This weeks data exercise put faces to the countless numbers of people who are homeless. While researching Riverside County I found that there was 31% decrease in homelessness between 2011 and 2013. In 2011 the homeless population was 4,321 people and in 2013 the homeless population was 2,979. Of that 2,979, 1,888 people were unsheltered and 1,090 were sheltered. Within Riverside County, the city of Riverside had the most homeless people at 571.
These may just seem like numbers but each one represents a specific individual. Seeing these numbers and the methods they used to come up with these statistics really put things into perspective. I was surprised by the numbers in Riverside County because I thought that the numbers were a lower compared to other counties. During my research I found that San Bernardino is the poorest county in California. The fact that Riverside County and San Bernardino County are so close to each other really shows the effect that bordering cities have towards one another.
For example, Pasadena, California tends to be an extremely upscale city. With that being said, homeless people often are not present. But less than 15 minutes away in Downtown Los Angeles is the greatest population of homeless people living on skid row. Our society stereotypes people to where we think they should reside. People believe that if someone is homeless then they should be with the rest of the homeless population. This is something that needs to be changed and by doing research and making people aware of the homeless populations within their own counties gives them the opportunity to step in a try to make a difference.
I completely agree. There is this notion that homeless people should be with homeless people, and it simply makes no sense. As a community that is constantly advertising its efforts to “end homelessness”, and “help those in need”, we seem to do a pretty good job of viewing the homeless population as an inconvenience or as an aspect of our society that should be shamed instead of something that should truly be being acknowledged and addressed. As a culture and as a society we have this tendency to act through the frame of “out of sight out of mind”, but the reality of these studies and this data proves not only that we cannot exist through that mindset and hope for things to change, but also that we simply cannot continue to pretend that we do not see homelessness. Homelessness is increasing in the United States and the facts are present in a way that cannot continue to be ignored or viewed as someone else’s problem.