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Homeless: Choice or Circumstance?

By KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant

During a recent spell of wintry weather, shelters in and around Daytona Beach opened their doors to provide many homeless with a hot meal and a place to sleep. Homeless people are considered transients; that is, they do not have a permanent place to live. When the temperature drops, transients may face illness or even death without a warm place to sleep. As many as 400 homeless people died last year in the state of Florida, many due to exposure or lack of medical treatment.

Some people are concerned that Daytona Beach gives too much of a welcome to the homeless. In a letter written to the editor of The Daytona Beach News-Journal, one resident recently worried that the area's reputation may be damaged if it continues to provide services such as shelters for transients. Will the city's efforts to help transients attract even more to the area?

There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are transients themselves. Newspapers and other media often publish stories about these street people. Take a look at how one area transient became homeless after an on-the-job injury put him out of work.

In general, there have always been some who don't accept living in homes and, for whatever reason, feel they don't fit in. They are, perhaps, homeless by choice.

Circumstance, however, is the main reason folks find themselves without permanent shelter. The Great Depression, around the 1930s, caused many to lose their jobs and they were unable to afford a place to live. The Depression gave rise to hobos, many of whom traveled around the country to look for work. They often "hopped" trains, traveling illegally and dangerously in empty boxcars or between cars. The phenomenon of hoboes is interesting, partly because they communicated with each other by inventing a language of symbols: Using chalk, charcoal or paint, hoboes left signs to indicate a friendly town, or the possibility of finding work. A "hobo culture" still exists, although the Great Depression is long over.

Around the middle of the 20th century, many people were released from mental institutions because it was becoming too expensive for governments to provide for them. Some of the people released were not quite ready for society. It was hard for them to find and keep jobs, and many became homeless as a result.

When the economy is in a downward trend, homelessness increases. These days, the homeless include the "working poor." These are people who have jobs but don't make a living wage. They may be able to buy food and clothing with their salaries, but cannot afford a home, apartment or rooming house.

Homelessness occurs not only in your community but also in most communities around the world. To combat the growing problem, some communities are imposing restrictions in an effort to deter transients. The City of Ocala, for example, has instituted a policy forbidding climbing trees, or walking, standing, sitting or lying on monuments, vases, fountains, railings, fences, tables, benches or other property not intended for that use. It also prohibits camping in the parks. City officials hope that these restrictions will stop homeless people from stopping in their community.

Do you think Daytona should adopt a similar policy? What effect would it have on the community, and how would it affect the homeless? Before you formulate an opinion, check out the newspaper activities and web links below to learn more.

Try these interesting activities using The Daytona Beach News-Journal

1. How much does housing cost? Search The News-Journal to select any five apartments available for rent. Average the monthly cost of an apartment according to your selections. Assuming that rent may comprise up to 1/3 of one's typical living expenses, compute how much you would need to earn to afford each of the apartments? (Sunshine State Standards MA.A.1.2.1, MA.A.1.2.2, MA.A.1.2.3, MA.A.3.2.2, MA.A.3.2.3, MA.B.2.2.1, MA.B.3.2.1, MA.D.1.2.1, MA.E.3.2.1, SS.D.1.2.1, SS.D.1.2.5)

2. Look through The News-Journal for local organizations or groups who help feed, clothe and/or provide shelter for the homeless. Discuss with your family if and how you all can help. (Sunshine State Standards SS.B.2.2.2, SS.B.2.2.3, SS.C.1.2.5, SS.C.2.2.5, SS.D.1.2.1, SS.D.1.2.5)

3. The state of the economy can cause businesses to downsize and lay off workers, who might then find it hard keep up with rent or mortgage payments. Look through the business section of The News-Journal for reports about the condition of the economy and joblessness. Discuss what you discover with your family. (Sunshine State Standards SS.C.1.2.5, SS.C.2.2.5, SS.D.1.2.1, SS.D.1.2.5)

4. Many homeless became that way due to a change in circumstances. Search your News-Journal and clip photos of ordinary-looking people. Design a public service poster using your photos. On your poster, ask the question "Could These People Become Homeless?" Add a sentence or two explaining your views about homelessness. Display your poster to educate others. (Sunshine State Standards SS.B.1.2.5, SS.B.2.2.2, SS.B.2.2.3, SS.C.1.2.5, SS.C.2.2.1, SS.C.2.2.5, SS.D.1.2.1, SS.D.1.2.5)

5. Some area residents and visitors see homelessness as a negative aspect, because they fear tourists may not visit an area with a large homeless population. Why not emphasize the positive? Use The News-Journal to locate events or other attractions likely to bring visitors to Daytona Beach. If you can list ten or more, you're a star! Try to attend one or more of the events you identified. (Sunshine State Standards SS.B.1.2.5, SS.B.2.2.2, SS.B.2.2.3, SS.C.1.2.5, SS.C.2.2.1, SS.C.2.2.5, SS.D.1.2.1, SS.D.1.2.5)

A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org.

Check out these links to learn more

At the Homeless Children International web site you can read interesting stories by and about homeless children in places as far away as Kenya and Brazil. www.homelesskids.org/

Habitat for Humanity is designed to help poor people build affordable housing. Follow the link to take a quick tour and learn more about this important organization. www.habitat.org/ Habitat for Humanity also welcomes the participation of kids. Take a look at some youth programs, listen to what volunteers have to say about their experiences or find ideas for getting involved yourself. www.habitat.org/ccyp/

Helping the homeless is considered a community service. In what other ways can you provide a service to your community? Check out these links for great ideas on how you can volunteer in your area. www.dre.ca.gov/service.htm

Street kids face a greater risk of violence, illness and depression. Many agencies are available for kids in crises like these. One such agency is the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS). The NRS offers confidential, on-line counseling 24 hours a day. The NRS may also be reached by telephoning (800)621-4000. www.nrscrisisline.org/kids.asp

The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world. Visit the site and check some of them out, to see if they have recently published any articles on problems with homelessness. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published January 28, 2002

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