Homelessness in America

New CURE report offers solutions to growing crisis plaguing American cities

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE) released a new report, “Homelessness in America: A Public Concern & Moral Hazard,” addressing the current crisis on the nation’s streets.  In most large American cities, the homelessness problem continues to grow despite millions of dollars spent by federal, state, and local governments each year.

In this report, CURE analyzes the current state of homelessness in America and how we got here. 

The individual realities of the half-million homeless in America are diverse and complex. A one-size-fits-all government spending program is a disservice to the homeless and U.S. taxpayers.

“One thing we know is that government is not the answer to this problem,” says Star Parker, Founder, and President of CURE. “Theirs is a housing problem, without getting to core issues such as mental illness and family breakdown. Our report gives a different perspective and makes some specific policy solutions.”

The growing homelessness problem has triggered a classic dilemma between individual rights and public property, those who defend the right of people to live on the street or in parks or other public places and the right of other citizens to walk the streets or enjoy the parks without stepping over prone bodies, navigating a minefield of human feces, being accosted by aggressive panhandlers and without fearing for their health and safety.

Many jurisdictions have public disorder laws on the books, though they’re often not enforced. A number of cities, and some courts, subsequently came around to the common-sense idea that temporary compulsory sheltering during winter storms or cold spells can be justified on the basis of being the more humane and compassionate approach. However, leaders in some major cities seem intent on repeating the mistakes of the past.

CURE recommends a two-pronged approach to the homeless crisis. One, that local law enforcement regimes discourage rather than encourage homelessness. Two, social welfare policies should be focused on the core of the problem. What are the social, economic, and psychological dynamics that drive an individual to a homeless existence?

The report and recommendations can be found at www.curepolicy.org.

CURE is a policy and research center dedicated to fighting poverty and restoring dignity through messages of faith, freedom and personal responsibility. CURE seeks free-market solutions to provide education, employment, healthcare and the opportunity for black families to grow and their communities to flourish.

For more information contact [email protected]. ##