American Shanty
As the current recession continues to clamp down, more and more Americans are facing homelessness. Whether they’ve become homeless due to foreclosure, or whether they’ve lost their jobs and are now on the streets, there is a rising tide of homeless people that are seeking shelter in so-called “tent cities.”
From Seattle to St. Petersburg, and Sacramento to Nashville, tent cities are appearing in surprising areas. No longer connected just with major urban centers, modern shanty towns are popping up in more rural areas and on the outskirts of cities.
In addition to more shanty towns being created in recent months, pre-existing tent cities have also experienced surges in their resident populations. Emergency housing shelters—particularly in areas like California where the climate is moderate—have seen a major influx of people seeking their services, so much so in fact, that hundreds of people are being turned away every day.
When asked recently about tent cities and the increase of homelessness in America, President Obama said, “I’m heartbroken that any child in America is homeless. And the most important thing that I can do on their behalf is to make sure their parents have a job. Part of the change in attitudes that I want to see here in Washington and all across the country is a belief that it is not acceptable for children and families to be without a roof over their heads in a country as wealthy as ours.”
Homelessness is nothing new in the United States; even when times are good our major urban centers struggle with homelessness. Thanks to the recent economic downturn however, more people than ever face the very real prospect of living on the streets.
Some have argued that tent cities are on the rise because of the record number of foreclosures happening around the country. Most however, believe that the foreclosure crisis is having more of a trickle-down effect rather than creating instant homelessness.
People who lose their homes to foreclosure typically are able to turn to renting as their first option. If they’re still employed, their situation isn’t totally dire, as they can still support themselves and find accommodations. Unfortunately, a rush of former homeowners entering the rental market can cause the rental rates to climb, which can make living in an apartment unreachable for lower income tenants. Those pushed out of the rental market have options like finding roommates or suites to rent, though a large number end up staying in motel rooms or other temporary accommodations. If motels become too expensive or overcrowded, then shelters and the streets are their next stop.
This trickle down effect has been happening with great rapidity of late, as the number of layoffs occurring is overwhelming the system. Two-income households are being reduced to one, and single income families are being reduced to nothing. Those who’ve been laid off face an extremely tough job market, where it can take up to a year to find something new.
It is the economic climate as a whole that is adding to the homelessness problem, not just foreclosures. Decreased property values and upside down mortgages have certainly added to our present situation, but it is the employment outlook that desperately needs to be brighter. Otherwise, there will be a fresh wave of Americans who can’t find jobs or shelter, and must resort to living in tent cities.
Job loss, death of a spouse, mental illness, medical problems, and drug addiction are a few things that can lead to homelessness. Add to this the massive financial problems we’ve seen in this country, and you’ve got a recipe for modern American shanty towns.
No one can expect to eliminate homelessness completely, but it’s important to make a start. Especially in communities where vacant properties outnumber the homeless, something in this country is out of whack. Homelessness needs to be tackled at its root level, and for those who’ve only recently become homeless, job creation and economic stimulus are a large part of the answer. By seeing tent cities spring up across the nation, it’s clear that things are getting serious for many people. It’s important that we all view the homeless as people deserving of respect and perhaps a little compassion—because one day we might join them.
About the Author
The Affinity Group is a prominent name in Denver real estate, with agents specializing in working with both buyers and sellers of real estate throughout the Denver area. Visit JakeMarsh.com for details about their services, property listings, and information about their service areas, including downtown Denver Colorado real estate.
Kaba Modern – America’s Best Dance Crew – Sensual Seduction Full Length
|
|
9-in. Unicorn Magnum Plus Pepper Mill, Black. $45.00 Many of our authorities thought this 9″ tall, contemporary black pepper mill was top notch- it met all our criteria: a comfortable grip, a grind that is easily adjustable, and a nut at the base that is independent of the loading ring in the mill’s body–so there’s no need to reset the grind after refilling. It holds over a cup of peppercorns that are easily added through the large hole on the side… |
|
|
Nordic Ware Universal 8 Cup Double Boiler Fits 2 to 4 Quart Sauce Pans $9.00 Cleverly design with a series of concentric grooves, this conical double boiler insert fits any pot or pan that’s 6 to 9 inches in diameter or 1 to 4 quarts in capacity. The double boiler itself holds 2 quarts. Designed for gently heating delicate sauces or for melting cheese or chocolate, the boiler is made of aluminum and has a nonstick interior so it easily releases foods and cleans effortl… |
|
|
Zyliss All Cheese Grater, Fine and Coarse Drum Set, White $13.50 Winner of the RedDot design award in 2005, this Zyliss rotary grater set makes traditional stand-up models look like relics. Two interchangeable rotary drums with large, clog-free barrels click in and out of the white plastic housing to transition easily between fine and coarse grating. The large handle flips open to store the uncut cheese and features a non-slip thumb rest for a safe, secure hold… |
|
|
Ray (Widescreen Edition) $2.77 Jamie Foxx’s uncannily accurate performance isn’t the only good thing about Ray. Riding high on a wave of Oscar buzz, Foxx proved himself worthy of all the hype by portraying blind R&B legend Ray Charles in a warts-and-all performance that Charles approved shortly before his death in June 2004. Despite a few dramatic embellishments of actual incidents (such as the suggestion that the accidental dr… |
|
|
Essential George Gershwin $9.93 Given his seemingly effortless ability at melding such disparate forms as jazz and gospel with his own rare melodic gifts, it’s not hard to view George Gershwin as America’s first classical crossover artist. But as this glorious, 41-track double-disc introduction to Gershwin’s epochal repertoire quickly demonstrates, that assessment woefully shortchanges the sheer grandeur of “Rhapsody in Blue” or… |
|
|
Modern Times $3.56 At a time when the majority of those his age are drifting into retirement, 65-year-old Bob Dylan has put the capper on a three-record run that ranks with the best in his storied, 44-album career. Like Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft before it, Modern Times is a rootsy, blues-soaked pool of the purest form of Americana–skipping the progressive bells or whistles for an understated backing by hi… |
|
|
Last of the Dogmen [VHS] $9.98 Despite an irritating, tacked-on voice-over narration that somebody must have thought was necessary to make sense of the story (it wasn’t), Last of the Dogmen is actually a very moving and magical film. Tom Berenger plays a Montana bounty hunter who helps an anthropologist (Barbara Hershey) search for the descendants of a Cheyenne tribe who disappeared in the 1870s. What the two find in a remote m… |
|
|
Spirit – A Journey in Dance, Drums and Song [VHS] $24.95 Weaving Native American mythology, music, dance, and rituals into a stage presentation augmented for television and home video, Spirit: A Journey in Dance, Drums, and Song suggests a New World counterpart to Riverdance, aimed at the same audience that made Bill Whelan’s Celtic extravaganza a programming staple for PBS fund drives and a perennial seller in music and home video. Both projects als… |
|
|
PBS American Visions The History of American Art and Architecture [VHS] $149.98 “What can we say about Americans from the things they’ve made? When we look at them through the lens of their art, what do we see?,” host and acclaimed TIME magazine art critic Robert Hughes asks. This extraordinary series presents a panoramic view of American history as reflected by artists in every medium and genre, from “primitive” portraits of the Colonial era to the complex visions of the pre… |
|
|
SOG Specialty Knives & Tools F01T Tactical Tomahawk, Black $24.75 The original Vietnam Tomahawk, SOG’s F01T-N Tactical Tomahawk is the latest incarnation of one of history’s most unusual weapons. This versatile piece of equipment handles a number of tasks including excavation, operations breaching, obstacle removal, and extraction, which makes the F01T-N an ideal tool for military and service personnel..caption {font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif… |
|
|
Garner`s Modern American Usage (Hardcover) $25.1 Since first appearing in 1998, Garner`s Modern American Usage has established itself as the preeminent guide to the effective use of the English language. Brimming with witty, erudite essays on troublesome words and phrases, GMAU authoritatively shows … |
|
|
The Rise and Fall of Modern American Conservatism (Paperback) $22.02 The Rise and Fall of Modern American Conservatism tells the gripping story of perhaps the most significant political force of our time through the lives and careers of six leading figures at the heart of the movement. David Farber traces the … |
|
|
The Cambridge Companion to Modern American Culture (Hardcover) $103.95 The Cambridge Companion to Modern American Culture offers a comprehensive, authoritative and accessible overview of the cultural themes and intellectual issues that drive the dominant culture of the twentieth century. This companion explores the social… |
|
|
Modern American Memoirs $11.43 Excellent examples of the art of autobiography, these 35 memoirs are sheer pleasure to read. Some are by well-known authors (like Russell Baker, Kate Simon, and James Baldwin) and some by unknowns; all illuminate the vast variety of the American exp |
|
|
Inventing the Modern American Family (Paperback) $52.08 Description not available. |
