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should be able to support the homeless who make up 1/6th of our population. Public psychiatric services are also part of the reason we can't prevent homelessness (Torrey, par. 11).

There are many programs proposed to solve the homelessness crisis but motives of diverting and limiting funds halt total prevention. The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program seeks to end our homeless problem once and for all. The Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESG), a component of the HUD program, suggests grants to renew buildings that service the homeless ("Housing" 1-2). The grants, called "in-kind" contributions, are from local business and other sources other than the state that match their own locally generated incomes. The "grant-system" they propose does not promise funds for the homeless. The "Continuum of Care", another HUD component, acknowledges the persistence of homelessness even with "non-for-profit" services ("United States" preface). But their business-based grant system conflicts with the needs of the homeless and the idea of capitalism.

With no surprise, the Continuum of Care had to revise its plans after figuring thousands of homeless non-profit and private agencies as being unreasonably unable to end homelessness (National Alliance to End Homelessness 57).

Smaller programs have been around before HUD and have been lending a non-for-profit hand. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is doing their part to assist homeless veterans. The Veteran Affairs program is directed at homeless veterans but has donated $15 million dollars available to Houston services like the Salvation Army ("VA Announces" 1). "The Salvation Army rehabilitates adults by way of donated 'used goods, cash donations, and shopping at their resale shops'. There is also the Star of Hope Mission in Houston that 'helps 5,000 people each year-including 1,600 children'" ("Homeless" 1). The Star of Hope Mission and Salvation Army help children and adults but still serve as limited support for the 14,000 Houston homeless.

The test for us as a nation is to know what to do for the homeless as the "United" States. Homeless people need intervention on a large scale because America doesn't know how many are homeless or not. The Urban Institute conducted a study of six states and their degree of programs and activities. The results showed that there was "not enough management of programs, a lack of information about the programs, long waiting lines, hard-to-understand applications for help, offices

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