Homelessness: The Reality and the Solution | Full Documentary | Short Documentaries

Why are so many Americans homeless and what can we do to help them?

America has a homelessness crisis—and it’s getting worse by the day. Politicians promise to stop it. Cities like San Francisco spend millions trying to end it. Nothing seems to help. PragerU’s new short documentary reveals the root causes of homelessness and offers compassionate, effective solutions that we can all get behind.

[kiwisaram]

Had a homeless guy looking after one of my homes due to various factors that prevented my being there myself for 12 months. Bit of a risk but sister recommended I help him help me out with this. Finally got back to this home and lived there again for four months with him as I made repairs to the place before having to leave again. I was so busy that he asked if he could help and he tagged along as I had a thousand things to do. As we did so we talked about some of his mental health pro lems. He suffers from depression mainly. But at the end of a couple days running around, he thanked me and I was somewhat surprised as I should have been thanking him for his help. But then I realised he needed someone to respect his skills and to take him out of himself and be with him as he made an effort to do the things he needed to do. Perhaps many just need mentors or big brothers to walk them through the things the rest of us find so easy.

[jkmerriwether]

I've been homeless...really homeless, because I made some very poor life decisions, screwed up, and found myself penniless. 100% my own fault. Ending up in a shelter was eye-opening, to say the least. What they say here about the problems of addiction and mental illness is spot on. What got me out of the shelter was getting a job and getting my sh*t together. But I saw so many people in there who needed real, serious help with the aforementioned problems of addiction and mental illness, and that help was pretty much non-existent in the shelter paradigm. For them, getting a job (which they couldn't keep) or getting an apartment (ditto) wouldn't have done them any good. They needed more. The shelter where I was (CISS in Des Moines, Iowa) would let people come in drunk, stoned, you name it. At the beginning of the month, people would get their disability checks and the shelter would clear out for days as they went out and rented motel rooms and got drunk/stoned/high until the money ran out, then they would come right back to the shelter. They've tried putting people into housing here and it doesn't work, because they don't get the deeper help they desperately need. Just last week, I saw a woman who was at the shelter when I was there - six years ago - and she's still homeless.

[hunnybadger]

I was homeless for over 5 years... I am not a druggie... And I do have a serious mental illness... And I put it into complete remission 1 years after I got housed... I had a jod interview on Friday and I aced it... But if it wasn't for a nonprofit I would still be on the streets... And If I lose this program I will be homeless for the rest of my life... Which will be very short because I'm now physically disabled... And Me getting a job puts my income at a huge risk... I don't have a solution to the problem... But I do have a game changing tool... Peer support is the future of so many social services...

[annabellawr]

This was so heartbreaking to watch. However so essential to educate one's self about it. As a native San Franciscan, this is one of the few reasons I moved out of San Francisco in 2021 because the homeless and crime rate has become uncontrallable. Truly breaks my heart.

[jordanchase]

As a former homeless addict that lived in psychosis thinking people who were following me and wondering the streets aimlessly I'm living proof that for those who want recovery can find recovery but relapse is part of my story but I came out of it by the grace of God

[LightningK]

How is a ban on street camping not criminalizing the existence of homelessness if shelters are at full capacity?

[rich]

Having been homeless and an alcoholic the bridge approach seems to be the best I've heard. VA saved my life by offering a 5 day detox followed by a 30 day to 6 month rehab with mental health experts that slowly gave me a purpose in life. Cities should not allow homeless tents anywhere, designate a tent city or shelter areas first then send in the experts, it will go on for ever.

[jacyschroeder]

This video completely ignores the housing shortage problem in California. The latest homeless count indicates about 30% of the homeless in California have a drug or alcohol problem. Many start using drugs or alcohol after becoming homeless, so saying it's the root of homelessness becomes an issue. The example of Austin reinforces the idea that there's a housing shortage as Austin is probably the most expensive and restrictive place in Texas. Also, the community that is just outside Austin City limits was not permitted to be built inside Austin because of its restrictive zoning laws. I've seen another video about this community and learned they actually permit drug use inside the units. Yes, there's an element of drug and alcohol addiction, but it's only part of the problem. There are many people, including seniors and families living in dilapidated RVs, living in cars, etc, who do not use drugs or alcohol nor have any mental health issues, many who are employed but cannot afford a place to live. The drug and alcohol problem may be more of a symptom of the housing shortage in California, not the root cause.

[TRZTOTZ]

As a conservative who is an addict, whose father died of heroin in 1993, and is a single father dealing with raising an 8 year old by myself in Texas, I just want to say this guy who lost his job to Heroin is telling the nasty truth.


Addiction is causing homelessness, that’s far more solvable than mental illeness.

Don’t just make public housing that’s full of drug use

[kaufmanat]

Giving homeless people homes is like giving illiterate people books... It's a nice gesture... But there still remains an unsolved problem that really needs to be addressed.

[kenreynolds]

I don’t even like to travel through Seattle. It’s so depressing. Seattle leadership points fingers at EVERYTHING except the drug addiction. Now companies are moving out. Sad.

[paleofemme]

The gift of sobriety can only be given to oneself. You can’t compel people to get sober any more than you can compel a politician to give up power. Teach our youth and community the value of their lives.

[freesk]

Seattle is almost as bad as San Francisco. And they have similar policies. There are tent camps all over the place. Nearly every wooded area in the City has tent encampments of homeless people. If you subsidize something, you tend to get more of it. Private charitable programs have much better success.

[michaellukeman]

If the homeless “problem” is actually “solved”, the politicians will have nothing to campaign on. That’s why the have never really made an effort to correct this.

As this documentary shows, human beings need and want freedom AND structure. One cannot exist without the other.

Thanks Prager for taking the time to show not only realistic solutions but also backing it up with cold hard statistics 📊 & facts.

[themacker]

Unbelievably well-written and produced. Gives me hope that someone out there knows what they are doing. Loved the compassion shown as well.

[calligman]

I’m homeless in transitional housing, I was in a tent for three years, in a bad dv situation, but outreach found me and helped me. I now drive for a company after not having a job for 6 years. They are beneficial they help illuminate unsightly camps, I think treatment should be mandatory for housing or some kind of accountability but affordable housing with people with mental disabilities sometimes finding a job for them is hard. Teaching skills, training programs, apprenticeship programs, those things help. Definitely treating the drug problem, and addiction issues instead letting homeless people essentially play Russian roulette so you can keep your hands clean while promoting population control. Homeless should not mean hopeless.

For any hater who has never walked a day in in the shoes of someone who has been homeless, your opinion has no merit. It does not come from and educated or lived experience. Quit whining like we are the problem when your sit behind your screen instead of being part of the solution. 🎤 drop

[ronnie_]

I work in EMS (Paramedic) and I'm sorry to say, this problem will never be solved. Yes, it is a mental health and addiction issue, but addiction far out weighs the mental health problem. You can't force someone to go to rehab. You can't make someone quit using narcotics.

[PhillipM]

As someone who is homelss on disabilty let me be blunt. The rent for a 1 bedroom apt in the crime filled bronx is $1600 dollars. I have never done drugs or broke the law. Where am I supposed to go when disabilty only pays $841 dollars. With a degenerative bone disease in my spine. Where am I supposed to go! Any one got an answer.

[endrankluvsdaloko]

This is 100% right. I actually work at a homeless shelter as a part of a major housing program that has the housing first philosophy and housing first DOES NOT WORK. We've housed people who turned their apartments into sex trafficking locations, drug dealing locations. It's insane how flawed that system of thought is. Someone can just show up to a shelter, say they're homeless and have no family, and boom they automatically get housed with no responsibility. Some completely destroy the apartments. Some aren't even homeless, they just leave home and say they are so they can get a free place. It's an absolute mess. Some say it's the most loving/compassionate model, BUT IT'S NOT. The way to show love and compassion to someone is to give them what they need, now necessarily what they want.

[HenryBenedictUSA]

This is probably one of the better homeless videos I've seen on YouTube! Nice job and very moving.