what you are saying here is accurate though incomplete. While we lost a large percentage of manufacturing jobs in this country, we also lost white collar jobs. Changes in market trends and purchasing habits (a normal source of flux in a free market) played it's part. Existing employers' reaction to the situation were counter-productive. Example; In 2002 in Dallas, Texas and the surrounding areas, unemployement had reached 16.1%. An ad that stands out in my memory was for a fast food job (a burger joint) for cooks listing "2 years college required".Jobs and job training are critical to the issue(s) of homelessness. A large percentage of the homeless I worked with as an advocate were not drug or alcohol involved nor did they have mental irregularities. Some had developed drug and alcohol escape mechanisms after being on the street. Some, a small percent, were on the street by choice.I have posted a few stories of the homeless, as related to me by them, posted as examples for anyone that might be interested at ddemilo.newsvine.com . The problem of homelessness is not a simple or a singular problem and the solution will not be simple either. It will take a well layed out national plan with sufficient flexibility to self adjust to the needs of each participant as they progress through the program.

Affordable housing is part of the solution, certainly not the problem.  I wonder how many of the people who strongly state their opinions about "bad choices" and laziness as a primary reason for homelessness actually know people who are homeless.  It doesn't take much to fall through the cracks: the loss of a job, not finding another one quickly enough, not having a big savings cushion to fall back on (because it's hard to save when people are making $6 or $8 an hour), and no family members who can or will let them stay with them, and, voila, someone else is homeless.  Why don't people try to seriously educate themselves about an issue before having such strong opinions about it?  We need good paying jobs (with some of that money coming from not having executives who make as much as 400 times their lowest paid workers!), affordable housing, and a realization that we really are all in this country and world together.

Our federal government in colusion with the federal reserve bank created the housing bubble that made houseing unaffordable. The cheap money encouraged increasing prices, while the value of the dollar was reduced. 
 It's disturbing to note there is little if any mention of the consequences of a fiat currency system in this discussion, the printing of money out of thin air is the primary cause of inflation, and the hardship ends up placed most on the lowest end of the economic scale, in this case, the lower and middle class americans.
 Take a look at the men who predicted the current economic climate, and how they were laughed at, Ron Paul, Peter Schiff, all warned us of this reality, and yet the current and future administration is intending to continue with the same persons and policies that have resulted in the worst economy in the US since the great depression.
 Seriously, are we that collectively stupid to fail to learn this lesson from history as recent as 1913- 1930's,  are we doomed to another 10 year great depression?

The problem with the federal government's approach to affordable housing is that there was nothing done to make housing affordable. In fact the government made loans available to individuals who could not afford to repay them. Rather than put people into affordable homes, where they could repay the loans.

   homelesness in the begining stage is a state of mind , that which man can beleive he can acheive ,such is the cause ,should we ,would we be allowed as the homeless take matters into our own hands to create livable communities better than those whom dwell in the already luxury , you ask how.
     that is not too much of a question,      tinson

Once again the decay of the family plays a large role. Single income "families" will certainly have a tough time of it in todays world. My wife and I both work and bought a home we could afford, half the amount the bank said we could borrow. Now with twins we make the bills with a little left but no cushion. I did not graduate college, I am good at what I do and have skills that allow me to make 55+k a year. Long hours and showing up to work everyday are things that somepeople have forgotten. It's called a work ethic. As a parent you are forced to sacrifice some things you want for what your children need. That may mean moving to an area that is more affordable for housing and commuting to your job so your family can have a roof over their heads. And let me just add that many people need to change their ways when it comes to renting. Just because you don't own it doesn't mean you can't help take care of it. Pick up the trash, buy some paint, put in some new light bulbs, vacuum the floor. In other words take some pride in yourself and what place you have to live. And yes I see it everyday, those that are homeless, inbetween places to live or are just renting and treating the place like a dump because "it's not theirs"

Single income families have it harder than families with both people present. People with single income is most likely to become homeless before the people with the 2 family income. It is much harder doing it all by yourself. Its harder on you especailly if you have kids. 2 family incomes work together to keep there living space together. Single income struggles all depending on how much they make a year.

It is tough for the single income families. Not much is given to them so they will fall behind with payments. My family is currently in this situation but the difference is that we know how to manage our money. We have never missed a payment and if we were ever in debt then it would never be much and would immediatly be paid off.

Yes Jalyn I agree , all families who make a lower pay will likely struggle more in this economy. Futhermore, it really is sad to see so many people on the streets.

Single parent families or single individuals are more likely to end up homeless if they don't have some extended family or other support network that will provide them with a home if they lose their jobs.  For this reason, I believe it's important for people to start banding together to rent or buy homes together so that there are a mulititude of people to depend upon for income, child care, healthy food, etc. 

However, we aren't going to solve these problems on a large scale until people start getting it...namely, that our system is structured so that large numbers of people will always be unemployed or underemployed, and so that there will be lots of low-paying jobs in order for some people can be incredibly wealthy.  We don't even have an adequate social safety net to prevent people, including children and seniors, from ending up with no place to call home.  People who congratulate themselves for their two-parent families, willingness to paint and vaccuum, and middle-class earnings without degrees, just don't grasp the totality of the issue.  Their implication that homelessness is all the fault of the homeless is ignorant and lacking in compassion. 

Perhaps one of the few good things that may come out of this economic crisis is that the middle class may be forced to understand first hand what the poor and working class have been experiencing.  When they lose their jobs and their homes are foreclosed, they may become radicalized enough to realize that the system needs massive change.  Too bad so many people have to go through something themselves to develop understanding. 

My "real education" came from the experience
of being homeless for a period of time.

Many people, many solutions, many different everything...
needed to SOLVE this problem that is increasing due to
the economy and loss of jobs.

Each person and group can have different ways of helping.
JFK: "Solve a little problem here and there, and soon the
Big Problem is gone."

Man's Way will not work; only God's Way will work.
People are learning...to help others.
"End Times...this is It!"
God gives The Promised Land...when His people
do things His Way.
Rough times...now but Americans are learning.
And...the whole world is watching
as The Sleeping Giant Awakens...
and each person accepts Responsibility
to love...their neighbor, their brother...as themselves.
We are ALL God's children...and Jesus wept when the
people did not heed His Wisdom...Love means Doing.

We all see the problem differently.  And we can each do what we can in our own way to help solve it.

Being homeless is a multi-faceted problem.
Different people have different needs.

A family was given a nice van.
It was impounded...for some legal reason
(was it lack of insurance for which there was no money?).
$125 initial recovery cost plus $15/day
meant that soon the cost was $2000+
and it became an impossibility to retain.
A chain with one link missing will not work.

A man and wife were desperate;
and work for pay with trailerhouse were provided.
The local agency would give immediated monetary assistance.
First check and the couple were down the road, gone.
Next year, when we were told of their desperation, again,
we said..."No, we will not."
As individuals, we helped once and learned that they
would travel the Southern states and use homeless shelters.
They needed help, yes...with learning Responsibility.

A family, fussing and fighting, needed anger management
and family management.  (The Nanny program on TV would
provide what was needed.)

I was homeless for a time and was
in 5 shelters in 4 states due to need or safety;
as well as in 4 apartments in 4 states, 2 of which
were in the same states as shelters.  Distances:
a triangle on the map of United States with
1000 miles on each side.  2001 to 2008. 

I am in a nice apartment with a tight budget
but am doing fine (with a credit card to be paid
in a few months if...). I am ok.

I appreciate the help of the shelters;
I am also aware of ways  
that more help is needed.
But those in charge have limited budgets
and do the best they can.

It behooves each of us
as we become more self-sufficient
to think of ways
to help those who are in shelters 
or others who need help.
Only as The People contribute
in all kinds of ways
to help in the multi-faceted problem
can it be solved. 
AND IT CAN BE SOLVED.

We can come up with many whys and whynots  about why people are homeless but when you roll the reasons up into one--it still comes down to Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  We have to much, we are too selfish, we are lawless and lack spirit and until we rid the atmosphere of bad energy we may never learn why we can't help one another.

LOVE will solve many things.  Let's end homelessness, be supportive of others!