Dear Activist,

I need you to take a minute to recall the comfort of your bed, the productive feeling working from your desk, and the meals you prepare in your kitchen. These are all luxuries millions of people cannot afford. According to Yale University, at least 150 million people are houseless, which correlates to 2 percent of the world’s population. We must use our voices to guarantee others secure forms of living.

Houselessness is the state of not having a house or proper shelter. As the term is gaining recognition, it is important to note the difference between being houseless and homeless. Council-member Kirsten Harris-Talley described the differentiation best through a Seattle Weekly article; she states that the word is “in an understanding that not everyone has a house, but everyone has a home.” By categorizing people as homeless, we are showcasing our one-sidedness. Some people have managed to build a home suitable for themselves.

While some people are comfortable in their living spaces, millions of people lack adequate housing and live unpredictably. A Yale University study estimates that 1.6 billion people, which is more than 20 percent of the global population, suffer from insufficient housing.

The Causes of Houselessness

There are several factors contributing to houselessness, which explains why numerous people are affected by it. Poverty, domestic violence, unemployment, and discrimination impact large groups of people and lead to them being houseless.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, some people become houseless because they do not make enough money to pay for housing. Low-income households are generally unemployed due to a number of factors, such as a “challenging labor market; limited education; a gap in work history; unreliable transportation or unstable housing; poor health or a disability.” For low-income households that are employed, their incomes are unsteady and have not kept pace with expensive housing costs.

More than 90 percent of women experiencing houselessness have experienced a form of abuse. Domestic violence survivors are looking for a safe place to stay after leaving an abusive relationship; those who lack the economic resources to maintain housing also turn to homeless service programs. Survivors of abuse are left with nothing as they try to escape their former lives.

Statistically, minorities in the United States experience houselessness at a higher rate than white people; therefore, they make up a disproportionate share of the houseless population. People of color represent 13 percent of the general population but account for 40 percent of the houseless population. As stated by the United Nations, inequalities are the most “identified cause” of houselessness; however, the individual circumstances of each person is talked about instead.

The Global Houseless Population

In Nigeria, there are approximately 24.4 million people who are in need of proper shelters; that number represents 13 percent of the country’s population. The Borgen Project states that, due to the threat of violence, one million people had to flee their homes. The terrorist organization, Boko Haram, has also caused at least two million Nigerians to leave their households.

There are about three million houseless people in Indonesia. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, leave millions without adequate housing. In 2019, 25 million families lived in temporary housing or poor conditions.

According to the Homeless World Cup Foundation, France recorded 103,000 citizens using emergency accommodations or relying on soup kitchens as a main source of food; 30,000 of those citizens were children. In 2012, 141,500 people in the country were houseless, which is 50 percent higher in comparison to statistics from 2001.

More than 235,000 Canadians are houseless per year. The Homeless World Cup Foundation states that more than 35,000 people are houseless on any given night. In addition, indigenous people, who make up 4.3 percent of the Canadian population, constitute 28-34% of the shelter population.

Activate Change

The dehumanization, prejudice, and discrimination the houseless population faces cannot be accounted for. These people have undergone several obstacles throughout their lives, and we must refrain from staying silent. It is imperative that we work towards diminishing the houseless population by tremendous amounts, as no one should unwillingly live in uncertainty. It will take a global effort to enact change, which we are capable of doing.

• Advocate and petition for affordable housing!
• Partner with organizations to host drives and fundraisers.
• Volunteer by serving food at a shelter, tutoring, editing resumés, and taking care of children.
• Educate yourself on the factors of houselessness and seek ways to generate change in your community.
• Donate food, clothes, blankets, books, and shoes to various homeless shelters.
• Teach typing, accounting, child care, a new language, and other necessary tasks through your local shelters.

The houseless population must gain the recognition they deserve. By becoming aware of our privileges and using our resources to help others, we can repair society. Houselessness is far from just a local issue. It impacts people across borders and continents; houselessness is present in both developed and developing countries. We hold the power to change these people’s lives for the better. They are looking to us for worldwide change.

Cordially,

Nika Tarkian