Homelessness has become a prevalent issue in today’s America, especially due to the affordable housing crisis we are currently experiencing, and the less recent housing crash following the 2008 recession. Homelessness can happen to anyone for any variety of reasons, and it’s unfortunately easy to get into a situation where you are unhoused. However, it’s not so easy to get out of. Even though interviews are supposed to be based solely on interviewee qualifications and whether or not they’re a good fit for the workplace, many interviewers are biased against job applicants if they find out they don’t have a permanent housing situation, and even if a homeless person does secure a job, transportation can be difficult, and shelters often only let people staying the night out at specific hours, which can create conflict with work hours. There should be better support systems in place for unhoused individuals in order to help them get back on their feet.
Quite honestly, I really don’t like this, and I’m probably going to scrap most of it, but here it is. I’m planning on setting this up into a couple paragraphs talking about the relationship between homelessness and unemployment as background info, get into some specific problems faced by homeless individuals when trying to find a job, and what support systems could entail and how it could be possible to create and better them.
1). Comment on the title. How does it offer a way forward on the issue? Does it hint at or echo the paper’s thesis? Make suggestions.
I am not entirely sure of what your title should be, as the means by which you intend to improve support systems for unhoused people are unclear.
2). Does this piece’s title and introduction respond to an exigence?-Does it make the issue pressing or connect to other pressing needs and issues? Make suggestions.
I think that the introduction does respond to the exigence of the growing homelessness problem. I think a simple statement reminding the reader that the average American is much closer to becoming homeless than to becoming a billionaire (or even millionaire) would make this issue seem more relevant to readers who don’t personally experience homelessness.
3). Comment on the thesis. Does it set up a clear argumentative claim? Is it advancing a specific policy or practice? Can you imagine how the rest of the argument will unfold?
The thesis does not yet set up a clear claim or policy. I have a general idea where the paper is going from the last statement (“There should be better support systems in place for unhoused individuals in order to help them get back on their feet.”). I think this is a good direction and can be supported more by the inclusion of a suggested policy change/introduction.