HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

In this season of hearth and home, joy and feasting, a moment for better
understanding of those who sleep on the streets.

On this day, and during the entire holiday season, many gather with family
and friends in the warmth and comfort of home. Many without a place to call
home during this family-oriented time are benefiting from generous
donations of food and gifts at local shelters. But what of the homeless
after the holidays fade? How do we, in the best spirit of many religious
traditions, go beyond superficial appearances when we think of the homeless?

For a start, we must first know who the homeless are. Every type of person
and walk of life can of course be found among the homeless, but there are
some who are more likely to fall into its ranks.

Based on interviews conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau with thousands of
homeless and formerly homeless people who sought help from a range of food
pantries, emergency housing programs and health programs, the study found
that 40% had failed to finish high school; 27% had lived in foster care,
group homes or other institutions during their childhood, a percentage
wildly out of whack with the general population; 25% reported childhood
physical or sexual abuse, and 21% had been homeless as children.

Before they reached 18, more than 20% were drinking or using drugs, had
spent time in juvenile detention or other correctional facilities or had
run away from home or been forced out. By adulthood, two of three had drug
or alcohol abuse or mental health problems.

Largely unschooled and unskilled, often unmarried and alone, ill and
perhaps disabled, most face multiple barriers to independent and productive
lives.

The report, which was prepared by the Urban Institute, surveyed nearly
12,000 homeless assistance programs including emergency shelters,
transitional housing programs, food pantries, soup kitchens and health
care, mental health, alcohol, drug and HIV/AIDS programs to determine what
services were available. Nearly half of the homeless who were surveyed
indicated that finding employment was their highest priority. A job, the
best antidote to poverty, is also one of the quickest routes to a permanent
address.

Experts already know much of what works. Andrew Cuomo, the federal housing
secretary who released the report and a former advocate for homeless people
in New York, points to mental health treatment, for example, which costs
substantially less than a jail cell. Drug and alcohol abuse treatment is
also a bargain compared with the cost of prison. Yet these services are
rarely available. Considering the high percentage of former foster children
on the streets, providing housing that helps them make a transition when
they turn 18 makes more sense than ever.

No public or private program can wipe away the many causes of homelessness.
But at a time of year when emphasis is placed on thinking of others, it's
good to remember that we already know how to alleviate much of the
suffering that takes place on our nation's streets.