Date of Submission
Spring 5-9-2022
Degree Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Marietta Monaghan
Secondary Advisor
Ed Akins
Abstract
Why continue to approach the homeless community from the same angle? As cities grow and systems change, we as the housed community adapt to that and welcome these new forms of doing activities into our lives. But for the unhoused populations, we continue to do a lot of the same things which include shelters, providing special services within shelters, food pantries, and clinics all of which are vital to the homeless community but are places that the individuals have to go to which can become dangerous. As cities grow, redevelop, and economically improve a homeless person becomes a threat continuously having to hide from the public view but still needing to access public services. On top of that these group-based facilities can be violent for the people utilizing the service or a safety concern for the people providing the service. Some detailed key issues with how services are offered are the approach and the interaction. The approach issue is continuously increased due to the “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) community. Which is a person or community who objects to the siting of something perceived as unpleasant or hazardous in the area where they live, especially while raising no such objections to similar developments elsewhere. In the City of Atlanta, this reaction is not only coming from the housed community it is also coming from the police force. The interaction issue is increased because of the mental health perspective, the gathering of individuals can increase stress in an already stressed individual which can lead to conflict and violence as stated by Price (APA). With the city of Atlanta expanding as quickly as it is the NIMBY community is expanding as well. Further providing stress to the homeless community. There needs to be another way in which services are provided so that the homeless community is not at risk.