A Devastating Pattern Of Homelessness Among Late Baby Boomers Could Repeat In Millennials

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/homeless-population-is-getting-older-2014-7




Problems facing this cohort of late Baby Boomers were discussed in a 2013 study published in the "Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy." In short, they came of age in the late 70s and early 80s in a period of depressed wages for unskilled workers, higher youth and young adult unemployment, and rising rental housing costs. At the same time, they faced a proliferation of crack cocaine, leading to social problems and incarceration.

"These conditions could have created an underlying vulnerability that resulted in a sustained risk for housing instability over the ensuing decades," the study concluded.

Here's a chart adapted from the study showing this disturbing trend:



***SNIP

Dennis P. Culhane, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who worked on the homelessness study, told Business Insider via email that millennials in their 20s "are not yet appearing as homeless at rates greater than we would expect based on their representation in the population" but that a similar lost cohort could emerge.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/homeless-population-is-getting-older-2014-7#ixzz379hYBswo

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/homeless-population-is-getting-older-2014-7#ixzz379hDgJb7

[reddread]

1. certainly thats true, but not close to the entire picture for a very good reason

The age democgraphic of homelessness includes far more elderly people (lets say over 55 and far too many in their 70's)
than this survey of shelter users.
Shelters are dangerous places, where some desperate, often untrustworthy and dangerous folks are concentrated.
People who are chronically homeless who wish to protect themselves and their belongings from theft and injury,
will not look for those quarters. The dynamics of these things will certainly effect the results being examined.
Interesting that the youth demographic for potential homelessness is being played up here, while the real immediate
needs of the neglected elderly population currently gets ignored.
someone mentioned something about Beyonce's $7 million worth of contributions to a high end shelter serving 43 folks,
with the notion that sometimes people "dont even take a tax deduction"
You can be sure she is getting hers.
The hundreds and thousands of lower income volunteers who donate time, materials and money
DO NOT get a tax write-off.
DO NOT.
Just the ridiculous disparity in vehicle travel allowances for charitable work is a huge insult.
For anyone to actually take deductions their income has to be at a certain level to justify the effort.
for this reason, those working stiffs who put in time to help do so completely out of pocket.
Others who do have the income level and still give time and materials will avoid the option too.
But at the multi-million dollar level? Dont fool yourself.

[RobinA]

2. Ha...The Memories

Graduating from college in 1980. Wanting to stay in the area but not being encouraged by the 12% unemployment rate. Returning home and taking that job in retail to get health insurance (at least they were still offering it.) Envisioning my retirement eating cat food on a steam grate. Rejoicing at each additional $1000 a year in pay increase. Things turned out OK, had some great experiences. Michael Jackson was still black, Mick didn't dye his hair. Laid off twice, both times for the better. Stopped worrying about the cat food on the steam grate a couple years ago when I vested for my public sector pension from a job I took specifically to get a public sector pension. Sadly, the few people still being hired at my work place will have to work twice as long for said pension. Until they do away with it complelely for new employees. I may crack $50,000/year before I retire, I will certainly never make my age.

At least the music, movies and clothes were better in the day. Until disco, that is.

[xchrom]

3. DISCO IS ONLY APPRECIATED BY THE FABULOUS!11

BURN BABY, BABY!

[reddread]

4. Disco was the last gasp of decent popular music

everything that followed was digitally dull computer based soulless, grooveless garbage.
for the most part, but especially at the pop level.

[Initech]

5. So when does the revolution against the upper 1% start?

[reddread]

6. when voters realize they dont have to vote for candidates who accept, crave and kneel for $$$$

there are a few paths to this.
the fastest would be a write-in revolution.
not simply because a single candidate might attract staggering support through the write-in box,
but because when enough voters realize their vote means nothing next to the moneyed unrestricted contributor's desires,
they (the poorest voters) can take their vote elsewhere, to candidates who intentionally accept no $.
"they" being the majority of voters, and suddenly becoming a loose cannon, untriangulated, unbankable,
well, then the rhetoric will become attractive.
of course, the promises kept may not change one whit,
(and assumes they really count the votes and care what yours is)
but when the bought and sold profit minded candidates start losing elections for that very reason,
we can get some things done.