The Causes of Homelessness

Overview | Poverty | Lack of Public Assistance | Housing | Natural Disasters

“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” (Mother Teresa)

Have you ever wonder why some people have basic necessities while others do not? If you are reading this, you are probably one of the fortunate who has their basic needs met.

If asked about causes of homelessness, people would undoubtedly give varied reasons in which some are contradictory and some even don’t make sense at all.  Most people are not aware of other realities different than their own and think it is a ‘social norm’ to have what is needed and a ‘social abnormality’ to live in the streets.

This section presents facts on the most common causes behind homelessness. 

This is a picture was taken in Lake City of Seattle. Here are shopping carts grouped together to create a shelter for a homeless woman.

Image:

The image above was taken by Amy and Iris Davies. 30 Mar 2008. Seattle, Washington.