NIGHT ON THE STREET

NIGHT ON THE STREET 2011 will be March 17, 2011 from 6:00-midnight at the River Market West/East Pavilion. We encourage you to join us as we seek to raise awareness of homelessness, domestic violence and addiction. You are invited to participate in this year's event. Please bring your cell phone, laptop, I-Pad and your contacts. You can call, twitter, FACEBOOK with your friends and associates about how they can support the last, least and lost in Central Arkansas through a financial gift to the Union Rescue Mission.

Homelessness in Arkansas

Homelessness

Large numbers of homeless people live in Arkansas. Looking at data for people who received a funded service, emergency shelter, or transitional shelter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Arkansas Management Information System found that 22,000 people were homeless at some point during 2006 in Arkansas. A statewide count on January 24, 2007, of people housed in shelters, along with an observational count on the streets and in camps, determined that 7,400 to 8,000 Arkansans are homeless on any given night.

The Arkansas Homeless Coalition completed a survey in 2005 among the homeless who congregate under bridges and frequent the soup kitchens in the Little Rock (Pulaski County) area. One hundred survey responses documented that forty percent of these homeless persons are engaged in some type of employment. The jobs were minimum wage, part time, or temporary day labor. The same survey documented that twenty-five percent of those surveyed received disability benefits. Veterans make up sixteen percent of those homeless persons receiving disability benefits. The majority of the disabled homeless receive just over $600 per month. They must often choose between medicine, food, or housing. Although those who qualify for supplemental security income are eligible for Medicaid, the co-pay for those served under this program often prohibits their ability to purchase medications, even if the co-pay is as small as five dollars. Hospitals turn homeless patients away for reasons such as prior unpaid co-pays or the inability to pay for service unless they are experiencing a life-threatening event when they present at an emergency room. For homeless people who have the functional capacity to apply for and receive food stamps, the stamps’ value is small, and people on the streets often sell these for a few cents on the dollar. In addition to these barriers, the homeless who are living in shelters or on the streets are often robbed or just do not have the ability to secure money or other items. People who are mentally ill or under the influence of addiction are the most vulnerable among the homeless population.


A variety of problems can cause homelessness, the primary cause being a severe lack of affordable housing in Arkansas for people with low incomes. Secondary causes include mental illness, physical illness, substance abuse, lack of incentive to work, poor work ethic, and lack of appropriate education. In many cases, people are in and out of the homeless system, which includes shelters, hospitals, the streets, and prisons. A deficit of homeless shelters leaves an estimated forty-five percent homeless Arkansans sleeping outdoors, in vacant or abandoned buildings, in cars, and in other locations not meant for human habitation.

Arkansas is experiencing a dearth of affordable housing. For example, professionals and corporate workers have moved to northwest Arkansas to benefit from employment through entities such as Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, J. B. Hunt, and other Arkansas-based corporations that have created wealth for many of their top managers. In 2005, the average price of a house in this area of the state was $150,000, and the average rent was $579 a month. Affordable housing has been razed to build homes for highly paid executives and professionals that demand more and more in size and quality in the homes they purchase. For people living on slightly more than $600 per month, this is completely out of reach, and thus many people who work in minimum wage jobs are forced to live outside city limits in substandard housing, are homeless, or live in shared housing that is neither private nor safe in many cases. Northwest Arkansas is an extreme example of the lack of affordable housing in the state, but this area has set a standard of housing development that is being followed throughout the state. Downtown warehouses are being renovated into expensive condominiums, and affordable housing communities are being leveled to provide the space for the development of gated housing for the wealthy. Little has been put on the drawing board to ensure that any type of affordable housing is provided as replacement housing for the poor.

Noted from a 2004 University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) study, the services homeless people most need include transportation (seventy-four percent), assistance in locating a place to live (seventy-two percent), and help in finding services or case management (seventy percent). Respondents who reported being chronically homeless as per HUD guidelines were most likely to report needing medical treatment (fifty-seven percent), in comparison to the situational homeless and family units who are experiencing homelessness for a short period of time due to some recent negative event in their life, (forty-two percent and thirty-two percent, respectively). Help with financial credit, dental services, job searches, job training, and a place to go during the day were each indicated as needed by more than half of the sample.

Most people become homeless specifically because they are having a housing crisis, even though they may have other needs for additional services and for increased incomes. Needs for additional services include substance abuse treatment and mental illness stabilization through medication, vocational training, etc. A count of the homeless population in Arkansas for the past five years indicates an increase every year of a minimum of two percent. In 2004, the National Coalition for the Homeless named Little Rock as the meanest city in the United States to the homeless. This designation was based on actions taken by the city to motivate the homeless to leave the downtown area. Actions included destruction of homeless camps and the battering of many homeless persons. In recent years, a shift has occurred among the city leaders. A Mayor’s Commission on Homelessness has been named, and this commission oversaw the opening of a homeless day resource center in North Little Rock (Pulaski County), funded by both Little Rock and North Little Rock, in November 2008. Affordable housing remains the chief means of moving the homeless from the streets, and housing trust funds are being viewed for new legislation to create affordable units for the disabled and the working poor. The media and the public have created this shift from abusing the homeless to creating programs to assist the homeless.

For additional information:
Arkansas Homeless Coalition. http://www.arkansashomeless.org (accessed July 31, 2007).

Arkansas Management Information System. http://www.armis.org (accessed July 31, 2007).

Davis, Andy. “At Forum, Homeless Tell of Life on the Street.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. July 12, 2007, pp. 1B, 7B.

Hudson, Stacey. “Group’s Count Finds Rise in Homelessness.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. July 21, 2007, pp. 1A, 9A.

Krupa, John. “UA Report Paints Picture of Homeless in State’s NW.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. July 18, 2007, p. 9B.

National Coalition for the Homeless. http://www.nationalhomeless.org (accessed July 31, 2007).

Night on the Street

The Union Rescue Mission: Nehemiah House/Dorcas House host our annual NIGHT ON THE STREET on Thursday, March 17, 2011 from 6:00 pm until midnight at the River Market Pavilion. We use this as an opportunity to raise awareness of homelessness, domestic violence and addiction in Central Arkansas and especially Little Rock as well as raise financial resources for the Union Rescue Mission operating account.

Individuals who would like to participate should contact the Union Rescue Mission office at 501-370-0808 and ask for Michelle Scroggins or email us @ mscroggins@urmission.org. Each adult participant will be ask to be responsible to raise $1,000 either by contacting their friends, associates, etc or develop a list of team members to assist you. Your friends can donate online @ urmission.org and click on our pay pal account or send their check to Union Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 164057, Little Rock, Arkansas 72216. Whether giving via paypal or sending a check be sure to denote NIGHT ON THE STREET in the memo section of the respective donation vehicle.

You will also have opportunity to distribute blankets, coats, etc. to the homeless along the River near the Broadway Bridge the night of the event. You partnership as a stakeholder allows URM to get the message out to the public as well as raise annual support.

HOMELESSNESS IN AMERICA

Homelessness

On any given night in America, anywhere from 700,000 to 2 million people are homeless, according to estimates of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.
According to a December, 2000 report of the US Conference of Mayors:

single men comprise 44 percent of the homeless, single women 13 percent, families with children 36 percent, and unaccompanied minors seven percent.
the homeless population is about 50 percent African-American, 35 percent white, 12 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Native American and 1 percent Asian.
According to the 1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC):

single homeless individuals in 1996 reported an average income of $348 during the last 30 days, about 51 percent of the 1996 federal poverty level of $680/month for one person.
28 percent said they sometimes or often do not get enough to eat, compared with 12 percent of poor American adults.
44 percent did paid work during the past month.
21 percent received income from family members or friends.
66 percent of the homeless have problems with alcohol, drug abuse, or mental illness.
22 percent have been physically assaulted.
7 percent have been sexually assaulted.
38 percent say someone stole money or things directly from them.
30 percent have been homeless for more than two years.

WHO IS HOMELESS

Who is Homeless?
Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, February 1999
This fact sheet reviews definitions of homelessness and describes the demographic characteristics of persons who experience homelessness. A list of resources for further study is also provided.

DEFINITIONS

According to the Stewart B. McKinney Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11301, et seq. (1994), a person is considered homeless who "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence and; and... has a primary night time residency that is: (A) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accomodations... (B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or (C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings." 42 U.S.C. § 11302(a) The term "'homeless individual' does not include any individual imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an Act of Congress or a state law." 42 U.S.C. § 11302(c)
This definition is usually interpreted to include only those persons who are literally homeless -- that is, on the streets or in shelters -- and persons who face imminent eviction (within a week) from a private dwelling or institution and who have no subsequent residence or resources to obtain housing. The McKinney definition of homelessness serves large, urban communities, where tens of thousands of people are literally homeless. However, it may prove problematic for those persons who are homeless in areas of the country, such as rural areas, where there are few shelters. People experiencing homelessness in these areas are less likely to live on the street or in a shelter, and more likely to live with relatives in overcrowded or substandard housing (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1996).

DEMOGRAPHICS

Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 15-20 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. Persons living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless, and demographic groups who are more likely to experience poverty are also more likely to experience homelessness. Recent demographic statistics are summarized below.

AGE:

In 1998, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey of homelessness in 30 cities found that children under the age of 18 accounted for 25% of the urban homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). This same study found that unaccompanied minors comprised 3% of the urban homeless population. A 1987 Urban Institute study found that 51% of the homeless population were between the ages of 31 and 50 (Burt, 1989); other studies have found percentages of homeless persons aged 55 to 60 ranging from 2.5% to 19.4% (Institute of Medicine, 1988).

GENDER:

Most studies show that single homeless adults are more likely to be male than female. In 1998, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey found that single men comprised 45% of the urban homeless population and single women 14% (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998).

FAMILIES:

The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade; families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. Families with children constitute approximately 40% of people who become homeless (Shinn and Weitzman, 1996). In its 1998 survey of 30 American cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that families comprised 38% of the homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). These proportions are likely to be higher in rural areas; research indicates that families, single mothers, and children make up the largest group of people who are homeless in rural areas (Vissing, 1996). For more information, see Homeless Families with Children.

ETHNICITY:

In its 1998 survey of 30 cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayor found that the homeless population was 49% African-American, 32% Caucasian, 12% Hispanic, 4% Native American, and 3% Asian (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). Like the total U.S. population, the ethnic makeup of homeless populations varies according to geographic location. For example, people experiencing homelessness in rural areas are much more likely to be white; homelessness among Native Americans and migrant workers is also largely a rural phenomenon (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1996).

VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:

Of 777 homeless parents interviewed in ten U.S. cities, 22% said they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence (Homes for the Homeless, 1998). In addition, 46% of cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). For more information, see Domestic Violence and Homelessness.

VETERANS:

Research indicates that 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34% of the general adult male population (Rosenheck et al., 1996). In 1998, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey of 30 American cities found that 22% of the urban homeless population were veterans (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). For more information, see Homeless Veterans.

PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS:

Approximately 20-25% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness (Koegel et al., 1996). According to the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, only 5-7% of homeless persons with mental illness require institutionalization; most can live in the community with the appropriate supportive housing options (Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, 1992). For more information, see Mental Illness and Homelessness.

PERSONS SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION DISORDERS:

Surveys of homeless populations conducted during the 1980s found consistently high rates of addiction, particularly among single men; however, recent research has called the results of those studies into question (Koegel et al., 1996). Briefly put, the studies that produced high prevalence rates greatly over represented long-term shelter users and single men, and used lifetime rather than current measures of addiction. While there is no generally accepted "magic number" with respect to the prevalence of addiction disorders among homeless adults, the frequently cited figure of about 65% is probably at least double the real rate for current addiction disorders among all single adults who are homeless in a year. For more information, see Addiction Disorders and Homelessness.

EMPLOYMENT:

Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers: in every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent. 1 (National Low Income Housing Coalition, 1998). In fact, in the median state a minimum-wage worker would have to work 87 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at 30% of his or her income, which is the federal definition of affordable housing. Thus, inadequate income leaves many people homeless. The U.S. Conference of Mayors' 1998 survey of 30 American cities found that 22% of the urban homeless population were employed (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1998). In a number of cities not surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors - as well as in many states - the percentage is even higher (National Coalition for the Homeless, 1997). For more information, see Joblessness and Homelessness and Why Are People Homeless?.

IMPLICATIONS

As this fact sheet makes clear, people who become homeless do not fit one general description. However, people experiencing homelessness do have certain shared basic needs, including affordable housing, adequate incomes, and health care. Some homeless people may need additional services such as mental health or drug treatment in order to remain securely housed. All of these needs must be met to prevent and to end homelessness.

FOOTNOTES

1. FMRs are the monthly amounts "needed to rent privately owned, decent, safe, and sanitary rental housing of a modest (nonluxury) nature with suitable amenities." Federal Register. HUD determines FMRs for localities in all 50 states.

RESOURCES

Aron, Laudan Y. and Janet M. Fitchen. "Rural Homelessness: A Synopsis," in Homelessness in America, Oryx Press, 1996. Available for $43.50 from the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005; 202/737-6444.
Burt, Martha and Barbara Cohen. America's Homeless: Numbers, Characteristics, and Programs that Serve Them, 1989. Available for $9.75 from The Urban Institute, Publications Orders, 2100 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20037; 202/833-7200.

Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness. Outcasts on Main Street: A Report of the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, 1992. Available, free, from the National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness, 262 Delaware Ave., Delmar, NY, 12054-1123; 800/444-7415.

Homes for the Homeless. Ten Cities 1997-1998: A Snapshot of Family Homelessness Across America. Available from Homes for the Homeless & the Institute for Children and Poverty, 36 Cooper Square, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10003; 212/529-5252.

Institute of Medicine. Homelessness, Health, and Human Needs, 1988. Available (paperback) for $28.95 from National Academy Press, Box 285, 2101 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20055; 1/800-624-6242.

Koegel, Paul et al. "The Causes of Homelessness," in Homelessness in America, 1996, Oryx Press. Available for $43.50 from the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005; 202/737-6444.

National Coalition for the Homeless. Homelessness in America: Unabated and Increasing, 1997. Available for $6.25 from the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005; 202/737-6444.

National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach: Rental Housing at What Cost?, 1998. Available from the National Low Income Housing Coalition at 1012 14th Street, Suite 610, Washington, DC 20005; 202/662-1530.

Rosenheck, Robert et al. "Homeless Veterans," in Homelessness in America, Oryx Press, 1996. Available for $43.50 from the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005; 202/737-6444.

Shinn, Marybeth and Beth Weitzman. "Homeless Families Are Different," in Homelessness in America, 1996. Available for $43.50 from the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005; 202/737-6444.

U.S. Conference of Mayors. A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America's Cities: 1998. Available for $15.00 from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 1620 Eye St., NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20006-4005, 202/293-7330.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Economic and Community Development. Rural Homelessness: Focusing on the Needs of the Rural Homeless, 1996. Available, free, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Housing Service, Rural Economic and Community Development, 14th St. and Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-1533; 202/690-1533.

Vissing, Yvonne. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Homeless Children and Families in Small Town America, 1996. Available for $16.95 (paperback) from The University Press of Kentucky, 663 S. Limestone St., Lexington, KY 40508-4008; 800/839-6855.

NIGHT ON THE STREET....

You can help to change the face of homelessness, addiction and domestic violence by putting your faith into action and joining with hundreds of Central Arkansans at A Night on the Street. A Night on the Street is a service and learning experience organized by the Union Rescue Mission. It’s an opportunity for people to speak with one voice and take action against homelessness by spending the night sleeping out and raising funds for the last, least and lost of Central Arkansas.

Spend the Night Sleeping in a Box
A Night on the Street is filled with powerful learning experiences and fun. In addition to spending the night sleeping in a cardboard box or just your sleeping bag, you will understand what it's like to be homeless as well as some of the causes of homelessness and solutions from advocates who work to help our most vulnerable.

Join Others in Raising Resources for the Union Rescue Mission
Those participating in A Night on the Street are asked to collect $100 in donations if you are in Middle School or Hight School and $1,000 if an Adult. All of the money will go toward the operating budget of the Union Rescue Mission.

Corrected Date

Dr. William Tollett, CEP
Executive Director

Be a Part of the Solution to End Homelessness
Save the Date:
Thursday, March 11, 2010

You can help change this by putting your faith into action and joining with hundreds of area people at A Night on the Street. This is an event and learning experience organized by the UNION RESCUE MISSION. It’s an opportunity for individuals, youth groups, and corporate America to speak with one voice and take action against homelessness by spending the night sleeping out and raising funds to support the work of the Union Rescue Mission.

Spend the Night Sleeping in a Box

A Night on the Street is filled with powerful learning experiences and fun. In addition to spending the night sleeping in a cardboard box, you will understand what it's like to be homeless from serving alongside those who have been there as well as learning about some of the causes of homelessness and solutions from advocates who work to help our most vulnerable.

Youth Helping the Union Rescue Mission by Raising Money

Youth participating in A Night on the Street are asked to collect $100 in donations prior to the event or call your friends from you box. All of the money will go toward the operating budget of the Union Rescue Mission, a faithbased non-profit Christian ministry reaching out to the homeless, disadvantaged, chemically addicted and domestically abused. To learn more about the Union Rescue Mission go to urmission.org.

Event Details and Registration

A Night on the Street is held at the RiverMarket West Pavilion on President Clinton Blvd in downtown Little Rock. Youth groups, grades 7-12 are welcome.

More Information and Questions

For more details on A Night on the Street go to the urmission.org. If you have further questions contact Michelle Scroggins e or email at mscroggins@urmission.org.