Homelessness on the Rise Throughout the U.S.

Homelessness on the Rise Throughout the U.S.

By HazelTrice Edney NNPA Washington Correspondent

BlackPressUSA — Viewed January, 6, 2004
http://www.blackpressusa.com/News/Article.asp?SID=3&Title=Hot+Stories&NewsID=3154

WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Despite recent reports of an improved economy,
hunger and homelessness are on the rise, according to a study of 25
major cities by the U. S. Conference of Mayors.

’This survey underscores the impact the economy has had on everyday
Americans,’ says conference president, Mayor James E. Garner of
Hempstead, N. Y. ’The face of homelessness has changed and now reflects
who we least suspect.’

For example, 61 percent of people requesting emergency food assistance
in the cities surveyed held jobs.

The annual ’Hunger and Homelessness Survey,’ released in late
December, reports that requests for emergency food assistance
increased by an average of 17 percent over the previous year, and
requests for emergency shelter assistance increased by an average of
13 percent.

’It is disheartening and disturbing to learn that so many of our
fellow Americans are in desperate need of shelter, food, clothing and
the other basic necessities of life,’ says Richard Macedonia, chief
operating officer for Sodexho U.S.A., a leading provider of food and
facilities management in the United States. ’In nearly every major U.
S. city, the problem of hunger and homelessness is steadily growing.’

The survey was released only days before the U. S. Department of
Commerce released its third and final estimate of the nation’s
economic performance for the third quarter of 2003. The agency
estimated that the gross domestic product (output of goods and
services) grew by 8.2 percent in the three-month period that ended
Sept. 30, more than doubling the growth rate of the previous three
months. The unemployment rate also held steady in November at 5.9
percent with a 1.3 percent drop in the Black rate from 11.5 to 10.2
percent.

Yet, there was little to cheer for during the holiday season.

Among the most glaring trends was an 11 percent leap in families with
children requesting food, from 48 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in
2003; a record 56 percent of cities having to turn people away without
help from food assistance programs, up 24 percent over the previous
year and the highest percentage since six years ago when 71 percent
was recorded; and a record 84 percent of cities having to turn away
people from homeless shelters because of lack of space, up 38 percent
over 2002 and the largest percentage in seven years.

The conference is the official organization of U.S. cities with
populations of 30,000; there are 1,139 cities in that category.

The 25 cities that participated in the survey were Boston; Burlington,
Vt.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; Denver;
Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles; Louisville Metro, Ky.;
Nashville; New Orleans; Norfolk, Va.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland;
Providence, R.I.; Salt Lake City; San Antonio, Texas; San Francisco;
Santa Monica, Calif.; Seattle; Trenton, N.J.; and Washington, D.C.

The data was collected from the cities between Nov. 1, 2002 to Oct.
31, 2003. Among other findings:

*· Twenty cities reported that unemployment and unemployment-related
problems were the leading causes of hunger. Overriding causes of
hunger in 13 cities were attributed to low-paying jobs and in 11
cities, rising housing costs;

*· More than half of the cities *€“ 56 percent *€“ reported that
people in need were turned away with no help because of lack of food
and resources. More than 14 percent of the requests for emergency food
assistance are estimated to have gone unmet over the past year;

*· Fifty-nine percent of those requesting emergency food assistance
were members of families with children;

*· Twenty-three cities said the lack of affordable housing contributed
to homelessness. Other major causes included low-paying jobs, lack of
needed services, mental illness or substance abuse problems;

*· Eighty-four percent of the cities reported that emergency shelters
have turned away homeless families because of a lack of resources.
More than 14 percent of the requests for emergency food assistance are
estimated to have gone unmet. Fifteen percent of the requests from
families were not met and

*· People remained homeless for an average of five months in the
survey cities with 60 percent of the cities reporting that the length
of homelessness time increased over the past year. Single men made up
41 percent of the homeless population, families with children made up
40 percent, single women, 14 percent and independent youth, 5 percent.

Robert Forney, president and CEO of America’s Second Harvest, the
nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, says carrying the load
has not been easy.

’We are hopeful that this will spur the president and Congress to
renew and strengthen our national fight against child hunger in
America,’ Forney says.

The mayors’ conference say that even with an improving economy more
than 80 percent of the cities expect that requests for emergency food,
assistance and shelter will increase in 2004.

’These are not simply statistics,’ says Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell,
who co-chairs the Conference’s Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness.
’These are real people who are hungry and homeless in our cities.’