Homeless to Housing: A model of Prevention and Transition to Mitigate the Homeless Condition

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In Folder: 2017 Theses

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Homeless to Housing: A model of Prevention and Transition to Mitigate the Homeless Condition

Submitted to in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, April 2017

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title: Homeless to Housing: A model of Prevention and Transition to Mitigate the Homeless Condition

creator: Kazimir Cunningham

subject: Homelessness; Shelters for the homeless; Recovery movement

description: It is difficult to go anywhere in the city without being confronted with the homeless condition. Daily, homeless individuals gather to solicit money or food on sidewalks, at vehicular intersections, or around places of business. After such a confrontation, a passer-by might feel deeply disturbed, and helpless because the solution to the issue seems so infeasible. We can reason that a sandwich today is not enough, because it does nothing to reduce the need for the next meal. Many existing homeless shelters and care facilities are similarly dysfunctional despite good intentions, because providing a bed today does nothing to reduce the need for a place to stay tomorrow. The primary shortcomings in the existing system thus happen to passively be the products of the system itself, even though the purpose and function thereof are well intended. Studies have shown that the cyclical nature of the [dysfunctional] system causes a severe drain on a city’s resources and funds, so much so, that it is actually much more expensive for a person to be homeless than for them to be housed, long term. However, its not that simple. Housing alone does not solve the problem: the issue lies in the very lives of the homeless individuals; a transitional process of repair and positive reinforcement is needed; custom care and support to identify and mitigate the life challenges that have caused the homeless condition in the first place. A restoration of dignity, privacy, and self-validation is also needed, and a method of prevention and transition.

publisher: The Douglas D. Schumann Library and Learning Commons, Wentworth Institute of Technology

date: 2017

type: Thesis

format: .pdf

language: eng

rights: https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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