Rural Homelessness is Real

 

When we think of homeless people we conjure up images of big cities, park benches, train stations and dark alleyways loaded with people that have no home. Although homelessness is widely an urban problem, rural people do experience homelessness. One in five rural communities has a homeless rate of 20% or more. These numbers could, in fact, be much higher because the homeless in rural areas are hard to identify and tally. Rural homelessness shares many of the same roots as its urban counterpart including domestic violence, unemployment, alcohol and drug addiction, poverty, inadequate housing and mental illness.

Rural vs. Urban Homelessness

One way that rural homelessness differs from urban homelessness is that many of those classified as homeless in rural areas are not necessarily living out in the public eye. They often live in structures that are often not fit for rats to live in. They have not electricity, no running water, no sanitation systems and are often in structurally unsound buildings. These structures are often inhabited by groups of homeless people, several families or large extended families. According to the American Housing Survey, over 1.5 million rural homes are considered substandard. American Indians live in substandard rural housing arrangements in much higher numbers than other Americans. Further complicating the problem is the fact that there are very few homeless shelters or economical rentals in livable condition located in rural communities.

Poverty

People who live in rural areas are 1.2 to 2.3 times more likely to be poor than people living in larger cities. A large number of the rural homeless are single women and children. The National Alliance on Homeless Fact Sheet states that 19% of rural children are living in poverty. These women are trying to care for their children on their own, often on meager wages, and when crisis hits, they have nowhere to turn. This could be a medical emergency, loss of a job or any other number of crises, which start a vicious escalade ending in homelessness and sometimes the loss of their children.

Lack of Services

Rural people suffer because they are removed from the bulk of social services geared towards helping the homeless. There are few, if any rural housing shelters, less access to medical care, employment assistance and a shortage of places to shower and get a hot meal. Rural areas just don’t have the nonprofit infrastructure to support homelessness like cities do. Transportation, cell phone service and the Internet is also a problem in rural communities and thus connecting those in need with services available is often difficult.

Solving the Problem

People living in rural areas must be cognizant of homelessness. Identifying people in need is the first step towards helping. Homeless people are often reluctant to leave the place that they call home no matter how substandard it is. It is critical that those living in such conditions be removed from the dwelling immediately, especially if they have children or are elderly. Assisting homeless people in rural areas requires creative networking and communication between service providers, but begins with awareness.

 

About the Author: Susan Patterson is a homeschool mother and a freelance writer with a passion for the homeless. She recently wrote an article outlining the benefits of homeless shelter software.