How the economy contributes to the homelessness problem

Abstract

An economy that rewards those who profit from material wealth has led to an increase in homelessness, writes Chad Satterlee.

The last Australian Census estimated that around 116,000 people were homeless. Our overall population is now roughly 25 million and our gross domestic product is worth over 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars. Even allowing for a threefold surge in homelessness since 2016, the magnitude of these ratios suggests that homelessness is eminently solvable. Bright children are able to quickly identify solutions. But what if our economic system structurally hinders us from implementing them?