Title

Chronic homelessness among working-age adults: Personal problems and public assistance

Keywords

Chronic homelessness; Compassion; Individualist ideology; Public assistance; Undeserving poor

Abstract

As rapid changes have occurred in the economic and cultural structures of society, some have found themselves more disadvantaged than others. The mismatch between income and the cost of housing means that some of the poor will inevitably become homeless. Given the economics of the situation, prevention of homelessness is a non-issue; more germane is the question of chronic homelessness. This paper takes the position that determining who is most likely to be chronically homeless is related to the cultural ideology of individualism and, more specifically, that the situations likely to create the greatest vulnerability are problems for which individuals are seen as personally responsible. The distress brought about by societal-level changes is manifested in the "personal" problems of individuals. The social welfare system, acting as a substitute for failed social institutions, recreates their failures by relying on a cultural ethos that blames individuals for occupying positions to which the society has relegated them. © 1997 Human Sciences Press, Inc.

Publication Date

1-1-1997

Publication Title

Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless

Volume

6

Issue

1

Number of Pages

57-69

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOSD.0000015189.92840.18

Socpus ID

21444453916 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/21444453916

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