Homelessness usually involves people encountering extreme hardship and desperate situations. More than half a million people become homeless in the United States, just one night (Montgomery et al., 2016). Nearly seven million Americans have so far encountered homelessness; 65% of these are found in homeless shelters as the remaining 35% are unsheltered in the streets. Homelessness in the U.S. is concentrated in the Northeast and West Coast’s major cities. According to Levy (2017), 47% of homeless Americans are found in California, and they are spread across many parts of the state. Although homelessness has been a major social issue in the U.S., providing affordable housing options and creating community-coordinated frameworks can help reduce its prevalence, especially in Imperial Valley.
Creating community-coordinated initiatives is the first solution that can help reduce the prevalence of homelessness in Imperial Valley. Communities around this region should, therefore, collaborate and take a coordinated approach towards ending homelessness (Montgomery et al., 2016). One way to do this is to abandon individual programs’ collection and adopt a data-driven and strategic community-wide response to help house the homeless. The region will then apply data concerning the needs of the homeless in Imperial Valley to determine how they would distribute their services, resources, and programs. Planning, collecting, and examining the collected data are some of the critical features of a coordinated systems approach.
Providing affordable housing is another practical solution to homelessness in Imperial Valley. However, a rapid re-housing program would work best for those who have been affected in the region. It is a great initiative that has been created to fast connect the community members to housing and basic community services. While it provides temporary rental help and necessities, the main objectives are to help people get accommodation quickly and maximize self-sufficiency (Montgomery et al., 2016). One of the reasons this solution fits the residents of Imperial Valley is the fact that it is provided without any preconditions. The service providers will not look at the income, employment, sobriety, or criminal records of the beneficiary (Bowman & Meyers, 2020). The amenities and resources are often custom-made to fit the needs of the beneficiary. This program will get those undergoing homelessness into permanent homes and make them stay there. When individuals are connected to home, they will tackle other challenges that led them to become homeless. In Imperial Valley, the two major ones are substance abuse-related issues and unemployment.
At times, people would need permanent rental help and services to be stable. However, the most vulnerable groups in Imperial Valley might not enjoy these. For the most vulnerable in the region, longer-term supportive housing can end homelessness. Since 2007, permanent supportive housing services have helped lower the number of chronically homeless by 20% (Levy, 2017). Therefore, when housing stability is improved for the chronically homeless, their health will also be enhanced.
In conclusion, the number of those living in the streets and the beaches of the Imperial Valley can be reduced. One of the best ways of attaining this is by granting them access to support services and a place they can stay. Despite the money that the local authorities have spent on tackling the homelessness menace, the solutions have always been elusive. The two practical solutions for homelessness in Imperial Valley include providing affordable housing and mobilizing community-based initiatives and programs to help provide rental and basic needs’ aid to the homeless. It is only by properly implementing these solutions that the issue of homelessness in Imperial Valley can be eradicated. The suggestions will work best for homeless veterans, the chronic homeless, and children, and youth.
References
Bowman, J., & Meyers, Z. (2020). In Imperial County, nonprofits struggle to serve homeless during COVID-19. KPBS Public Media. Web.
Levy, J. M. (2017). Contemporary urban planning. Routledge.
Montgomery, A. E., Szymkowiak, D., Marcus, J., Howard, P., & Culhane, D. P. (2016). Homelessness, unsheltered status, and risk factors for mortality. Public Health Reports, 131(6), 765-772. Web.