a number of our students every year who have experienced homelessness either before arriving to USD or while they are here. Does it matter if the number of USD students facing this situation is 1 or 100? How should the university respond once they become aware of a student facing homelessness during the semester, during intersession, or during summer? What resources – if any – should USD allocate to address these situations?
Close your eyes for a moment and think about how you respond when you see a homeless person on the street. What are your thoughts? What do you do? The issue of homelessness challenges all of us to think deeply and critically about what it means to live in a just society. Dacher Keltner, a psychologist, writes: “societies are indeed judged by how they treat their most vulnerable and powerless.” It seems clear to me that the values and mission of USD align with this sentiment.
As an institution, we simply cannot ignore this issue. Indeed, through the hard work of many students, faculty, staff, and alumni we have many projects that address homelessness on and off campus, such as volunteer opportunities at Rachel’s Night Shelter, Pancakes: Serving Up Hope, Homeless Outreach Student Transition (HOST), Pancake Peeps – Sawubona, the USD food pantries, and our Torero Renaissance Scholars program. What we have done as a USD community with respect to the issue of homelessness is commendable but there is always more that each of us can and should do.
What responsibility do you have to take action for that one person from Linda Vista or that one classmate from USD who is experiencing homelessness? These are the questions that I did not think about as much as I should have when I was in college – but they are the questions that I hope you consider each day here at USD. I want you come to the Changemaker Hub and share your ideas or submit a proposal for the Changemaker Challenge. There need to be coordinated actions and policies at USD and in San Diego more broadly to address homelessness. You should be involved. In fact, you might be the perfect person to do something about this important issue.