Homelessness is seen as a social problem in our society because people consider it an undesirable condition. It's something most people don't want to see or think about. Our communities share the social responsibility to find ways to eradicate homelessness. The article, Helping the Homeless Off the Streets, takes the functionalist approach to eradicate homelessness, in addition to this approach; the Symbolic Internationalist Perspective would be a beneficial addition to the solution to homelessness. The field research method must be used to experience homelessness firsthand. Homelessness is believed to have caused its own problems (Kendall, 2010. p. 39). But anyone in society can fall prey to homelessness at any time in their life. Some people become homeless due to job loss, the death of a caregiver, or economic downturns. Being homeless comes with all kinds of problems beyond having nowhere to sleep. It brings diseases such as tuberculosis, malnutrition, AIDS and serious dental problems. Just like the general population, homeless people also suffer from alcoholism, hypertension, asthma, diabetes and a multitude of “mental illnesses” (Kendall, 2010.p.36). It also brings violence from homeless people attacking each other due to the daily pressures of trying to survive (Kendall, 2010. p.13). Homeless people live in abject poverty because they are unable to secure the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter (Kendall, 2010. p.32). The disease only exacerbates the daily problems of the homeless. They do not have access to adequate health care or health insurance and often let a condition or illness last so long that it becomes a matter of life and death by the time... middle of paper.. ....rces that are in place so that homeless people can judge whether they are working properly or need to be changed. The field research method would be best because it allows the researcher to experience what the homeless person experiences as they struggle to survive. In conclusion, homelessness is something that will always plague society. But the public must take measures to alleviate the suffering of the poor and homeless. Society is interdependent and it should be natural for humanity to offer a helping hand to someone in need. References Kendall, Diana. Social problems in a diverse society. 5th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2010. Print.Killiam, Joe (2008, July 6). Helping the homeless get off the streets. The Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/07/06/article/helping_the_homeless_get_off_the_streets