Single Homelessness as Social Exclusion: The Unique and the Extreme

Abstract

Recent research into single homelessness and rough sleeping has begun to consider the issue using the concepts and the language of social exclusion. This paper considers the new literature and what it may mean in terms of changing our understanding of single homelessness and rough sleeping (called street homelessness in the United States). The paper begins by reviewing the concept of social exclusion and the recent literature on single homelessness and drawing associations between the analysis of social exclusion and the emerging academic work on the nature of single homelessness and rough sleeping. Drawing on this literature, it is argued that single homelessness needs to be reconceptualized and viewed as one of the products generated by the process of social exclusion. The paper concludes with the argument that single homelessness and rough sleeping are a form of social exclusion, characterized chiefly by the inability of a section of the socially excluded population to get access to welfare services and social housing, and that "homelessness" does not actually exist as a discrete social problem with unique characteristics and causes.

Housing Histories and Homeless Careers: A Biographical Approach

“…Inexplicable in terms of individual vulnerabilities, the repeated experiences of homelessness that characterised these men's lives has been explained as the result of a position of multiple structural disadvantage relating to their experiences in relation to both the housing and labour markets and a legislative framework that denies more secure forms of housing to most poorer single people. Whilst by its nature a biographical approach focuses upon the always unique experiences of the individual, it is this shared position of multiple structural disadvantage that may differentiate the peculiar and unique nature of the social exclusion of a signi cant proportion of the single homeless population and that sets these men's experiences apart from the experiences of both the housed population in general and other poor or unemployed people (Jones, 1997;Pleace, 1998).…”

Housing First and Social Integration: A Realistic Aim?

“…One of the basic prerequisites for social inclusion is having adequate housing from which to live one's life in the community (Anderson, 1993;Pleace, 1998). However, having a house, or home, alone does not in itself guarantee social inclusion.…”

Predicting uptake of housing services: The role of self-categorization in the theory of planned behaviour

“…In spite of this, recent estimates suggest there are still as many as 108,000 homeless people in the UK (Social Trends, 2001;Wilcox, 2000). The implication is that alternative-preferably longterm-methods of reducing the numbers of homeless are required to address the housing issue, as well as deal with social exclusion caused by homelessness (Pleace, 1998).One alternative to providing short-term accommodation (often in the form of bed and breakfast accommodation) is to provide accomodation plus of housing support services (Fitzpatrick, Kemp & Klinker, 2000; Randell & Brown, 1996). Such programs are aimed at assisting homeless people acquire and maintain tenancies, as they progress into longer-term accommodation (i.e., self-contained flats) without support.…”

“…In spite of this, recent estimates suggest there are still as many as 108,000 homeless people in the UK (Social Trends, 2001;Wilcox, 2000). The implication is that alternative-preferably longterm-methods of reducing the numbers of homeless are required to address the housing issue, as well as deal with social exclusion caused by homelessness (Pleace, 1998).…”