These last few weeks have been absolutely nuts weather-wise in Boston. Freezing temperatures, more than 90 inches of snow and high speed, biting winds. As a student, it’s been hard to adjust to canceled classes, faulty public transit and trudging through piles of snow just to go down the street. But what about those who don’t have homes? I’ve found myself thinking, and worrying, a lot about the homeless population of Boston in this seemingly endless vortex of snow. In our little BU bubble on Commonwealth Avenue, it can be easy to forget that just outside of our campus, there is a huge homeless population, and they’re struggling more than anyone in this harsh winter weather.
In December 2014, The Boston Globe reported that out of 25 major cities that were surveyed, Boston has the highest number of residents living in emergency shelters. The amount of homeless families in Boston increased by 6 percent between 2013 and 2014, and the demand for shelters is 22 percent higher than the number of beds that are available. Shelters have been overpopulated for years, causing many homeless people to be put up in motels with no sign of permanent housing in sight.
The homelessness issue has become a major issue in Boston mainly because of state and federal policy changes from the 1990s such as welfare reform, the end of rent control and large cuts in the state’s rental assistance program. These changes were made 20 years ago, and they’re still affecting the city and its population immensely. The increase in need seems to be barely acknowledged, seeing that state funding for homeless families has decreased by 6 percent since 2011, according to the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.
It doesn’t help at all that many residents take on an “it’s not my problem” attitude. Many assume that they’re addicts or alcoholics that will spend the money given to them on drugs. These people deliberately walk on the opposite side of the street, or just stare straight ahead as they walk by as if the person is invisible. There’s this shaming view of homeless people, as if they deserve what they’re getting. If we worked toward changing that to a more positive view, to try to make people more willing to help and speak up, there could be more of a focus on fixing the policy changes that doomed many people to life on the streets all those years ago.
It’s no secret that housing costs in Boston are insanely high. Housing is a necessity that is priced like a luxury in the city. With the unsteady job market and economy, it’s so easy for anyone to become homeless in the blink of an eye. When it’s so hard to find a job and support yourself, you can be out on the streets before you know it if you don’t have the right support. Many homeless people don’t have support from family or friends to help pick themselves up and get back on their feet. I think many people forget this fact as they purposefully ignore the homelessness issue. Think of how you would feel with nowhere to go and no one to turn to, especially when the temperatures are below freezing.
I’m from a suburb outside of New York City, and I’d be lying if I said I never ignored a homeless person while in the city as they sit on the street with a sign or a cup for money. It’s disturbing to me how simple it is to just ignore “the problem” of homeless people, to just walk by and not even think about the person sitting there, and how he or she is struggling. Everyone gets so wrapped up in avoiding issues that they never get fixed. Disregarding a predicament will perhaps make it “disappear” for the second, but it is doing nothing but hurting in the long run.
Homeless people are no less important than those who are fortunate enough to be able to afford housing. Viewing them as not worthy of the best help we can provide them is destructive to us as people and to the city itself. This is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed, especially if this winter is any indicator of what’s to come in the future. Keep your eyes open and pay attention. The uncomfortable silence of purposeful ignorance is helping no one.
