Not a Privilege, but a Right

Through my entire life, I have had the privilege of living comfortably, sleeping with a roof over my head each night. I have never had to experience the feeling of not having a place to call home, but this isn’t the case for many who were nearby. Living right outside of Washington DC, I was made very aware of homelessness issues in the United States since a young age. Washington DC has one of the largest homeless populations in the nation, with 3,043 people living on the streets currently. Within this large population, 39% are 55 years or older and face health issues. Even more alarming, 83% of these people are African-American. Though the homeless population has decreased significantly in the past five years, much more action is needed to fully solve this issue.

People are not homeless because they want to be, but because life has not always been best for them. They are presented to be a problem, when really they are the result of a much bigger problem. Many struggle in our nation with severe addictions, mental health, PTSD or some form of disability that doesn’t allow them to be employed full time in our fast paced world. As much as they may desire to be part of the working society, they have little hope in being hired for these jobs that require certain qualifications, such as having a home address.

In such a wealthy country, I feel everyone deserves to have a place to call home and that our governments need to step up and push programs to our communities that will enable people to be housed permanently, not just briefly. Making these houses “supportive houses” (preparing a budget, help with child care or finding some employment or helping them find support for their addiction) can help those living on the street to restart on the track to a comfortable lifestyle. Having safe shelter as a human being should not be considered a privilege, it is a right.