Janae Scanlon

English 219-001
Amanda Amstutz
November 6, 2015
MWA #3 - Activity Report Briefing
The following is a briefing on the current situation of homelessness in Albuquerque.
Homelessness is a problem in our city today and always has been. Just take a drive down Central
to downtown Albuquerque and you will see an alarming amount of people living on the streets
and asking for handouts. Not only is this a problem in the downtown area but in other areas of
town as well. Almost everywhere you go you will see men and women of all ages holding
cardboard signs asking for money or pushing a grocery store cart containing their few
belongings. There is a common misconception that all homelessness derives from drug abuse,
alcoholism, or laziness. While this is true in some cases, most homelessness is due to physical
and mental disabilities, domestic violence, poverty, lack of affordable housing, job loss, family
issues, tragic life events, or veterans that have nowhere else to go. An individual is considered to
be homeless if he or she is lacking a home or permanent place of residence. People in this
condition are usually forced to live on the street, stay with friends, or bounce from shelter to
shelter. They tend to camp out underneath bridges, cars, abandoned buildings, or empty lots. No
matter what circumstances that people have gone through, no one should have to live like this.
We should be willing to help.
In 2013 there were 817 homeless adults without children, 354 people in homeless
families (adults and children), 170 homeless veterans, and 233 chronically homeless people. In
April 2015, there were 854 homeless adults without children, 408 people in homeless families,
25 homeless youth under 18, 188 homeless veterans, and 260 chronically homeless people. The
total point-in-time count for 2013 was 1171 homeless individuals. The total point-in-time count
for 2015 was 1287 homeless individuals. The Point-In-Time count does not include people who
are doubled up with family or friends or people who are living in motels. These numbers come
from the New Mexico Coalition for the Homeless which states that the PIT count does not
capture changes in rates of homelessness among people in these unstable living
situations...should be considered a minimum estimate of the number of people experiencing
homelessness, under HUDs definition, on one night in Albuquerque. So it is safe to say that
there are even more homeless people in Albuquerque that have not been accounted for.
I have three recommendations to aid in ending homelessness in Albuquerque. My three
recommendations would be to provide affordable housing, find employment for homeless people
that are able to work, and provide mental health services for homeless people suffering from
mental illnesses. Lack of affordable housing is the main cause of homelessness. People living in
poverty cannot afford to pay rent for themselves and their families, if they have one. There are
several research studies that have confirmed that long-term housing assistance not only gets
more people off the streets for the long run but it is also less expensive than shelters and other
institutional care. Federal housing programs are one of the more successful housing solutions to
ending homelessness. Housing programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers or Section 8
vouchers and VA Supportive Housing have helped to reduce homelessness by allowing low-

income households to rent modest market-rate housing of their choice and provide a flexible
subsidy that adjusts with the familys income over time. Studies show that public housing and
federal housing vouchers are highly successful at reducing family homelessness and in ensuring
that these families remain stably housed out of the shelter system (Coalition for the Homeless).
The only lasting solution to homelessness is permanent housing. This would get people off of the
streets and into a permanent home where they can feel stable and safe. Another housing solution
is for New Mexico to use the Housing First method, which is a philosophy that dictates that
the most vulnerable and chronic people experiencing homelessness be offered the choice to move
into permanent housing combined with available supportive services ("permanent supportive
housing") right away. It discourages imposing conditions on permanent housing, whether related
to health, employment or sobriety. This approach has a documented track record of ending
peoples homelessness while often encouraging them to make their own choices to get healthy,
quit drugs and alcohol, and find employment when possible (Coalition for the Homeless). This
is also cheaper for taxpayers than allowing people to stay homeless. The Housing First method
would allow these people to feel as though they are cared for and would encourage them to take
their own steps in the right direction. I think that if New Mexico would continue to implement
and promote these resources, homelessness in Albuquerque would decrease. Homeless people
should know about these resources and be able to get information on what they need to do in
order to gain access to them.
Though is true that some homeless people may not want to work to change their condition, it
is a common misconception that all homeless people are lazy and incapable. Many people who
are living on the streets cannot get a job if they tried due to their unclean appearance and
unstable life. However, the only way for them to get off of the streets is to get a job that can
provide them with funds to better their lives. I found that New Mexico now has a program that
Mayor Richard Berry implemented where homeless people can work on projects around the city
for little more than minimum wage in an effort to curb panhandling. This is definitely a big step
in the right direction. There are plenty of people who are willing to work if they are introduced to
opportunities like this. We should continue to find work opportunities that can help homeless
people get back on their feet.
Mental illnesses and disabilities are one of the main causes of homelessness. According to the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless
population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. In a 2008 survey
performed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 25 cities were asked for the three largest causes of
homelessness in their communities. Mental illness was the third largest cause of homelessness
for single adults (mentioned by 48% of cities). For homeless families, mental illness was
mentioned by 12% of cities as one of the top 3 causes of homelessness. Mental illnesses make it
difficult for people to perform everyday tasks and maintain stable relationships. This is why
many people end up living on the streets because they are unable to accurately care for
themselves or they do not have anyone to look out for them. Many times homeless veterans
suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from war experiences and have a hard time adjusting
to life outside of the military. PTSD can make it difficult for veterans to carry on a normal
lifestyle and move on with their lives after the war.

Contrary to popular belief, many people suffering with mental illnesses are willing to get
help by accepting treatment and services. When outreach programs are available for these
people, they are more successful when workers establish a trusting relationship through
continued contact with the people they are trying to help. Healthcare for the Homeless
Incorporated has a location in Albuquerque that has psychiatrists, licensed social workers,
professional counselors, and psychiatric nurse practitioners available to provide services such as
crisis intervention, therapy, psychiatric help, case management, access to supportive housing,
support groups, and other services for mentally ill homeless people.
Since housing programs, employment help, and mental health services are already in place, I
recommend that New Mexico would continue to care for the homeless in Albuquerque and
surrounding cities by continuing and improving these programs. The city should do more to
promote these services to the homeless because oftentimes they are unaware of what is available
to them. They may think that no one cares about them or their wellbeing and they may feel like
they are alone in the world. I think it would be beneficial to have free classes every once in a
while that homeless people can attend in which they are thoroughly informed about the services
that the city has to offer and ways in which they can better their lives. I also believe that the
public should be more aware of the causes of homelessness and what people have gone through
in order to be in their current situation. The negative stereotypes and common misconceptions
about homelessness need to be destroyed in order for the public to have compassion on these
individuals. If the homeless continue to be unaware of helpful resources they will continue to
live as they do and the statistics will increase. Also, if the negative stereotypes and
misconceptions continue to exist, our compassion for the homeless will decrease and people will
be less willing to help. We must understand that there are many causes of homelessness and
every person living on the street has a story to tell. We must never stop helping those in need,
especially those who are living on our own city streets.

Works Cited
"2015 Point-In-Time Count Results." New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness. Web. 5 Nov.
2015.
"Ending Homelessness." Coalition For The Homeless. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.
"Homeless Veterans - Housing Assistance." U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Web. 5 Nov.
2015.
"Housing First." 100,000 Homes. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.
"Mental Health Services." Health Care for the Homeless. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.