Imagine sleeping on a crowded sidewalk in the center of the city, with sirens blaring, people screaming and car engines revving, not having your own private space or a comfortable bed to sleep on at night, just the hard, dirty surface under your feet. This is what an individual who is homeless on the streets experiences. Homelessness is the state in which a person does not have a home or shelter over his head. It is defined as living in substandard housing or without a stable structure. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay There are a total of 324.5 million people in the United States, and a total of 552,830 people experience homelessness on a single night. This means that 17 out of 10,000 people in the United States are homeless each year. (“State of Homelessness in America,” 2016). Data shows that families represent the fastest growing group among the homeless in the United States, yet adults make up the largest group among the homeless population (“Who are the Homeless? - NCBI Bookshelf,” n.d.). The bar graph shows the total number of people experiencing homelessness each year. It is evident that individuals and family members make up a large percentage of the homeless population in the United States. Mothers, fathers and their children are on our streets every night trying to stay warm and survive. The United States has the lowest wages for employees and many people are unemployed. This affects and contributes to how much parents can provide for their family, it can lead to families becoming homeless and living on the streets of busy, crowded cities. Based on research, it is estimated that 150 million people, or about 2% of the world's population, are homeless. However, an estimated 1.6 billion, more than 20% of the world's population, may lack adequate housing ("As Cities Grow, So Do Homeless Numbers," n.d.). The United States has the highest number of homeless people as more than half a million people sleep on the streets. The map on the right shows the extent of homelessness in the United States. Nearly half of the homeless population in the United States is concentrated in California. Every year in California, 129,972 people live on the streets or are homeless. It has also been recorded, as of January 2018, that New York has approximately 91,897 people experiencing homelessness on any given day or night (“Homelessness and Poverty in New York City,” n.d.). It's devastating to imagine what it would be like to feel no sense of belonging in this world, or to feel like an ornament on the sidewalk as people pass you by. A variety of factors contribute to homelessness in the United States, including a lack of affordable housing, low wages, poverty, and unemployment. In recent years, America's housing crisis has increased the number of families experiencing homelessness in this country. ​low wages are a major factor contributing to homelessness as people are underpaid and cannot afford to buy a house or apartment as prices are very high and people who are homeless cannot reach the price needed to afford a roof over your head at night when you sleep. According to (State of the Homeless, 2017) in the years 2017 and 2018 the number of homeless people increased by 0.3%. From the data collected it is evident that the homeless are experiencing very little progress, as their rate of homelessness has only dropped by 10%. The individual homeless group includes veterans, chronically ill patients, families, individuals, and youth (“State of Homelessness,” 2017). The biggest problemof homelessness is in the United States. Many people around the world are homeless, one of the main causes of homelessness. In the United States it is easy to forget the cost of housing when faced with those who do not have a home, nor a bed to sleep in at night, not even a roof to shelter from the rain. Through research it is clear that the United States has the highest homeless population. People living on the streets or homeless can be affected in many ways by living in such conditions. Factors such as low wages and poverty have a significant impact on people's lives and their living status. Homeless people around the world feel as if everyone has turned a blind eye to them as they are dumped on the outskirts of cities and towns, where they are forgotten, or crammed into busy streets and trampled on by people passing by. . “The measure of civilization is how it treats its weakest members,” this is a quote Gandhi says when describing how the United States treats people in need of help. People in the world have a choice, where they can help or be spectators and watch. We can make a change in this world and help those who are homeless in our cities. Homelessness can have a negative impact on the environment as encampments on streets and cities can be harmful to other community members, can damage businesses, and drain city resources (“Impact of Homeless Encampments on the Environment,” n.d. ). Drug and needle use is very high within homeless encampments and they are thrown onto busy streets and paths and are not disposed of properly. stagnant incomes. In the United States, people are homeless due to a lack of affordable housing. this is a big problem since people in America have low wages and cannot afford to live in a house because the prices are too high. People living in New York can't get by on minimum wage. A single missed paycheck is just one step away from being evicted from your home. It is evident that New York has the lowest wage income rate in America, as working people cannot afford rent and are unable to provide for the living needs of their families. Poverty is another fundamental cause of homelessness (“Homelessness and Poverty in New York City,” n.d.). There are many factors that contribute to an individual becoming homeless, but poverty is one of the main ones. This is because poverty occurs when a person is at great risk of becoming homeless and is therefore struggling with financial problems and is unable to maintain their home as they can no longer afford to live in their home. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay These factors have a major impact on a person's mental and physical well-being. Being homeless affects a person's quality of life, as people often experience feelings of isolation; Being homeless can also increase a person's chances of taking drugs or having physical or mental health problems. Evidence suggests that the longer a person remains homeless, the more difficult it may become to get back on their feet. Homeless people do not have access to healthcare and treatment. According to (“Health and Homelessness,” n.d.) homeless individuals have higher rates of hospital admissions for physical illness, mental illness, and substance abuse than other populations of individuals. Works CitedNational Alliance to End Homelessness. (2016). State of homelessness in America..