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Homelessness in the US is driven by cost of housing, not by drugs or mental illness [0]. [0] https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/everything-you-think-you-know-ab

Homelessness in the US is driven by cost of housing, not by drugs or mental illness [0]. [0] https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/everything-you-think-you-know-about https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/everything-you-think-you-k...

dazc 3y ago
Well I became homeless when my landlord decided he needed to sell up and gave me notice to leave (much more than legally required, I should add). He eventually sold the house at auction for a sum 3 times smaller than I currently have sitting in a bank account. This was over ten years ago and, obviously, house prices have increased a lot and I eventually got back on my feet but, the point is that you can find yourself in a situation that you're not mentally equipped to deal with at that moment in time regardless of all other external factors.
- danaris 3y ago
  Sounds to me like the reason you became homeless was exactly because of housing prices, like the parent said.
  - dazc 3y ago
    The reason I became homeless was because I had to find another home whilst suffering from depression. To cut a long story short, I put off doing what I should have done until it was too late and then made a series of poor decisions. The cost of housing was nothing to do with it, I didn't have a lot of cash available at the time but I know plenty of people who did. My landlord even offered me another place for the same rent but I turned it down. When you are depressed you avoid making decisions, and then when you eventually do, those decisions can turn out to be the wrong ones. I would say that making a series of poor decisions is the most likely way to end up on the streets. This may be a result of mental health issues, pure stupidity, simple bad luck or a combination of the three. The cost issue may be a factor but the majority of people manage to cope with this somehow. As I said, I became homeless when housing was still considered to be easily affordable.
    - danaris 3y ago
      The cost of housing was presumably a major factor in your landlord deciding to sell.
      - dazc 3y ago
        He was selling because his wife was divorcing him and claiming half the estate. So yes, even if the house was just worth £1, it was a major factor. Since you are determined to be right, no matter what, I am going to concede defeat.
ekianjo 3y ago
There's not just one type of homeless person.

dazc 3y ago

Well I became homeless when my landlord decided he needed to sell up and gave me notice to leave (much more than legally required, I should add). He eventually sold the house at auction for a sum 3 times smaller than I currently have sitting in a bank account. This was over ten years ago and, obviously, house prices have increased a lot and I eventually got back on my feet but, the point is that you can find yourself in a situation that you're not mentally equipped to deal with at that moment in time regardless of all other external factors.

danaris 3y ago
Sounds to me like the reason you became homeless was exactly because of housing prices, like the parent said.
- dazc 3y ago
  The reason I became homeless was because I had to find another home whilst suffering from depression. To cut a long story short, I put off doing what I should have done until it was too late and then made a series of poor decisions. The cost of housing was nothing to do with it, I didn't have a lot of cash available at the time but I know plenty of people who did. My landlord even offered me another place for the same rent but I turned it down. When you are depressed you avoid making decisions, and then when you eventually do, those decisions can turn out to be the wrong ones. I would say that making a series of poor decisions is the most likely way to end up on the streets. This may be a result of mental health issues, pure stupidity, simple bad luck or a combination of the three. The cost issue may be a factor but the majority of people manage to cope with this somehow. As I said, I became homeless when housing was still considered to be easily affordable.
  - danaris 3y ago
    The cost of housing was presumably a major factor in your landlord deciding to sell.
    - dazc 3y ago
      He was selling because his wife was divorcing him and claiming half the estate. So yes, even if the house was just worth £1, it was a major factor. Since you are determined to be right, no matter what, I am going to concede defeat.

ekianjo 3y ago

There's not just one type of homeless person.