The Aimless Future of Housing Prospects
By: Upile Mpunga
Image Credit: CNN
Two kids running around aimlessly in the morning sun in their parent’s yard behind their white picket fence, the newspaper boy and the milkman have already run their rounds, every other house on the block is similar if not the same as the other, nobody cares, they're smiling, they're living the American dream.
Except that’s all that it was. A dream. Just a distant memory of a better time. Fast forward 50 years. You’re awake now. The rent is due. No, wait. You haven't finished paying your mortgage. No wait, you're living with your roommate . No wait, your wife just left you. She took the house. Strike three you're out, homeless. Try again. Pick another card.
Ladies and gentlemen I present to you: modern day housing prospects.
But what is homelessness? Despite popular belief, simply not having a roof over your head is not the universal way to classify the term. Local South Bend teacher, Mr. Jarvis Edison, puts it best when he says; ”My definition of homelessness is not someone without shelter, it is someone without housing stability. Many young people are out here living couch to couch with friends or other family. Some are in shelters or transitional housing programs like motels for now.”
So, there you have it. Many young people today aren’t living under a bridge, but they don’t really have a house that they can point at and say:“This is my home, it belongs to me.” They say home is where the heart is, but maturity is realizing that, as an adult, there are certain things we have to secure, not only for the sake of not being a burden to others, but for the sake of ourselves. You cannot stay in your mum’s basement forever, trust me, you would be happier in your own place.
Junior Nathaniel Amaya had this to say when asked about the subject: “It is hard to ascertain exactly what is the root issue of the homelessness crisis, but possible causes can include drug abuse, which leads to a lessened state of mind. But another major issue is housing itself, many are homeless simply because they cannot afford proper housing or are too impoverished to pay for rent.” Drug abuse and housing seem to play a role also.
However, I understand that it's not that easy to deal with the issue. After all, I’m the one writing an article telling you how hard it actually is. But rather than simply giving you a sword and leaving you to fight that monster on your own, I'll give you a sword and tell you how to use it.( Then you'll proceed to still fight that monster on your own.)
Image Credit: C street village
There are many things I could tell you about how to address homelessness that you have already heard before, but the truth is I wrote this article to give you the one and only basic solution: communal living and self-sufficiency.
Living in a commune has attracted negative publicity over the years but please hear me out on this one. Most people may think; “Well that guy believes in communal living so he’s gotta be communist, He probably grew up in a trailer park and his parents must have been hippies!” None of that is necessarily true!
Communal living for those that aren't aware, is basically an intentional residential group that is built on teamwork from the start; Whose members usually share common interests and beliefs like religion and politics. With the growing division in America due to the clash of liberal and conservative beliefs, communal living won’t only cure homelessness, it will also insure less fights and arguments between people. But I digress.
The government may not like to hear this one, but the truth is that they fear citizens that live this way because they cannot be manipulated. Humans need to go back to their roots and invest in building settlements, as a group. Groups where everybody knows each other, so that if anyone hits rock bottom, they have the community as a safety net. Groups that not only have their own land, but food supply. There are many long term solutions to homeless but the truth is the people that actually need this article, need a short-term solution, and not only will they be helping themselves, but they’ll be helping others by starting a community with them. And if anyone ever wants to leave when they're back on their feet again then by then they would have been irreversibly cured of homelessness and if they ever hit the bottom again they know who to call.
These are some examples of some successful communities.The most important factor, however, is finding like-minded people that also share your beliefs. Depending on how tolerant of people’s ways of living in the modern world you are, you may want to consider this. Local South Bend man Kumbie Mawire says; “I think many solutions have been implemented in the past but the truth is if I was in a position of power I would make sure those who are in charge of the homelessness business are trustworthy individuals. How do we guarantee that those that may be keeping people homeless are held accountable? By creating a structure where we know who to blame: Communal living. Everyone knows their role.
Image Credit: The Cohousing Comapany
Tupac Shakur once said; “I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will.” In conclusion, I believe individuals that have enough money, resources and good hearts are the best bet for this preposition. This message may not resonate with everyone but if I can at least get one person to do something, I’ve indirectly saved millions. Become the safety net you want to see in the world and maybe one day someone else will be your safety net.
