How to Increase Homelessness by Joel John Roberts

Book Summary

Homelessness is such a politically hot potato that it has become another one of those taboo party conversations that you stay away from—just like politics and religion.

In his book, How To Increase Homelessness, Joel John Roberts, the Executive Director of People Assisting The Homeless, has taken the debate on homelessness to an ironically new level.

When members of communities throughout the country are arguing over extreme views on how to deal with homelessness, Roberts proposes a more practical approach toward this growing societal problem.

Entire communities in this country are immobilized by a cycle of blame, arguing over extreme views and pointing fingers at each other. It’s the fault of social service agencies that attract the homeless, the police who ignore the problem, advocates who support homeless rights, public officials who deny funding, the business community that wants to sweep them away, and the homeless people, themselves, who take advantage of a broken system.
It is a constant cycle of blame that basically immobilizes a community to do nothing. Nobody wants to rock the boat. So as homelessness persists, everyone loses. The homeless person, the business owner, the homeowner, the tourist. The community.

Roberts turns the tables against the common arguments over community homelessness by proposing an absurd, tongue-in-cheek, philosophical conclusion—maybe we really want to increase homelessness in our community.

Maybe increasing homelessness is actually better for the economy, for the environment, for our own personal lives? Could it be?

To take this absurd conclusion to the next level, Roberts proposes reducing the housing stock, outlawing homelessness, sweeping the homeless into other communities, encouraging NIMBYism, branding the homeless as lazy, or assuming foster children magically become responsible adults at 18.

In this handbook for change, chapter after chapter, Roberts weaves common community arguments over the most difficult issues facing homelessness. In taking extreme views, he finds common ground that points to solutions.

By taking a seemingly contrary approach to reveal to the reader how ridiculous the state of homelessness is in America, it is hoped that the community will be moved away from the blame game to meaningful and positive action.

In a climate of extremist rhetoric, Roberts offers up a rational, practical, even humorous, guidebook through one of society’s most difficult, heart-wrenching, and divisive problems.