Mr. President, I Can Cure the Homeless Problem in America

I can do what none have done before. I can offer a proposal that would create steps that, for whatever reasons, could not be enacted in the last two decades. My proposal can cure the homeless problem in our country.

Homelessness is an ever growing problem. The reason the problem is growing is because each individual circumstance has a quantifying effect. When one detrimental thing happens, more begin to follow.

An example would be that a person who has just bought a house, a decision wrought in confidence due to a longstanding employment, and suddenly finds themselves unemployed. Then the bills mount as this person begins to look for a new job. However, each opportunity for employment is rejected or does not meet the minimum standards to which he/she can survive. They then lose their home, the car is repossessed, they have no where to go, and if they did, the welcome would be worn out sooner than expected.

The majority of homeless people find themselves in an ever growing situation caused by only one factor, which grew into multiple factors. The homeless are looked upon with disgust and pity. They often hear bits of advice, like, "Get a job". They tried that, Mr. President. Most homeless people are represented in the media as alcoholics. They are told, "Get yourself cleaned up". They drink to stay warm on the cold nights that the government leaves them outside.

There are many causes of homelessness. Here are listed some of the top contributors:

Leaving the parental home after arguments
Marital or relationship breakdown
Widowhood
Leaving care
Leaving prison
A sharp deterioration of mental health
Increased drug or alcohol misuse
A financial crisis or mounting debts, including loss of employment
Eviction

Each of these causes are results of losing their home as they knew it, or not having a home to return to. The government has tried to end the homeless problem to no avail. In fact, at some points, the government has been inhumane towards the homeless problem.

In some cities and counties, laws have been passed that make it illegal to donate home cooked food to the homeless. Doing so will earn you jail time. This is a fact. The government has done nothing to stem or prevent the homeless situation, and now they require that it's citizens do nothing to help.

The 2006 National Project Homeless Connect Week, is facilitated by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. This is great, there is a whole department assigned to regulate the homeless. Yet, they have accomplished little in their efforts. This year, starting December 4th, Project Homeless Connect Week attempts to provide maximum efforts for the homeless. 40 communities are participating this year.

"Project Homeless Connect is the fusion of political and civic will in a 1-day, 1-stop array of resources and services to welcome our homeless neighbors," said Council Executive Director Philip Mangano.

A one day, one stop array of resources? For each instance of homelessness cured, two more will begin. Even if a one day event helps some of the homeless, what happens the other 364 days of the year? It is also sufficient to say that giving homeless people resources does not guarantee success and relief of their situation. This is evidenced by a recently reported instance of a homeless person being given a large amount of money to better his situation.

He took the money, cleaned himself up; got an apartment, a car, and a job. He then proceeded to find himself homeless again, 30 days later. The circumstances of that were from his willingness to help others end their situation as well, he bought cars for all of them. He took the money and spent or gave it all. His resource was gone, and the original causes of homelessness applied once again.

Project Homeless Connect targets homeless people from off the streets and in shelters and connects them to a range of resources - housing, jobs, medical care, mainstream benefits application assistance - that can put them on the road to recovery and self sufficiency.

The effort is warranted, it is a good effort, but it is not enough. This effort is the same one that has been done over and over again. We've seen the homeless shelters, we know what kind of housing can be expected. Most homeless people end up back out on the streets because of homeless shelter rules that infringe upon their freedoms and rights.

We help them to obtain jobs, but those jobs are rare for even those that aren't homeless. The jobs that are available to people that have been out of work for so long are barely able to support them on their road to "recovery and self-sufficiency".

It is not enough, Mr. President. However, there is only one more step to take and it will be enough. For too long, the government has made a token effort. "Let's cure homelessness" has been the cry of politicians seeking office. Yet when they attain that office, the homeless situation falls down on the list. More important matters such as governmental employee raises take the forefront.

One more step to take, Sir, and here it is. Every year we face the IRS in the inevitable task of taxation. The forms to be filled out cover every possible expense, tax, and credit. Or does it?

For a married couple with children, they claim their dependants. They now even get earned income credit. They receive benefits and compensation for having children. Until those children reach the age of 18.

Once children reach the age of 18, adulthood, they are considered as able to work and according to the government should provide their own income. The government saw that this was not always the case and afforded parents and heads of household the ability to claim an adult as a dependant if they have not met income requirements.

For a divorced couple, often times only the custodial parent is able to earn the credit and benefits the IRS doles out for children. Often these equal $3000.00 or more. While the non-custodial parent pays child support month after month, and then come February, they get nothing and continue to pay support.

Why should excessive money be used in such a lopsided manner? I mention the divorced couple scenario to show how unfortunate the current system can be. Tie that in with the adult dependant system and you should begin to see the cure.

If the IRS gives credits and benefits to parents and heads of households for children and non-income adults, the way to solve homelessness is already in place. The IRS would only have to allow compensation benefits to each household that takes in a homeless person. The rules of non-income adults apply and can be increased for households that elect to follow this procedure.

For divorced parents with qualifying children, the custodial parent can release the claim of exemption by filing form 8332. This allows the non-custodial parent to file the child as a dependant. This can be done on a yearly basis.

Why should we not create a new IRS form based on the concept of form 8332? One that an adult dependant must sign, giving the head of household the right to claim them as a dependant. In this way, a homeless person can be supported by a household and that household will earn the tax credits and benefits of that support.

This will greatly increase the support system for ending the problem of homelessness. The homeless person will have a good home to stay in, the opportunity to get a job, with the safety net of time and convenience. They will not be given resources and left to their own devices, only to fail again.

You may ask, why would anyone take a homeless stranger into their home? I ask you if every homeless person is a stranger? I agree that some, maybe most, do not have families to turn to. But many do, and those families will be given the benefits and credits to bring that child/adult home.

For those that do not have families, there are many giving people in this world that will open their homes to better a life. For those unfortunate few who do not or can not find a home, homeless rehabilitation clinics can be built. We can afford people the right to break addictions to drugs and alcohol by giving them a comfortable and acceptable living quarters in a rehab center, but we can not create the same types of centers or afford the same types of convenience for homeless people?

These rehab centers will operate in the very same way that drug rehab centers operate. Government spending will provide the resources, behavorial modification will be given, and upon release, the newly non-homeless people will move to halfway houses to be monitored as they begin to assimilate themselves back into society.

Mr President, I have explained this concept in it's entirety. We afford these same steps to drug addicts, alcohol abusers, and prisoners. It is time that we afford them to homeless people, whose only crime was to be unlucky.