Homelessness in Utah:
Who are They? What Causes It? What's it Like? What's Being Done?
By Victoria H., Sarah H., Jessica M., and Tiffani N.
It’s 28 degrees outside and you’ve just been forced to leave your apartment that you haven’t been able to pay rent for. You’ve recently been divorced and have a small child to take care of. You have about $100 left and you’ve just been laid off. Your connection with friends and family hasn’t been good lately and you suffer from depression. You don’t have a car and can only carry what your body can handle.What do you take? What do you do and where do you go?
Introduction
Fig. 1. Source: Utah Comprehensive Report on Homelessness 2012
The word “homeless” is simply defined as “having no home or permanent place of residence” (Homeless). Anyone could become homeless at any given time for reasons sometimes out of their control, which is why it’s important to be sensitive to this problem. Across the United States many individuals and even entire families become homeless every year for various reasons. Every single day hundreds of men, women and children are doing without the basic necessities of life. The majority of these individuals, whether on the street by the choices they have made or unforeseen circumstances in their lives, are looking for a hand up rather than a hand out. It’s a devastating experience that affects not only the homeless, but the community as well.
Among the homeless more emergency services are utilized, but without the funds to cover the cost, the community ultimately has to pay for these services. Homelessness causes a chain of events that often makes it difficult for the individual to step out of. The effects on young children are also particularly tragic in that they expose the child to unhealthy environments or situations, strain their schooling, and alter positive peer and mentoring relationships. This exposure can in turn cause long-term effects that may result in future homelessness, repeating the vicious cycle (Moore, et al. 6).
In Utah, homelessness is reported in all counties except: Rich, Morgan, Daggett, Juab, Millard, Sanpete, Emery, Piute, Beaver, Wayne, and Garfield. Within Utah, the highest concentration of homeless individuals resides in Salt Lake, Weber, and Washington County, followed by Utah and Davis County; see Fig.1 for more details (Day, et al. 10). In comparison to the entire United States, Utah is doing better than many states, but eliminating homelessness completely would be ideal; see Fig. 2.
Among the homeless more emergency services are utilized, but without the funds to cover the cost, the community ultimately has to pay for these services. Homelessness causes a chain of events that often makes it difficult for the individual to step out of. The effects on young children are also particularly tragic in that they expose the child to unhealthy environments or situations, strain their schooling, and alter positive peer and mentoring relationships. This exposure can in turn cause long-term effects that may result in future homelessness, repeating the vicious cycle (Moore, et al. 6).
In Utah, homelessness is reported in all counties except: Rich, Morgan, Daggett, Juab, Millard, Sanpete, Emery, Piute, Beaver, Wayne, and Garfield. Within Utah, the highest concentration of homeless individuals resides in Salt Lake, Weber, and Washington County, followed by Utah and Davis County; see Fig.1 for more details (Day, et al. 10). In comparison to the entire United States, Utah is doing better than many states, but eliminating homelessness completely would be ideal; see Fig. 2.