“Healthcare as a human right, it means that every child, no matter where you are born, should have access to a college or trade-school education if they so choose it, and I think no person should be homeless if we can have public structures and public policy to allow for people to have homes and food and lead a dignified life in the United States.”
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Written by Bryan Lutz, Editor at Dollarcollapse.com:
No one wants to live in a box.
Especially, Jack.
That’s why he pops out, every time.
But seriously.
A lot of people can think inside a box.
But, I’m willing to bet since you’re here…
You are already an out-of-the-box thinker.
So we can move forward with this topic.
The topic of living life in an unpleasant box – homelessness.
For most homeless, it’s actually life in a tent under an overpass, on the side of a highway, or among an urban encampment.
In the US, homelessness is growing.
And if you look at the numbers since 2022, it’s growing in more States than California and Oregon.
Homelessness in the US increased by 18% nationally in 2024, with a 24% rise outside California. The stats look pretty much like a hockey stick curve, flatlining until the Biden Administration started implementing a “Housing First” policy as a preventative for homelessness.
As CNN reports, its mostly a housing issue:
Homelessness hit a record high in the US this year
“Homelessness in the United States soared to the highest level on record, according to government data released Friday.
The surge in homelessness was driven by a lack of affordable housing, a rise in migrants seeking shelter and natural disasters, which caused some people to be displaced from their homes, the report said.
Rents have continued climbing since briefly dipping lower during the pandemic, as well. As of 2023, nearly half of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, qualifying them as cost-burdened, according to the US Census Bureau.”
But is it really all a housing issue?
There are many other factors like substance abuse, and mental illness. Those all contribute to homelessness.
But the rise in cost of living is also a major factor.
One that doesn’t do much except end up costing taxpayers more. Especially, States that have led the way in taxpayer funded housing for the homeless.
For example…
Decriminalization policies and low enforcement of theft laws in cities like San Francisco and Portland attract homeless drug users from other areas, with a study finding 60% of homeless people in San Francisco were from outside the state.
The more supports there are, the more governments spend on permanent housing.
Instead of facilitating a prosperous economy, permanent supportive housing shows people how to live life in a box.
First, it provides homeless with a home…
Then it seems to produce taxpayers with the idea that governments provide the only way life can possibly be lived – management for all things.
Pretty soon, taxpayers believe their lives can only be lived…in a box!
It is a box created by government policymakers, resource managers, and politicians espousing heartfelt ideals.
Texas’s approach is much different.
Texas’s approach of cheaper housing and emphasis on treatment for drug addiction and mental illness results in lower homelessness rates, with only 44% unsheltered compared to California’s 66%.
It allows more people to afford housing.
It’s not a big difference but it points to something quite important.
Affordability and the ability to earn an income for yourself without the threat of inflationary fiat currencies is a major factor in being able to take care of yourself. So you can live the way you want – outside of whatever box others are trying to put you in.
It’s a statistic we should watch as we move into a new administration under Trump 2.0.
Here’s more in depth info on the homelessness situation from the Mises Institute:
