Combatting Homelessness

by Bill Betzler:

I'm concerned that your monthly newsletter is too macroscopic to be of help in microscopic actions.  I've been working one-on-one w/ people experiencing homelessness for 15 years. I start out w/ a systems POV & end up w/ some specific possible action steps.  I recognize like you do that systems change is an essential element of the solution & I believe there are things we can do now on a community level to begin to mend the circle.  

1) I don't believe we can solve homelessness w/o addressing systemic racism. 70-80% of my clients are African American. 

2) Since more than 40% of homeless population & 40% of inmates came from abusive families. Don't think we can't solve homelessness until we seriously address child abuse. 

3) We can't just build our way out of homelessness w/ more subsidized housing. Subsidized housing becomes a trap for low wage workers. We have to get into jobs training on a national scale so that current & formerly homeless workers can qualify for living wage skilled jobs & have more housing choices. 

4) Housing is the first step, but the only step up & out of poverty permanently. Besides the adult effects of untreated childhood trauma; people experiencing homelessness are 5X more likely to have brain injury, 4X more likely to have mental illness & 3X for chemical dependency. These 3 medical conditions are the 3-legged stool that supports homelessness. I believe only housing + services can support long term stability in permanent housing for those persons currently or formerly experiencing homelessness.

If you grew up in an abusive family, you may have had a house; but you never had a home. A house is real estate.  A home is relationships.; a spiritual space.

Working w/ the homeless ; I've come to believe that the first step in building a relationship of mutual trust & respect b/w you & anybody else is to listen w/ love.  Deep inside; everybody wants to be heard.  Hope this helps