Many of us hold stereotypes of those in homeless situations. We see the individuals, usually men, on street corners holding up signs and asking for assistance. We make assumptions based on their appearance and their behavior. Many times it is obvious that the individual has other problems that likely contribute to their situation, such as addictions or mental health issues. But other times these individuals look suspiciously like you and me. That can feel pretty uncomfortable to those of us who believe that we would never find ourselves in such a situation. This is when it may become important, for our own sense of security, for us to see these individuals as one-dimensional stereotypes that represent the entire population of those in homeless situations. We often psychologically distance ourselves from their circumstances by attaching labels and stereotyping. We do so because we may find the truth to be very disconcerting. For many of us living paycheck-to-paycheck, overextended in our spending, and with uncertain healthcare benefits, becoming homeless may be only a job loss, health crisis, or as we have recently seen, a natural disaster away.

In the aftermath of Katrina we saw that even middle-class individuals can become homeless, and subsequently have a difficult time once again becoming housed. We saw individuals of all types, shapes, and sizes in need. Probably the most disturbing image was of families with children camping out on curbs. Many of us learned for the first time that many of these families with children had been living prior to the storm in such poverty that they were unable to come up with the means to evacuate or to stock up on provisions, or even unable to locate family or friends who had the resources to assist them. While this may have been the first time for many of us to become aware that this level of need exists, it is not unusual in America today for many of our citizens to lack resources.

What is noteworthy is that so many in the larger population were unaware that these issues existed prior to the hurricanes. Are our nation’s issues of poverty and homelessness truly out of sight, out of mind? How can that be when we see the signs of poverty and homelessness on street corners all over America? It is more likely that we do see these individuals and their signs, but that we have categorized those we see into stereotypes that give distance and comfort, but not the awareness that what we see is merely the tip of the iceberg.

The most pervasive myth about homelessness is that it happens only to single adults, usually male. The truth is that 40%1 of those in homeless situations are families. Sixty-seven percent of those families have single parents as heads of households2 . Of those families, children make up the largest portion of the population in homeless situations. The good news is that entire families are not usually standing on street corners with signs. The bad news is that entire families are out of sight and out of mind. Those of us working in the helping professions were not shocked by the level of poverty that we saw coming out of New Orleans, but for those who do not work within the social services, welfare, or homeless services fields, the true dimensions of poverty and homelessness are often not easily comprehended.

There are many stereotypes and misconceptions to explore when it comes to the issues of homelessness and poverty in America. Below are some of the major myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes attached to those in homeless situations, along with the facts that support or belie these beliefs. These facts may be helpful for service providers and advocates for those in homeless situations.

The Myths, Misconceptions, and Facts about Homelessness

Myth: Those in homeless situations are mostly single adult males.
Fact: Families are the fastest growing population of the homeless. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 40% of those in homeless situations are families.

Myth: Those in homeless situations are “street people”.
Fact: Only about 18% of those in homeless situations live on the streets. The majority (64%) of those in homeless situations live in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or doubled-up with family or friends. 19% live in motels/hotels or rooming houses, or substandard housing.3 (HUD does not count those doubled-up with family and friends, or those in hotels/motels (unless paid for by government vouchers) as homeless, whereas the US Department of Education considers homeless to include motel/hotel housing due to loss of other housing through hardship, and those doubled-up due to the loss of housing through hardship.)

Myth: Those in homeless situations are lazy and won’t work.
Fact: According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 44% of homeless persons did paid work during the past month. Of these, 20% worked in a job lasting or expected to last at least three months, 25% worked at a temporary or day-labor job. Most work in minimum-wage, service, or seasonal jobs that do not pay enough to afford housing at the fair-market rate in many communities.

Myth: Most of those in homeless situations are mentally ill.
Fact: According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 23% of those in homeless situations have mental health issues.

Myth: All those in homeless situations are poorly educated.
Fact: While lack of education and significant job training do contribute to homelessness, a health crisis, or natural disaster does not discriminate based on education. Many of those in homeless situations have high school, college, and even graduate degrees.5

Myth: All those in homeless situations get government assistance.
Fact: Over 40% of homeless persons are eligible for disability benefits, but only 11% actually receive them. Most are eligible for food stamps, but only 37% receive them. Most families are eligible for welfare benefits, but only 52% receive them. Some 12% of children are denied access to school, despite federal law.6

Myth: Most of those in homeless situations are to blame for their situations.
Fact: According to the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, the two most pervasive reasons for homelessness are poverty and lack of affordable housing.

Myth: Anyone can afford housing.
Fact: A January 2001 report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) found that 4.9 million low-income American households had worst-case housing needs, paying more than 50% of their income on rent, while HUD estimates that this figure should be no more than 30%, and in fact this percentage is used to calculate the national poverty level. Someone making $5.80 per hour makes $12,064 per year – can then afford $300 per month in rent. A worker must make $14.66 per hour (nearly 3 X minimum wage) to afford a two bedroom home at a national fair market rate (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty). Low-wage workers have been particularly hard-hit by wage trends. As recently as 1967, a year-round worker earning the minimum wage was paid enough to raise a family of three above the poverty line (Sklar, 1995).7

Myth: There is plenty of affordable housing to go around.
Fact: Today, fewer than 30% of those eligible for low-income housing receive it. According to HUD’s January 2001 report, the number of units affordable to low-income households dropped by 1.14 million between 1997 and 1999. There is need for 10.5 million units while only 6.1 million exist.

Myth: There are plenty of shelters to assist the homeless.
Fact: Results from the December 2001 U.S. Conference of Mayors’ survey indicate that 52% of shelter requests by homeless families are estimated to have been unmet during 2001.

Myth: Those in homeless situations are veterans.
Fact: According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, only 10% of those in homeless situations are veterans. However the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans places the figure at 40%.

Myth: Those in homeless situations commit crimes.
Fact: Those in homeless situations are more likely to be victims of crime. When they do commit crimes, the crimes are usually status offenses such as begging, loitering, trespassing, as well as for sleeping and even sitting in public — even though there are no alternative places for those who are homeless to sleep or sit. Almost 80% of cities surveyed in a January 2002 report by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and the National Coalition for the Homeless have laws that prohibit sleeping/camping in public areas. At least 80 surveyed cities have pursued efforts to criminalize such activities associated with homelessness.

Myth: Health issues alone are not major factors in poverty and homelessness.
Fact: Thirteen percent of homeless individuals became homeless due to health problems, and 37.9 million Americans were without health insurance in 1997. In that same year more than 1/3 of persons in poverty had no health insurance – nearly 1/3 more were under-insured. Those in homeless situations are twice as likely as the general population to have chronic health problems but are less likely to have access to adequate health care. The mortality rate for a homeless person is 3-4 times higher than that of the general population.8

Myth: Most of those in homeless situations are HIV positive.
Fact: According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, about 10% of those in homeless situations are HIV positive, while The National Coalition for the Homeless places the figure at between 3 and 20% - few have access to adequate health care.

Myth: Social Security takes care of the elderly and disabled, protecting them from falling into homelessness.
Fact: According to the Urban Institute, in 2002, the elderly represented nearly 30% of homeless persons, and that percentage is growing. The elderly often must choose between medication, food, or shelter. Only 11% of homeless individuals receive SSI (Social Security Insurance), although an estimated 40% of those in homeless situations are eligible. An SSI recipient (receiving $532 monthly) can afford monthly rent of no more than $160, while the fair market rent for a one-bedroom unit in most markets averages about $573. In 1998, for the disabled receiving SSI, 69% of their benefit went to rent a one-bedroom apartment. In more than 125 housing-market areas, the cost of a one-bedroom apartment is more than the person’s entire monthly SSI income.

Myth: People are homeless due to poor decision-making.
Fact: The majority of people are homeless due to two major factors: poverty and lack of affordable housing. Thirty-seven million people are in poverty, 1.1 million joined the ranks last year alone - that represents the size of a city like Dallas or Prague (Reuters 10/15/05) Even if it was true that poor decision-making contributed to an individual’s homelessness, does that mean society has no responsibility to help? If someone has an accident from making a wrong turn, should they be left injured in the street? We all make poor decisions at one time or another, hopefully with not so serious a consequence as losing our home. And finally, regardless of the poor decision made by an adult, it is not the child’s fault!

Myth: People in homeless situations actually have a stockpile of money.
Fact: In 1996 the median income of persons in homeless situations was $300 per month.9

Myth: Setting up services in an area will cause those in homeless situations to migrate there.
Fact: According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 75% of those in homeless situations reside in the area where they became homeless.

Myth: Most of the people in homeless situations are chronically homeless.
Fact: The transitionally/situationaly homeless account for 40-50% and are homeless for six months or less; 70% of all those in homeless situations are homeless for less than two years. Others who are considered episodically homeless as they move in and out of homelessness account for 20-30% of those in homeless situations. This leaves less than 20% of all those in homeless situations who are actually chronically homeless.

Myth: People are homeless because they want to be; they’re happy that way, i.e., the myth of the ‘happy homeless’.
Fact: The circumstances of homelessness are anything but happy. Families and children lose their homes, rooms, possessions, neighborhoods, friends, schools, pets, security, identity, self-esteem and on and on.

¨ 38% of those in homeless situations report being robbed
¨ 41% of those in homeless situations report t theft of their property
¨ 22% of those in homeless situations report being assaulted
¨ 7% of those in homeless situations report sexual assault
¨ 1 of 8 women in homeless situations report being raped
¨ 26% of those in homeless situations report
infectious conditions
¨ 46% of those in homeless situations report chronic health conditions related to their living situation and inability to access adequate healthcare
¨ 69% of those in homeless situations report being arrested or harassed merely because of being homeless, i.e., they broke no law.
¨ Nearly 100% of those in homeless situations report going hungry a portion of the time they are homeless.10

Myth: There is nothing that can be done to combat homelessness. The homeless will
always be with us.
Fact: Since the majority of people are situationally or transitionally homeless, rather than in chronic homeless situations, it is obvious that there are solutions. It becomes clear that when structural barriers cause or contribute to homelessness, then addressing those barriers with structural solutions becomes a potent option.

Some structural solutions begging for attention and funding are: building adequate and affordable housing; creating responsible social programs aimed at lifting people out of poverty through education and job training; paying a livable wage; creating programs that effectively assist families in recovering from catastrophic events; making available adequate health care, drug, and mental health treatment; and funding improved social programs that require proven outcomes.

The storm aftermath can provide an opportunity for us to examine our misconceptions and stereotypes about homelessness and poverty, and by accepting the facts, move us to act upon workable solutions that will move millions of Americans from south of the poverty line into housing and jobs with livable wages.

Jeanne Stamp is a Senior Program Coordinator at the Texas Homeless Education Office in Austin, TX.

1 The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
2 The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004
3 12 Myths and Misconceptions about Homelessness, Leslie, M. Research and Data,
Richmond, VA.
4 The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
5 The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
6 The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
7 The National Coalition for the Homeless
8 National Health Care for the Homeless
9 Interagency Council on the Homeless
10 Interagency Council on the Homeless