Informative Speech About Homelessness

To inform my audience about homelessness in the Nation's Capitol.

Introduction:

1. Main Point: We have all seen them, all of our eyes have rolled to the back of our heads at the sight of people carrying multiple bags of luggage on public transportation. Not only holding us up on our commute to work but taking up 2 or 3 seats with every possession of their former home.

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A. Sub point: If you are like me you think to yourself why don't these people Just get Job? Why do these people live like that?

You will be amazed to know that you too could be one of those people. According to a survey put together by a consortium of iCertified Financial Planers 1 and 3 Americans would be unable to make their mortgage or rent beyond 1 month if they lost their Job.

B. Sub point: Homelessness is a multifaceted problem in our community.

1. Sub-sub point: I have personally experienced episodes of homelessness in my life and know how difficult it can be to navigate a complicated system.
2. Sub-sub point: I have complied research from multiple sources regarding omelessness in the District of Colombia. . Sub-point: First I will discuss what homelessness looks like in D. C
3. Sub-sub-sub point: Secondly I will discuss why so many are without housing in D. C.
4. Sub-sub-sub point: Finally I will discuss solutions to this epidemic. Transitional statement: Homeless can appear to be a problem that we tell ourselves results from laziness, drug abuse, poor choices but I am here to tell you that is often not the case.

II. Main Point: According to the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless there are 5,000 homeless people in D.C over the course of a year. There are 4,000 homeless people that make up the 938 families that are in emergency shelter. There are more than 1,600 homeless youth far  ceeding the 77 beds reserved specifically for them. Among the single homeless persons only 32% report a history of substance abuse and 28% report suffering from severe mental illness. 12% suffer from chronic health problems and 23% suffer from physical disabilities.

A. Sub point Now that I have went over the demographics of the homeless population. Let me explain why there are so many homeless in DC.

1. Sub-sub point: According to Legal Clinic of Washington in the District a worker earning minimum wage of $8. 25 per hour must work 132 hours in a week, 52 weeks a year, or earn $27 per hour at 40 hours a week to afford a 2 bedroom apartment at fair market rent, which is $1,400 per month.
2. Sub-sub point the unemployment rate in Washington DC was 8 Homeless persons witn no phone or permanent address have a difficult time competing for Jobs in an already tight market.
3. D. C's welfare enefits are inadequate to meet the needs of District families, only increasing twice since the 1980s. D. C recently cut benefits by 20% for families who have received assistance for more than 60 months.
4. Social Security Disability benefits total at $710 a month, which is equivalent to $4. 36 per hour. There is average wait of 2 years to receive benefits after applying. The only DC benefits available for disabled adults are Interim Disability Assistance (IDA), which is only $270 a month, which also has a wait list.

B. Sub point Washington D. C is the least affordable housing Jurisdiction in the country when compared to other states. 1 . 80% of extremely low-income households pay more than 30% of their income to rent, which is by definition unaffordable. Also almost half of all DC households pay more than 30% of their income to rent. A. D. C Housing Authority cannot respond quickly enough to the demand for Public Housing and Housing choice Vouchers. Since 2000 the number of low cost rental units in DC has dropped by 50%. B. Now that I have discussed reasons for homelessness in DC I will talk about solutions to the problem .

1. Sub-sub point

According to the iiiWashington Post Rapid Re-Housing is a new initiative aimed at getting people out of the shelters and on a pathway toward self- sufficiency. People in the Rapid Re-housing program pay one-third of their income toward monthly rent. Rapid Re-housing pays the rest through subsidys that are suppose to last 4 months to a year.

2. Sub-sub point

There are also proposals in DC Mayor Vincent Gray Budget for the ivFiscal Year 2014, which would have add funds for youth homeless services, emergency rental assistance, rent subsidiaries that flow hrough housing providers. Also expanding supportive housing for chronically homeless residents. Also DC has plans to create a Homeless Czar.

3. Conclusion

As we have seen homelessness is a multifaceted problem in our community that is far reaching affecting many different segments of the population. I have demonstrated that we are all at risk to becoming homeless if the perfect storm arises. Homelessness is not Just for the socially immoral these days but in these though economic times a single pink slip could set in motion loss of housing.

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