Globalization is a movement that has caused many issues on local and global scales. One of these issues caused as a result of globalization is homelessness. Homelessness is a problem caused by many different factors such as lack of public housing, lack of job stability which leads to poverty, and gentrification. The major loss of manufacturing jobs in the 1970s was another big contributor to the cause of people moving out into the streets. Neoliberalism beliefs spread about from globalization also play a crucial role in this problem of homelessness. These beliefs are centralized on a free market and competition and competition is something that does not play out favorably for those who are homeless. A major area today, where homelessness is an issue, is New York City. This city is a central location for this crisis because it is one of the business capitals of the world. The effects of homelessness generate many problems such as health issues, social issues, and drug abuse. Many of those living in the streets are left to fend for themselves with little to no help. Neoliberalism economic policies have an impact with the homelessness crisis In New York City today.
In New York City, many citizens are left without jobs and ultimately end up homeless. In recent years the homelessness crisis has reached higher levels since the Great Depression during the 1930s. In August of 2018, there were 62,166 homeless people recorded, including children (“New York City Homelessness: The Basic Facts”, 2018). There are many factors besides unemployment that lead to this outcome such as insufficient low-cost housing, eviction, deinstitutionalization of mental patients, and loss of family support, to name a few (Baxter, 1981). Particularly with low-cost housing, people are less able to pay rent, especially in New York City leaving people to be pushed out on the streets with no help of getting back on their feet. Another major issue with this crisis is that the current shelters in the city are not sufficient enough for those who are homeless. A shelter is especially needed in the winter and cold months but it is not being thoroughly provided (Baxter, 1981). Each night thousands of unsheltered homeless people sleep on the city streets, in the subway system, and many other public places (“New York City Homelessness: The Basic Facts”, 2018). Many people dismiss this issue as they do not realize how much it is really integrating into the city. During the time of 1970-1980 this crisis intensified with the city losing over a quarter of a million manufacturing jobs (Hopper, 1988). For the uneducated and unskilled workers, the only jobs available were very labor concentrated with low wages (Hopper, 1988). However, as time went on these jobs started to disperse as many white collar jobs were created that required education and skills, pushing out more and more people to the streets without a high school or college degree. The factors that led to homelessness all connect with the neoliberalism policies that were later implemented.
The neoliberal economic theories are a big contributor to the crisis of homelessness. Neoliberalism creates issues with fewer jobs available to the unskilled workers and with the city not extending decent public housing to the people. Gentrification is something that has been very common in the city starting in the 1990s. This immigration of higher income residents completely transforms the culture of the once poorer neighborhoods which ultimately displaces those who lived there before. Many of whom cannot afford to live anywhere else are forced to live on the street (Newman, 2004). The neoliberal theory holds that each individual is held responsible for their own actions and well being and this principle extends to welfare, education, healthcare, and even pensions (Harvey, 2007, pg. 65). The neoliberal belief system is not favorable for those who are not capable of getting any of these necessities, like those who are homeless, because they are then trapped in their situations. Getting jobs becomes harder with these policies especially with the flexible accumulation aspects of the policies. Those aspects include lower wages, increasing job insecurity, loss of benefits and loss of job protections (Harvey, 2007, pg. 72). All of these combined contribute to the homeless not being able to get back on their feet as their jobs are taken from them. During the rise of the neoliberal theories in the 1980s, in the United States, the New Deal policies that promoted full employment were dismantled. All of these combined contribute to the homeless not being able to get back on their feet as their jobs are taken from them. The neoliberal policies that helped lead to more people living on the streets had negative results.
Adverse effects from the crisis of homelessness caused by neoliberal policies were plenty. Many homeless individuals in New York City are people living with mental illness or other severe health problems (“New York City Homelessness: The Basic Facts”, 2018). This leaves many people untreated, ultimately causing their illnesses to worsen. Homeless families are a normality in society but single homeless adults tend to have worse situations. They tend to have higher rates of serious mental illness, addiction disorders, and other severe problems (“New York City Homelessness: The Basic Facts”, 2018). However, children who are homeless tend to be more negatively affected than adults who were not born into the streets. The effects that being homeless has on children and infants are ones that truly inhibit their ability to become fully functioning in society. This is because being homeless influences every part of children's lives and inhibits their physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral development (Hart-Shegos, 1999). At the time these children are living in the streets, their bodies are going through important development periods for social, psychological, and physical characteristics. These important changes in the body have greater potential to have their development affected by the environment (Edidin, 2012). Environments that can negatively affect growing children are those with absences to strong adult figures, exposure to violence, loneliness, and surrounded by drug abuse, to name a few. All of these contribute to the development of a person and can change the way someone believes or thinks. Being born homeless detrimentally inhibits the way children develop. Other effects from homelessness are intense health risks. Homeless people are more at risk of dying early and they suffer from health issues such as seizures, musculoskeletal disorders, tuberculosis, and skin and foot problems (Hwang, 2001). Those who are homeless also do not have access to health care which results in these premature deaths. Many of those who are homeless also suffer from addiction disorders. This spreads the use of drugs on the streets which could ultimately spread the use throughout the city. According to author Dennis McCarty, alcohol abuse affects 30 to 40% of homeless peoples and drug abuse affects 15% of homeless peoples (McCarty, 1991). With these statistics and the prevalent abuse of these substances, New York city needs to create better ways to help people get rehabilitation. Crime is another effect from homelessness, although less prevalent. Many homeless individuals get arrested for drug possession or sales, or for public intoxication (Greenberg, 2008). Another cause for arrest would be manifestations of those with mental illnesses who are less able to cope with the stresses of being homeless. (Greenberg, 2008). The total outcomes caused by homelessness are mainly negative and show how being homeless inhibits one’s life.
Neoliberal economic policies have affected the homeless population in America, especially in New York City. In recent years homelessness has reached its highest points in the city. Within the many causes of homelessness, there is a lack of public housing, lack of job stability, and gentrification of poor neighborhoods. All of these combined push people out into the streets with no way to get back onto their feet. Getting jobs becomes harder with the Neoliberal policies especially with the flexible accumulation aspects of the policies. Increasing job insecurity and loss of job protections are a major factor in this policy that makes it extremely difficult for the homeless to get out of their current situations. There are many negative effects of homelessness. One downside is that growing up homeless inhibits a child’s development social and physically. This is due to the environment one grows up in and while living on the streets one faces many stressors. Intense health risks are also an effect of homelessness such as tuberculosis and many mental health issues. Neoliberal economic policies contributed by globalization are major contributors to the homelessness crisis, leaving many negative effects.