Who is Homeless Today

1
Who is Homeless Today

• Over Three Million Americans are officially
  homeless
• Another Five Million are spending over half their
  incomes on housing
• .on the verge of homeless

2
2004 Conference of Mayors

• Homelessness continues to rise
• This past year
• 6 increase in shelter requests in major U.S.
  cities 7 for Homeless Families.
• 14 increase in requests for emergency food
  assistance this past year

3
These are not simply statistics

• These are real people, many are families with
  children who are hungry and homeless in cities
  Bill Purcell, Mayor Nashville TN

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Who are the Homeless

• Estimated 41 Single Males
• 14 Single Females
• 39 Families with Children

5
Who are the Homeless

• African Americans make up about 50
• Whites 30
• Latinas/os 10
• Native Americans 2
• Asian Americans 1

6
Arkansans Facing Poverty

• 510,000 Arkansans are poor
• 19 of the state (up from 17 in 2000/2001)
• Average poverty threshold for family of four in
  Arkansas - 18,392
• Source U.S. Census Data

7

• In Washington and Benton Counties combined there
  are over 37,000 individuals living in poverty

8
Northwest Arkansas

• Fayetteville has more census tracts with
  concentrations of poverty than any other city in
  Washington and Benton county.
• Source Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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Major Barriers Faced by Poor Families in Arkansas
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Barriers to Housing

• While housing costs have risen the number of
  Arkansans in poverty has grown.
• Arkansas Ranks 49th in Asset Poverty
• 22 of Arkansans have a net worth of zero or
  less (Arkansas Assets Coalition)

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Affordable Housing

• 3 out of 4 Poor Families in Arkansas pay more
  than 1/3 of their income on housing
• Source Good Faith Fund

12
Other Barriers Identified by Poor Arkansans
13
Source Arkansas Advocates for Children and
Families
14

• Transportation Costs
• Education
• (Arkansans with more than high school education
  is only 24.2 compared to 35.7 in U.S. )
• Child care costs
• (estimated costs for one child is over 3,500)

15

• A child is born into poverty every 59 minutes
• A child in Arkansas dies before his/her birthday
  every day

• Source Childrens Defense Fund

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Parents who obtain stable housing, education, and
employment

• Empower themselves and their children by gaining
  a sense of control over their lives and hope for
  their childrens future.

17

• Growing Up Poor does not mean you have to die
  that way.
• -- Patricia

• I dream big now. I never say never because if
  I can do this, I can reach for the stars
• --Sandi
• Source Moving Up and Out Poverty, Education and
  the Single Parent Family.

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For poor families trying to move up and out
of poverty
We Cant ask them to Climb Mt. Everest without
the right equipment.
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Industry

• Why it Matters whether Arkansans move out of
  Poverty..

20

• Every year spent as a child in poverty will cost
  an estimated 11,800 in lost future productivity
  in his/her adult life

• Source Childrens Defense Fund

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Projected Job Demandsin Arkansas 1998-2008
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Employment Projections 1998-2008Source
Department of Labor
44
56
23
Post Secondary Job Requirements
Post Secondary/ Vocational 11
14 Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree Or More
75
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Educational Attainment in Arkansas

• 35.1 of Arkansans have high school diploma/GED

• 22.5 of Arkansans have less than a high school
  diploma/GED

• 58 of Arkansans have high school or less
• Source Census 2000 Supplementary Data

25
Post Secondary Educational Attainment

• 4.6 of Arkansans have an Associates Degree

• 16.6 of Arkansans have a Bachelors Degree or
  More

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Education is even more important for single
mothers

• 11.9 of Arkansas Women have a
• Bachelors degree

• Ratio of womens to mens earnings 74

• Percent of women in Managerial and Professional
  Occupations 29.2

Source Institute for Womens Policy Research
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• Insurance
• Percent of Poor Families with at least one Parent
  without Health Insurance in Arkansas is 52.6
• 1/3 of women who leave welfare are without
  insurance within 6 months (in Arkansas 52 of
  former TEA recipients did not have insurance
  through their employers)
• Source
• Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
• Good Faith Fund