HOMELESSNESS is a global problem. According to a 1996 United Nations report, 500 million people worldwide were homeless or residing in low-quality housing and unsanitary conditions in 1995.

The number of homeless continues to rise, however, and quantifying this population is difficult. Most homelessness rates are reported by service providers, and countries with the best developed service systems will therefore report the highest number of homeless, a condition referred to as the service-systems paradox.
Various other problems such as double-counts; over-counts; the problem of mobility and the hidden homelessness also affect estimates.
In the United States, homelessness gained national attention in the early 1980s. While some people thought the growth in the homeless population was a result of the recession that occurred during this period, the problem has not gone away.
It is estimated that 2,000,000 (two million) people per year are homeless in the United States. A report issued by the Urban Institute in 2000 stated that 2.3 million adults and children in the United States are likely to experience homelessness at least once in a year.
A way to get at the root of the problem is to understand the causes of homelessness. Worldwide, homelessness is caused by a breakdown in traditional family support systems; continued urbanization; the effects of structural adjustment programmes; civil wars and natural disasters. A shortage in affordable rental housing and an increase in poverty are thought to be two major factors contributing to the rise of homelessness in the United States. Other potential causes are the lack of affordable health care; domestic violence; mental illness and addiction disorders. Often, individuals will have several risk factors causing them to “choose” between food, shelter, and other essentials.
Our country, Guyana, while it still has a significant level of homelessness, has made tremendous progress in the housing sector, particularly during the last 15 years. Today, thousands of Guyanese across the country have become proud home owners.
Notably, the current housing programme had to start from scratch as there was no housing programme under the previous government of the People’s National Congress (PNC). In fact, under that government’s 1972-1976 development plan, under the slogan, ‘Feed, Clothe and House the Nation’ (FCH) by 1976, 65,000 units were supposed to have been built. However, at the end of this period only 13,000 units were built and shortly after the housing programme and the Housing Ministry were scrapped resulting in an acute housing shortage which led to the rise of squatting.
This government shortly after assuming office in October 1992 began an aggressive housing programme which it has sustained to the present time. This has resulted in hundreds of new housing schemes being established throughout the country, even in the hinterland. Noteworthy too is that many housing projects have been undertaken by the private sector as well.
The innovative One Stop Shop exercise has also helped to accelerate the housing drive as it has been designed to go into communities and address problems that residents may be facing with respect to the acquiring of their house lots or any other related matters.
In the last three weeks alone some 1,500 house lots have been allocated and, according to the dynamic Housing Minister Irfaan Ali, government has been investing heavily on the East Bank of Demerara, as it seeks to target development from the entire area from Eccles to the existing Great Diamond Housing Scheme.
Minister Ali said this development will see 20,000 new house lots being created, as well as the expansion of the roadway and the creation of new alternative access routes. “We are trying to expand the East Bank, the area behind Ogle Airport, and then we are hoping to connect that area with the East Bank, initially with Eccles then moving forward to Herstelling by an alternative by-pass route,” Minister Ali said.
But the housing drive has not only allowed people to become proud home owners, it has also brought huge indirect benefits such as the growth in the construction sector and increased business for those involved in the selling of building materials and house- hold appliances, etc., and by extension more employment opportunities have been created.