VOICES: Homelessness can happen to anyone, and we’re all much closer to it than we believe

How my father became homeless isn’t as important as the fact that, on paper, he was set up to succeed. He came from a two-parent home in the suburbs of Columbus, my grandfather was a doctor, and my father worked on Wall Street for years after earning his MBA. Upon his death, he was living in subsidized housing. My point is: homelessness can happen to anyone, and we’re all much closer to it than we believe.

In fact, a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development indicated an 18% increase in homelessness in just one year, accounting for 770,000 people across the country. Here in Dayton, 687 people were sleeping in emergency shelters or unsheltered on Jan. 31, 2024, according to Homeless Solutions.

While addiction and mental health do play a role in homelessness, there are myriad reasons for this spike including lack of affordable housing to economic strain. Additionally, The Trevor Project states that 28% of LGBTQIA+ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point. While I don’t have all the solutions, I do believe that housing is a human right and am a huge advocate for supporting local organizations on the front lines of confronting homelessness, hunger, mental health and addiction. These organizations also provide education that helps reduce the misconceptions associated with homelessness.

Knowing there were programs that assisted my father with getting housing and addressing some of the profound medical needs he required as a result of being unhoused during the pandemic was a miracle to me. He was able to see a doctor who addressed some of his mental health challenges. We were able to slowly start talking again, but by the time I was comfortable enough to see if he wanted to meet, he passed away.

The average life expectancy of unhoused people is 48.

The adverse effects of homelessness on unhoused individuals can ripple out to their families, as well. I have dealt with anxiety, depression and guilt, in addition to having to process the unhealthy situation in which I lived until I was 25. However, my experiences also have inspired me to be a service-minded person.

At Five Rivers MetroParks, I am lucky to work with many organizations that give back to the community and are of incredible importance to me.

As law enforcement, MetroParks rangers consistently work with homeless populations and do so with great care. All MetroParks rangers are CIT-trained to better understand those who are experiencing a crisis. Additionally, a MetroParks ranger attends monthly meetings with many partners that offer resources in the area. In some cases, MetroParks rangers have been able to immediately connect people in need with housing.

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

MetroParks and the 2nd Street Market are also involved with The Foodbank and Miami Valley Meals, both of which provide food to those who need it most.

I started writing this story on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He once famously said, “It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself up by his own bootstraps, but it’s a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself up by his own bootstraps.”

I’m incredibly thankful that Dayton is showing up with boots, laces and – in some cases – teaching people how to tie their shoes. However, we can do – and will have to do – better, and it all starts with supporting those on the front lines and finding lasting solutions that address issues like affordable housing.

I encourage you to learn more about the following organizations and consider donating your time or funds to support their missions:

Lauren Lemons is the Marketing and Public Engagement Specialist for Five Rivers MetroParks.