Why are so many people experiencing homelessness in big cities in the U.S., and what can be done to help? (with Kevin Adler)

Apr 10, 2024 1h 56m 12 insights Episode Page ↗
Spencer Greenberg speaks with Kevin Adler about the complexities of homelessness, mental health, and housing. They discuss person-first language, systemic failures, the role of basic income, and the importance of relational connection in addressing the issue.
Actionable Insights

1. Adopt Person-First Language

Use terms like “people experiencing homelessness” or “unhoused neighbors” instead of “homeless people.” This shifts perception from a permanent identity to an experience, fostering empathy and broader solutions, as our brains neurologically process “outgroups” differently.

2. Get Relationally Proximate

Actively seek to connect with unhoused individuals as neighbors, friends, or family members, rather than viewing them as abstract problems. This involves understanding their unique stories and challenges, which is critical for effective support and solving the issue.

3. Support Basic Income Pilots

Advocate for and support basic income programs for people experiencing homelessness. Pilots have shown that direct cash assistance (e.g., $500/month) can be a cost-effective and humane way for individuals to secure stable housing and meet basic needs.

4. Advocate for Affordable Housing

Push for the construction of more affordable and accessible housing units in communities, and support policies that ensure full-time minimum wage work is sufficient to afford housing. A national shortage of 7 million affordable units exists, and current wages are often insufficient.

5. Offer Socks as Conversation Starter

Keep items like socks, a highly requested item, to offer to unhoused individuals. This serves as a practical form of help and an opening to initiate a conversation, fostering connection and understanding.

6. Support Limited Involuntary Treatment

Advocate for compassionate, temporary involuntary psychiatric holds and treatment for individuals in severe mental health crises who pose a threat to themselves or others and cannot care for themselves. This must be coupled with long-term housing, recovery programs, and social support.

7. Volunteer with Service Organizations

Engage directly by volunteering at shelters, soup kitchens, or programs like Miracle Messages’ phone buddy program. This provides direct support and helps housed individuals gain a closer understanding of the lived experiences of unhoused neighbors.

8. Address Drug Addiction & Dealing

Treat drug addiction as a health issue requiring compassion, treatment, and social support. View drug dealing as a law enforcement matter that needs to be addressed to improve street safety.

9. Call Mental Health Crisis Lines

In situations where an unhoused person is experiencing a mental health crisis or exhibiting aggressive but non-violent behavior, call specialized non-emergency mental health crisis lines (e.g., 211 in some areas) rather than solely relying on police, if trained responders are available.

10. Address Systemic Inflow Issues

Recognize that homelessness is exacerbated by systemic failures in foster care, criminal justice, healthcare, and economic stability. Advocate for reforms like raising the foster care age limit (from 18 to 21/24) to prevent young people from aging out into homelessness.

11. Challenge Homelessness Stereotypes

Actively work to dispel common misconceptions that attribute homelessness primarily to individual choices, drug addiction, or mental illness. Understand that economic dislocation, relational brokenness, and health issues are often primary causes, with addiction and mental illness sometimes being effects.

12. Avoid Paternalism in Helping

When interacting with unhoused individuals, avoid judgmental attitudes or a “savior complex.” Respect their autonomy and choices, recognizing that they often have valid reasons for their decisions, and that a top-down approach can be counterproductive.