"Many causes of homelessness can be fixed, but there isn't the political will to do so," Hilary Silver, associate professor of sociology, told a crowd of students and advocates in Salomon 001 Tuesday night in a town-hall discussion about homelessness in Providence.
Silver and two other panelists, Providence City Councilman John Lombardi and Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Jim Ryczek, focused on the many causes of homelessness and possible ways to address the problem.
The three panelists explained that home foreclosures, a lack of affordable housing and the scarcity of jobs were making the already difficult situation of Rhode Island's homeless even worse during the current economic downturn.
"A shortage of housing was a problem before the recession, so now we are facing even greater difficulties," said Lombardi, who represents Ward 13, which includes Federal Hill and parts of downtown.
Homelessness has increased significantly over the past year, he said, and foreclosures and evictions are causing many more to lose their homes.
Political will from both ordinary citizens and the leaders who represent them is a necessary ingredient for change, Lombardi said.
"People close their eyes and think it's going to go away," he said. "Everyone has to be involved in order to solve this problem, not just elected officials."
Ryczek, the coalition's director, said he too sees politics as a route to reducing homelessness, but pointed out that there is also need for a change in mindset.
"Until we really wrestle with the value system we have in place, we're not going to be able to deal with this problem," he said.
John Joyce, an audience member who said he was formerly homeless and now serves as an advocate, described his experience setting up a tent city within Providence to shelter homeless individuals.
"We're in an economic disaster. What's so wrong with putting people in a safe place?" Joyce asked.
He said he feels that the step of setting up a temporary shelter can only serve as a stopgap solution, and that what is really needed is a strong shift in societal values.
"Homelessness is a solvable problem," he said. "If anyone wants social change, social awareness has to come first."
In terms of practical solutions to the problem, the three panelists all spoke about the need for affordable housing. Silver suggested that the federal government should play a larger role in providing affordable housing to those in need, similar to the way the Roosevelt administration intervened with the National Housing Act during the Great Depression.
She said too much emphasis has been placed on personal problems facing the homeless, such as drug or alcohol abuse, and not on the overarching actions that could be taken by government to address the larger issue of homelessness.
"We need to work on the structural problems and the personal problems at once in order to get anything done," she said.
Ryczek agreed that housing was key to solving the crisis and also mentioned the economic benefits that would come with more affordable places to live.
"Housing is the answer," he said. "We spend far less on individuals when they are housed than when they are taken in by shelters."
Some questions from the audience focused on specific programs offered and the long-term effectiveness of providing housing. The panelists, as well as Joyce, responded by emphasizing the need for groups like Ryczek's coalition and expressed hope that one day such an organization will not be needed.
"Our organization will have succeeded in our mission when we lock our doors and leave," Ryczek said.
The event, organized by the Janus Fellows, aimed to give students and community members alike insight into the problem of homelessness throughout the state.
"We had this event to not only start a conversation about the issue of homelessness, but also to think about possible solutions to the problem that could be implemented here in Providence," said Gene Goldstein-Plesser '11, Janus Fellows director.
