HOMELESSNESS IN THE WEST: A GROWING CRISIS

Wed 09 August 2023:

The issue of homelessness in Western nations has escalated into a persistent crisis. Escalating rental costs and the exorbitant expense of daily living are pushing individuals into life on the streets. The count of those seeking refuge in storefronts, parks, and abandoned structures continues to surge.

The predicament of homelessness is intensifying by the day across Europe, which is grappling not only with the Ukraine War but also with energy and economic turmoil.

The most recent figures and visuals stem from the United Kingdom. In the heart of London, the capital, the populace of homeless individuals bedding down on sidewalks, store entrances, parks, and neglected edifices has risen by nearly 10 percent over the past year, due to the surge in rent prices and the overall cost of living.

Data freshly released by the United Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN), an organization dedicated to addressing street homelessness in the nation, discloses that 3,272 people endured harsh conditions on the streets of the capital during the April-June timeframe. This represents an increase from the 2,998 individuals recorded during the same period the previous year.

Notably, Oxford Street, globally renowned for its lavish shops, paradoxically provides nighttime shelter for numerous homeless individuals, a stark contrast to its daytime image. Remarkably, the number of individuals dwelling in transient accommodations in the UK has reached its highest point in the past quarter-century.

In the United States, a nation with an approximate population of 330 million, upwards of 582,000 people endure homelessness. According to data from the University of San Francisco, the state of California alone houses 171,000 homeless individuals.

Dr. Margot Kushel, lead investigator of the study, affirms that soaring rent expenses are a primary driver of homelessness. Discussions are underway about establishing tents for immigrants within the world-renowned Central Park. These tents, originally erected for the isolation of COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, are now being considered as temporary shelters.

-Agencies and A News

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