About a Problem in New York City by Providing Examples

THE NEW YORK CITY HOMELESS PROBLEM
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Introduction
Go to New York City and you will see numerous signs of an increase in street homelessness. In February, 2016 as temperatures fell below freezing thousands of homeless people become endangered prompting shift action from the local city and state government. The city homeless shelter program started in the 1980’s aimed at cutting down the homeless problem has been reduced drastically over the period. But still the city government continues to claim that there is no homeless problem in the city as the government has invested thousands of dollars in rental subsidies and other homeless services. The question is whether the homeless problem in the city is at really catastrophic level?
Basic facts about New York City Homelessness
New York City is among few cities with a right to shelter. The right was established in 1981 through the court case Callahan v. Carey. Since then, Mayors and the State government have pursued numerous policies to respond to then huge homeless crisis in New York City. Major policies included building housing projects for the homeless, offering rent subsidies and other public housing policies. Endless debates have accompanied the ruling on whether by providing services would increase or decrease the homeless population in the city.
It is a straightforward fact that homelessness in the City has grown the highest since the infamous 1930s Great Depression. According to various state data, the number of homeless people by February 2016 was 60,410 of which 14,699 were homeless families and 23,783 children. These people were being housed under the city municipal shelters system. Hence, families can comprise up to three-quarters of the homeless population. The number of homeless people has, therefore, increased by at least 90% of the last decade. But still the street population is perhaps of a small proportion of the total homeless people.
Various researches have shown that the major cause of homelessness specifically among families is the unavailability of affordable housing. Major triggers of homelessness include house eviction, domestic violence, hazardous housing conditions, overcrowded housing and even job loss. This kind of arrangement has led to various health hazards including mental illness, unhealthy living and exposure to severe weather. Among the homeless, homeless single adults have higher rates of exposure to mental illness, severe health problems, and addiction disorders. A majority of homeless people live with mental illness and other severe health conditions.
Latino and African-American families are the most disproportionately affected. Aroun...