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A Snapshot of Homelessness

Between 700,000 and 800,000 people are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year between 2.5 and 3.5 million people will experience homelessness in this country. In order to end homelessness, it is necessary to understand the needs and characteristics of the sub-populations of this large group. The most significant sub-groups are people who experience homelessness as part of a family group, and those who are single adults.

Despite the rising numbers of homeless people in U.S.A, one of the main obstacles to facing and tackling this social phenomenon remains the widespread negative image of the homeless. Among decision-makers, this translates into apathy or repressive measures such as "clean-up" operations. Ironically, these are called "prophylactic".
From its daily work with the homeless, we know that the negative stereotypes do not correspond to the reality. Our beneficiaries are persons who find themselves in a difficult situation due to unfortunate circumstances (housing fraud, loss of employment resulting from layoffs or family problems, lengthy inprisonment for small crimes, etc.), and due to the absence of any "social net" to catch them on time and allow them get back on their feet.
While they struggle every day to get off the streets, the majority of the homeless manage to keep enough of an appearance and semblance of normality to melt into the city crowds. The person we see rummaging through garbage cans in midday or the "bomjee" we read about in the tabloids represent only a slim minority of the homeless population, the "tip of the iceberg".
An anonymous questionnaire to its patients in the year 2000 reveals that their biggest wish is simply to have a "normal" life, which they define as having a roof, a job, a family. As a grup, we can do photo exhibitions, concerts, and other awareness-raising activities which all aim to break stereotypes—the first step towards the social reintegration of the homeless.
The following data is selected from a survey that MSF conducted among 22,513 of its patients between 1995 and 2000 and show—inasmuch as statistics can—the "real face" of
homelessness

Most homeless people are of working age, are fit to work, are looking for a job, and are trying to re-integrate into society.
Half of those who consult an MSF social worker request help to find employment.
More than 80% of the homeless are men.
More than 1 out of every dozen homeless persons has a college-level education. 1 out of 5 has vocational training.
* MSF's dispensary is not restricted to the homeless. Every year a small number of persons who are poor but have a place to live come to see our doctors. As a result of the financial crisis in August, 1998, these patients were more numerous in 1999.

The waves of privatization and housing fraud in the early and mid 90's drove thousands of people to lose their jobs and apartments and end up in the streets.
For the past few years about 30% of the homeless population have been ex-prisoners. The link between incarceration and homelessness is above all legal and administrative. An old Soviet law is still in effect: the state deprives incarcerated individuals of their housing registration. As a result, they lose their right, once released, to move back into their apartments. Moreover, in violation of existing laws, the state does not provide released individuals with passports. Without these documents, it is impossible to legally earn a living or find a new home.

More than 45% of our patients have temporary jobs. However, as most of them have no documents, they can only find jobs that offers no contracts, no guarantees, and poor pay.