Whatever you do, the message we must all send is one of discouraging addiction and promoting recovery. We must all help addicted persons get help for their disease when they are ready. Many complex forces help to create homelessness, and many different elements are needed to overcome it. The first step is getting people off the streets and into appropriate entry-level facilities with supportive services including mental health and recovery programs. People who live on the streets represent less than ten percent of the total homeless population in Philadelphia.
Most homeless people are in shelters or other residential programs and are less visible.
On any given night, anywhere from 150 to 500 people are living o the streets of Center City. Many are veterans. Many have been on the streets for several years. The vast majority of persons who are homeless come from very poor communities that have been especially hard hit from the disappearance of livable-wage jobs. Many are faced with a range of complex issues that include family breakdown, domestic violence, barriers to accessing health care, and no income or health care benefits.