SOCY 1101 - Intro to Sociology Assignment #2: Eviction and Rising Homelessness

 

2^nd Assignment:

1) What are the consequences that eviction has on poverty?

Poverty is an already desperate situation for those involved. In the capitalistic democracies of the modern world, money is all. It is the provider of food. It is a means of transportation. It is the status social icon of modern society. It is the means by which all is acquired or sold. For those in poverty, the lack of money is a lack of all of these resources and wonders that modern life can offer. To lack money is to decide between food or transportation. To lack money is to decide between gas or electricity.

 

Yet the worst of these deficiencies is the lack of housing. Evictions remove people from their natural habitats and thrust them onto the cold streets of society.  It takes all the previous planning and organization of life and throws it into the dustbin. Educational planning for the future of one's youth, gone. Social environments with friendly neighborhood connections, gone. Planned transportation to one's daily occupation, gone or soon to be gone.

 

The entire axis of one's life rests upon where they live. With homes gone, people are focused to leave the comfort of their known environments and are thrust into the nightmare of the unknown. The consequences are far-reaching into every aspect of life: social and economic.

2^nd Assignment Discussion

Ying Xin Zhao

Housing the primary thing around which most people build their lives, friends, community, and family. Without this necessity, society starts to crumble like a house of cards.

 

The main issue in trying to remedy this problem is the current state of the housing market and the state of living in general. In bigger cities like NYC and LA, housing ridiculously expensive. Most homes are more than half a million. Unless someone has more than 100,000 saved, they are not going to get a mortgage easily. This leads many to rent, but the rent prices are also equally ridiculous. Most of the rents increase each year with the standard price changing depending on the neighborhood.

Satifa Plass

Great connection Satifa,

 

To add to that, the question of fighting poverty also becomes one of prioritization. At the moment there are numerous programs available to help those in poverty. They range from food programs to educational grants. During times of poor economic strife, or during times of privatization, these programs suffer from cutbacks and lack of funding. With so many areas that need help, there needs to be a clear consensus about the necessities high on the list: housing and health.

Both of these are important not only from a social standpoint but also from an economic one. They contribute to the continued employment of people and their "return" to the overall economy. They also contribute to the vital role of independence in an individualistic country like the US.

Also, have you received my email regarding the group project due in November? I am trying to get a method of communication running that would allow for good coordination.