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ABSTRACT
Using in-depth interviews of 40 residents from a homeless shelter in El Paso, Texas in the United States, this study examines the etiology, processes, and patterns of homelessness by assessing those confronting homeless spells at different time points and for varying reasons. Our study is guided by the research questions: How did residents of homeless shelters experience transitions and turning points of homelessness? What were the coping resources that homeless people drew on to overcome life adversities? Overall, we found that risk accumulation as a result of different traumatic events, such as death of a family member, marital or relationship breakdown, victimization, unemployment, substance addiction, poor mental health, or discrimination confronted in varied contexts, could serve as precursors or consequences that exacerbated the housing crisis over the course of a life. We recommend that efforts geared toward remediating, alleviating, or preventing homelessness be life course driven. It is only through compassion and empathy rather than criminalizing and stigmatizing that we can help stop the triggers and spread of the downward spiral of homelessness.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Yok-Fong Paat is an Associate Professor of social work at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Jessica Morales is a former social work student at the University of Texas at El Paso, currently a Qualified Mental Health Professional Caseworker.
Ray Tullius is the Executive Director of the Opportunity Center for the Homeless in El Paso, TX.
Eva Moya is an Associate Professor of social work at the University of Texas at El Paso.
Ruben Alcantara is an independent scholar.