The structural nature of family homelessness: a critical analysis of the intersection of unaffordable housing, housing insecurity, non-livable wages, and eviction

ABSTRACT

Family homelessness is a pervasive and persistent problem in the United States. The complexity of family homelessness and interrelated structural issues combine to negatively impact the quality of life and upward mobility of those experiencing homelessness. This conceptual article proposes a critical analysis of factors contributing to family homelessness to illustrate how multiple forces act in concert to perpetuate the issue. Most current interventions to ameliorate family homelessness in the United States are uninformed by critical theory and do not address the root causes of the issue and therefore have proven to be only marginally effective. The authors assert that social work practices that are critical theory informed and empowerment based will lead to effective interventions with families experiencing homelessness.

KEYWORDS:

• Family homelessness
• critical theory
• empowerment theory
• housing insecurity
• eviction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Diane Joy Irish

Diane Joy Irish works in public education for the Parkland School District where she is dually certified as both a School Social Worker and a Home & School Visitor. Her practice focuses mainly on the mezzo level of developing and coordinating community resources to support the needs of students and families in the district. Her social work interests lie in social justice, family homelessness, and program development.

Stephen W. Stoeffler

Stephen W. Stoeffler is an associate professor in the Department of Social Work at Kutztown University where he primarily teaches in the policy sequence in the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs. His scholarship focuses on poverty, community empowerment, and social justice. He has published in Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, Journal of Poverty, Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Social Development Issues, Social Work & Christianity, Social Work Education, and elsewhere.