Argumentative Essay on Homeless Shelter Funding

Many individuals or families in the United States resort to homeless programs as they provide beds and other services. With transitional housing and homeless shelters offering services to over a million Americans, it is vital for the service providing agencies for receiving more funding. Funding from non-profit organizations is not enough hence need for the government to increase its stake of finances to facilitate the agencies offer better services communities.

Funding is the lifeline of service agencies but a deficiency of funds to set up emergency shelters, operate them, provide necessary social services and avoiding similar incidences in the future is hampering their efficiency, (Almeida, Kyra, et. al. (2012). Over the decades, the federal government has reduced its funding to the homeless service providing agencies. Reduced funding makes it hard to fuel the operations in community programming, transitional homes and research in understanding and addressing homelessness.

Government funding in addition to donations and grants helps in getting homeless into transitional homes. Citing Slesnick, Min, and Amy, (2008), transitional houses give the individuals the necessary stability which is a basis of them getting into permanent shelters. Research into the cause of homelessness can help in preventing the problem. People in homeless shelters are mentally ill, violence victims, veterans, victims of alcoholism, drug and substance abuse persons. With sufficient funding, correctional and rehabilitation facilities can be created to help deal with this issue, (Ralph, 2012). The government can address the issue of housing by offering cheaper housing to its people that will compliment what the private sector is doing. Transitional facilities like mortgaged houses can be used during a crisis as the families/individuals seek permanent shelters.

Transitional housing funds can be hard to outsource, but there are ways to get funding. The government can set aside finances that can be used in dealing with crisis and facilitate housing programs. Other funds can be sourced from events and charities and individual, business or organizational donations. The money can be used in improving the housing options for the homeless, educating the homeless with life skills alongside doing research and seeking best practices that can help in eliminating the homelessness problem. Therefore, it is essential for the government to increase its funding which can be complemented by people and organizations that are willing to help.

References

Almeida, T. & Kyra, B. (2012). "Effective Emergency Shelters Help Homeless Families Best." Homelessness, edited by Tamara Thompson, Greenhaven Press, 2012.

Ralph, C. N. (2012). For homeless transitional shelters must be used as a tool, not a roadblock.

Slesnick, N., Min, J. K., and Amy, E. B. (2008). Six- and Twelve-month outcomes among therapy and case management services through an urban drop-in center. Health research and Educational Trust, 43(1):211-229.