Unwrapping Homelessness

There are a lot misconceptions and misconstrued assumptions about homelessness. Homelessness today is more about economics and opportunities than about character flaws. Think about it: if being a less than perfect human caused homelessness, we’d all be living in the streets. A lack of resources combined with a lack of supportive community that encounters most any type of crisis leads to homelessness. Whatever you might think about people living on the streets know that this ain’t your daddy’s homelessness.

In Dallas, there are over 10,000 people inhabiting the streets. Many of them live deep into the wooded green spaces decorating the city. Others huddle around central hubs offering food or other potential resources.

The age of the average homeless person in Dallas is between 50 and 70 years old. Nearly one-third are women. Over 70 percent are Black although Blacks make up less than 20 percent of the overall Dallas population.

These are just some facts.

Here’s another one that will turn your paradigm upside down: people tend to become addicts and exhibit mental illness AFTER they are homeless for a significant period of time (over one year).

That’s right: While addiction and mental illness can sometimes lead to homelessness, it isn’t the key driver. If you have the means, you can hide your addictions. Mental health issues are a marker of a failing health system that places low priority on people struggling with mental illness and lack the means (money) to get help managing their mental concerns.

Homelessness is growing at epidemic proportions. We don’t have a choice but to deal with it. That requires our willingness to dig deep and examine its root causes and take the necessary corrective actions.

Abundant blessings, love, and peace,

The Devotional Guy™

Rainer Bantau

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