Poverty in the City of Boston

The Annual Census Report for 2008-2009 in Boston show the number of homeless men, women, and children totaling 7,562

However, Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Homeless Census for 2010 illustrates:

       Unsheltered homeless adults counted on the streets = 182

       Homeless families sheltered in motels = 163

       Homeless families on the streets = 1,343
  
       Homeless adults in emergency shelters = 1,365

*The lowest figure for the unsheltered count since 1997!

The 2010 Mayor's Report for Boston, report the number of beds and units available for homeless persons during the last year:

       Total number of beds in emergency shelter = 3584
                                          transitional housing = 1513
                          permanent supportive housing = 4319

*The profile for homelessness in the 2010 Mayor's Report records a 2% decrease in the use of emergency shelters in the past year.

Furthermore, according to the 2010 Mayor's Report, "Homeless shelters had to provide vouchers for motels and hotels when beds were no longer available...there has been an 18% unmet need for emergency shelters" (Hunger And Homelessness Survey, pg. 35).

The city of Boston does not provide enough services for those in need, because cuts in social services and income supports are present due to the constant criminalizing of homelessness. Many homeless people today feel the need to defend their right to live in public areas of the city. The government develops "safe zones" for the homeless in order to divert the responsibility of the homeless to the state, thus, resulting in lack of resources, and an unsafe environment for those seeking help. "Homeless people depend on local services, usually provided through charitable organizations which rely on community donations and good will to survive. It's fairly painless for a federal judge to pass a ruling requiring outdoor "safe zones," leaving responsibility for homelessness to the city, the level of government with the fewest resources to respond" (Boston Review, 1993). 

I feel the criminalization of homelessness plays a major role in the quality and quantity of services available to the needy and those that have the ability to help fail to find personal impacts on the affect of poverty itself. Until the affects of poverty are felt on a personal level only then may we find a way to provide the adequate resources for those in impoverished positions and eliminate its existence, not only in Boston, but poverty throughout the world.