Daniel Hooberman: Homelessness is more complex than simple ‘accountability’

To The Daily Sun,

I am writing in response to “We must solve homelessness without creating dependency,” as there were multiple misconceptions presented.

According to research, there are three main reasons people become homeless. They are: finding a job that paid a sustainable wage, finding affordable housing, and family issues such as a death of a family member, divorce or abuse.

People with severe mental illness make up only about one-third of the homeless population.

Mental illness and addiction are brain illnesses. It is not simply a matter of accountability, clear expectations or personal responsibility. They require comprehensive team-based approaches with services including case management, crisis services, psychiatric treatment, housing assistance and more. 

President Ronald Reagan’s policies cut social spending and widened income inequality. This led to a marked increase in homelessness and poverty. President Joe Biden’s policies led to a reduction in poverty, but these have been reversed by President Donald Trump. His current policy will only make poverty and homelessness worse. The cuts in Medicaid will significantly harm those with mental illness and also lead to more homelessness.

Homelessness is a complex issue. Solving it requires solutions at the national, state and local level that are not focused on blaming the victim. In a moment’s notice, with one unexpected crisis, any of us could be one of the homeless.

Daniel Hooberman

Laconia