Douglas DeMilo

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  Douglas commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  The Roots of Contemporary Homelessness

  what you are saying here is accurate though incomplete. While we lost a large percentage of manufacturing jobs in this country, we also lost white collar jobs. Changes in market trends and purchasing habits (a normal source of flux in a free market) played it's part. Existing employers' reaction to the situation were counter-productive. Example; In 2002 in Dallas, Texas and the surrounding areas, unemployement had reached 16.1%. An ad that stands out in my memory was for a fast food job (a burger joint) for cooks listing "2 years college required".Jobs and job training are critical to the issue(s) of homelessness. A large percentage of the homeless I worked with as an advocate were not drug or alcohol involved nor did they have mental irregularities. Some had developed drug and alcohol escape mechanisms after being on the street. Some, a small percent, were on the street by choice.I have posted a few stories of the homeless, as related to me by them, posted as examples for anyone that might be interested at ddemilo.newsvine.com . The problem of homelessness is not a simple or a singular problem and the solution will not be simple either. It will take a well layed out national plan with sufficient flexibility to self adjust to the needs of each participant as they progress through the program.