Possible Solutions

When asked for some ideas for possible solutions to homelessness, some community members could only answer for themselves; others were able to give broader suggestions. One man felt that there is a need for "some ministers who see eye to eye with folks like me. Some of us can think and reason. We need ministers to talk to who can understand what we are talking about. Someone who has been there." Another man suggested, "Give 'em more places to stay so they wouldn't be homeless, like all these recreation centers and stuff we have sitting around here, they could sleep people everywhere. This place get full, that place get full, then you've gotta go to Chapel Hill. If that's full, you have to go away to Raleigh or Greensboro or something like that. I don't want none of that. Don't nobody here do shit for me, as far as family, but this is home, I can maneuver, I know how to get paid, I know how to work these streets." A young woman with two children recommended, "Make things better for people. Make the kitchen better, the Shelter, I'd change it. The Shelter should be free. It costs 8 dollars a night, 56 dollars a week. It ain't clean. They don't give you no respect, but they want respect." An older man said, "Get some type of organization, willing to take a chance, help guys who have reading disability, writing disabilities, a lack of certain job training, help them get themselves placed in some type of job. But … a lot of business, don't want to take a chance on a homeless person." Another interviewee wished that agencies would "work with people until they can work on themselves, you know, get themselves on their feet. See, that's the kind of things that's needed. We need the people that will be there, that's willing to put themselves out to help, you know, until they get on their feet. See, Social Services, soon as you get a job, they snatch everything from you. Now, you might not be makin' a whole lot of money an hour, but as soon as they find you get that job they snatch everything from you. Or cut everything. So, those are the types of things that need to be worked with, too, you know. 'Cause, like social programs that teach people managing, like management programs, you know, life management programs and life skills training."

These varied voices indicate that since homelessness has many causes and people have diverse strengths and needs, different solutions are needed to address these needs.

Causes of Homelessness

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