Officials of the city estimate that there were additional 3,357 homeless people who were living in the parks and public places in the year 2014. This shows that the homeless people estimated in 2015 have been living in the city as homeless people for over a year and even more, where they stay in such stated parks and pavements (Hu, 2015).
The number of children who are homeless in NYC saw a 12 percent jump in 2014 as stipulated by the Coalition for the Homeless State of the Homeless Report. This broke the record in the number of children. The total number of people in 2014 who were homeless was almost 116,000 therefore; in 2015, they reduced tremendously to 60,000. 2.3 percent of the children in 2015 who are homeless spend a night in the shelters (NYC.org, 2013).
Analysis
The best solution for the homeless and people who are not homeless is to ensure that the city provides homes for the homeless children will be placed in housing that is permanent. The best method is to ensure that the number of children who are homeless does not increase. Children lacking education is vital because this denies them the chance to have an education that is needed to facilitate their future employment. Lack of education exposes them to illiteracy that is vital to their future in terms of acquiring necessary skills of employment. Their education is in jeopardy since solutions to deal with homelessness only focus on housing first and therefore after they acquire housing facilities they do not get the opportunity to be educated since their parents do not have jobs to take them to school. Such solutions should be first house based where the only factor that should be addressed is ensuring the homeless especially children are placed in housing facilities. There should be facilities where placements should be done on a daily basis to avoid people spending the night in pavements and outside in the cold.
There are a big number of children who are homeless in NYC since they lack proper housing facilities or lack because of that (Culhane, 2011). The placements in the houses must be implemented from the first year to avoid children to grow up in the streets as they will be denied their right to life especially education and proper health which is a major right for every child in NYC.
Options
Focus on Housing First
There is need to focus on housing first which will have a plan that will be aimed at ending homelessness in NYC. This policy must outline initiatives that target to overcome street homelessness and reduce the number by two-thirds by 2019. However, it has its drawback since it only focuses on finding a house for the children a does not deal with the other challenges that children face.
Traditional Shelter Placements
There can be traditional shelter placements for the children who are homeless where outreach strategies can be tailored to the population for housing. Such housing has flexible regulations and rules. However, such programs are not popularly known and it may take a while to convince parents to take their children to such houses.
Community-Based Homeless Programs
These programs are supported by the DHS where there are storefront officers in high-end neighborhoods in Newyork that provide customized assistance plans. Such programs help the children to remain stable in their houses especially when feasible. Such programs can be used to tackle homelessness where they ensure those already living in houses do not become home less and reduce the headache of later finding houses for them.
Recommendations
Focus on Housing First is a policy formulation that should be at the forefront for ensuring that homeless children are placed into permanent housing programs. This strategy should be outlined in a way that identifies the number of children who are homeless and ensure that they are not allowed to sleep in the cold or in shelters that are not conducive. Children are the most affected by homelessness where they do not get the chance to attend school and placing them in such programs will ensure that they are able to access school institution.
Traditional shelter placements can see a number of homeless children been placed in such houses where almost 4,000 children can transition from the streets into such placements. In a period of five years and the number can increase if the society facilitates it properly using outreach programs that engage with the homeless on a daily basis across the City (DaCosta, 2013). These programs can be used to ensure that children are placed in such houses.
Counterarguments
There is need to have other policy formulations especially in the society where every person can be involved which will reduce the number of children who are at the risk of becoming homeless. Community-based Homeless programs can be initiated by the community in identifying the number of children who are homeless or at the risk of becoming homeless. After identification, the community can find homes that can stay with such children to avoid them becoming homeless. This can be effective because when the community is involved in helping the children then the number of children found in the City streets can reduce tremendously. There is need to focus on the parents or guardians of the homeless children.This is because if the parents or guardians do not have jobs then they lack the capacity to take care of their children in terms of educating them and feeding and other basic needs. Therefore there is need to have job training programs especially for parents who are at the risk of losing their jobs due to lack of housing facilities and are forced to relocate to the streets. This will help the entire family and will reduce the number of children who are homeless in the city.
Conclusion
.If the policy formulations identified is not followed to the letter then the number of children who are homeless will increase. Their right to education and proper health will deteriorate. The city might face many problems in managing the number of children who are homeless and may face state sanctions from the government. However if the policy formulations are followed then the number of children may reduce and their right to education will be achieved. Other states may borrow such policies to implement in their states if they face the same problem of homeless children. Budget allocations for dealing with homeless children can in the future be used to in other important projects that help the economic growth of NYC. In addition, the city needs to ensure that the family as a whole is catered for in terms of job training for the parents and guardians who will in the end provide the required basic needs for their children.
References
- Culhane, D. P., Metraux, S., & Byrne, T. (2011). A prevention-centered approach to homelessness assistance: a paradigm shift?. Housing Policy Debate, 21(2), 295-315.
- DaCosta, N. R., & Sribnick, E. G. (2013). The poor among us: A history of family poverty and homelessness in New York City.
- Hu, W. (2015, February 8). New York City Reaches Out to Homeless People Who Are Wary of Traditional Shelters. Retrieved from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/nyregion/new-york-city-seeks-will-devote-more-resources-to-homeless-who-are-hard-to-help.html?_r=0
- New York Department of Homeless Services. (n.d.). Commissioner Diamond Testifies at congressional Hearing on Family Homelessness. Retrieved from Department of Homeless Services: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dhs/html/communications/testimony_diamond_121511.shtml
- NYC.org. (2013, December 11). Hazard Mitigation Plan. Retrieved from New York City: http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/downloads/pdf/hazard_mitigation/plan_update_2014/draft_hmp_fullreport.pdf
- Office of Children and Family Services. (2013). 2010-13 homeless. Retrieved from New York Government: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2010-13-homeless/home.html Top of form bottom of Form
- Tsemberis, S. (2010). Housing First: ending homelessness, promoting recovery and reducing costs. How to house the homeless, 37-56.
- Wright, J. D. (2009). Address unknown: The homeless in America. New Brunswick, N.J: AldineTransaction.
