The Homelessness Paradox

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    Homelessness exists across the developed world, and no matter how small, a percentage of any country’s population is homeless. The problem is difficult to remedy, especially in modern democracies where societies are placing a greater emphasis on inclusion.


In 2018, people seen sleeping on the streets or seeking shelter are also seen in major cities and economies around the developed world. A strange phenomenon despite the economic prosperity. While countries may differ in how they find, calculate and report on homeless data, one thing is clear. Homelessness exists all over the world.


Generic outreach work with the chronic homeless population often fails to achieve its goal. The challenge is to successfully engage and ultimately place clients into appropriate shelter, substance abuse treatment, or permanent housing settings. Premature termination from placement settings, however, may be the norm rather than the exception. If outreach providers and the facilities that serve the chronic homeless population fail to take into account important dynamics that impact their ability to successfully engage with homeless people, successful housing placement and retention may be compromised.


The three main dynamics are a conflict with the familiar experience of homelessness, difficulty with structured environments, and an adaptation to the lifestyle of homelessness. These dynamics highlight a paradox for many who are chronically homeless: the desperate desire to leave their life of homelessness versus the deeply familiar and entrenched state of homelessness that serves to keep them homeless. Existing psychoanalytic theory is used to examine case studies that are drawn from clinical observations in the field.


In summary, as a result of these powerful dynamics, successful placement into long-term settings is predicated on two crucial aspects of service delivery: the establishment of the therapeutic relationship and the availability of low-demand supportive housing.




Resources:

- Farrell, D. C. (2010). The paradox of chronic homelessness: The conscious desire to leave homelessness and the unconscious familiarity of the street life. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 20(2), 239–254. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911350903269872


- Barua, A. (n.d.). The Homelessness Paradox. The Deloitte center for Government Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/5263_homelessness-paradox/DI_homelessness-paradox.pdf



• Piero M.

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