Dear Future President,

As I drive down the road, it’s not uncommon to see a lonely man or woman standing on the street corner asking for money. Every once and awhile, it’ll be a wife and husband, with their two kids. Or a teenager with their dog that they just want to feed. One of the most serious problems in America right now is homelessness. All across America, there is approximately 643,067 citizens without any income or a stable home. The question is, what can we do to help?

Living in Colorado I alone, see many people on the corners of streets desperate for help every single day. A popular opinion is that it is their own fault that they live on the street, and don’t have a job. But in reality, out of the total number 25% suffer from a mental illness. There are many of those who don’t have much of a family, and are unable to take care of themselves without some sort of support. I believe there are many different solutions to this issue, all it takes is simple steps to solve it.

Those that suffer from illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are particularly vulnerable. Especially in adulthood, when they have responsibilities to uphold. Even if they have a caregiver, family, or friends; it can be easy for them to keep their distance and not be able to maintain stable relationships. This is one of many reasons why we need to come up with more local organizations that provide housing for those with a mental illness. Not just temporary, but permanent housing.

Other risks also come along with being homeless, like developing other physical problems, and not being able to get the appropriate help needed. Majority of the time, it is hard for people living on the street to get health care access. One way to help, is to come up with more free health care facilities, that can be targeted toward homeless or low income patients. These can be connected to larger health care companies to get funding, or be connected to the housing that I previously talked about. According to the 28th Amendment, every American has a right to health care. There shouldn’t be any excuse for those, especially those with a mental illness, to not have a way to get the help they need.

In order to make steps to end homelessness, we all need to work together. It is important to spread awareness about this, and educate the American people about this problem. I encourage you to take my letter into consideration, and make an effort to end homelessness once and for all.

Sources:

By 2020, the City of Austin Will Need to Develop 12,000 Rental Units Priced at $425 or Less to Meet the Growing Needs of Low-income Renters. In Short, the Need for Affordable Housing Is Savagely Acute in Central Texas and across the State. "General Homelessness Facts." Homelessness Facts & Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

Herald, The Bellingham. "Solutions for Homeless People Who Are Mentally Ill?" Bellinghamherald. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

Allen, Dr. Steven J. "The 28th Amendment: Protecting the Right to Health Care and Health Care Insurance." - Capital Research Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.