“If you’re gonna help me,help me”: Barriers to housing among unsheltered homeless adults |
| |
Institution: | 1. Koguan Law School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, China;2. School of Law, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China;1. Oregon State University, College of Public Health, School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, 460 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;2. The University of Arizona, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, McClelland Park Room 315K, 650 N Park Ave, Tucson, AZ 85721-0078, USA;3. Purdue University, Human Development and Family Studies, Hanley Hall, Room 325A, 1200 West State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2055, USA |
| |
Abstract: | Despite a legally-mandated right to shelter and extensive outreach efforts, an estimated 3,675 homeless individuals were living on the streets of New York City in 2018. Through interviews with 43 unsheltered homeless individuals in the borough of Manhattan (age range 21–74 years), this qualitative study examined barriers they face in accessing housing and other services as well as experiences surviving on the street. Through thematic analysis of the interview data, the most common barriers found were obtaining required identification documents, lack of accessibility of shelters amid complex healthcare needs, waiting as part of the process, and exclusion of pets from shelters and housing options. Themes capturing survival on the street included sleeping safe, avoiding shelters, and meeting daily needs. Virtually all barriers street homeless New Yorkers face stem from bureaucratic policies that, however well-intentioned, do not address their diverse needs. Thus, long delays and poor communication, combined with crowded, unsafe shelters, lead to frustration and alienation. While homelessness is ultimately the result of a severe and chronic shortage of affordable housing, creating accessible, safe, pet-friendly shelter and safe haven options and instituting a smoother, more transparent process for moving from the streets could substantially reduce street homelessness. |
| |
Keywords: | Homelessness Qualitative methods New York City |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|