-Homeless shelter ministry When I was young, the predominant homeless person was a drunken man or a broken down elderly widow. Social security has lifted many of the elderly out of poverty but we are seeing an increasing number of families. While welfare sustains many poor families, there is a great need for low cost housing that they can afford. As a result, we are seeing an increasing number of families while shelters for families fall far below the need, particularly in rural areas where families often bunk up with friends moving from house to house until they run out of friends. Some are homeless up to two years before seeking a shelter. Many are fearful of taking their children to the city where poor neighborhoods often contain violence and drugs. Single men and women are gravitating towards the city where most shelters for singles are but shelters are short-staffed and crowded. Churches can help shelters financially and with donations of food, clothes, and other needed items. Church members can also volunteer helping with food prep, childcare, parenting and Bible classes, and sorting donations.
Archive for the ‘Housing’ Category
Housing/Homelessness-B-B
In the United States, we have seen the purchase of housing by rental agencies for many years, making housing more expensive and less available for ownership. This is especially a problem in rural areas which were often elderly people who moved off the farm into small towns. When they died or went into a nursing home, rental agents bought up the houses. As a result, towns that used to have a high level of home ownership now have a much lower level. Rental units have a high level of turnover and renters usually have no commitment to the town. The result has been increased crime and towns no longer are close knit communities like they once were. Renters often don’t get to know their neighbors because they don’t plan on staying very long. The increase in rentals have also broken down the close knit neighborhoods in many cities. Home ownership brings more stability because people plan on staying a while and are more likely to get to know their neighbors. When people know their neighbors, they recognize the presence of strangers who may be bent on committing crimes, but when people don’t know their neighbors, they do not usually notice strangers and there is often more crime. This was true in the inner-city and is becoming more common in more established neighborhoods. Part of it is driven by the fact that young families are no longer able to purchase homes as easily and may rent until they get established and can purchase a home, however part of it is the result of the increased mobility in this country. People no longer keep the same job for most of their life but are forced to move frequently in search of new jobs due to layoff or because they are no longer satisfied with their job, so they are more likely to rent than to purchase a home. As a result, homeownership has dropped and there is increased demand for rental property.
Previous Posts 13/15
This is the thirteenth in the series of previous posts and highlights
Courts, employment, homelessness, and housing
Click on the links below to access those series.