The road into homelessness follows these general contours:


Death Experience(s): death of loved one(s); divorce; illness (physical, emotional or mental); loss of job; personal trauma (auto accident, gun shot wound, job injury, domestic violence, military service, sexual abuse, incarceration, etc.)


Mixed with drug and alcohol abuse that results in addiction:


And criminalization from quality of life offences and drug or alcohol violations.



All the above take place in an environment of poverty, racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, and high rates of illiteracy.

There are approximately 80,000 persons living below the poverty line inside the city limits of Birmingham, 30,000 are homeless or marginally homeless, and 2-3,000 are living on the streets or in shelters at any one time.

This results in a serious, deep and destructive problem for homeless persons and economic development for the city center of Birmingham.


A highway out of homelessness consists of the following:


Emergency shelter, food, and clothing:


Healing; spiritual, emotional, physical and mental:


Recovery from drug and alcohol addiction:


Recovery from criminalization:


A living wage job with private, safe, affordable and accessible housing:



R. Lawton Higgs, Sr. 6/2/05