Alex Cordell's List: annotatedbibliography

Bland, Karina. "Arizona Family Descends into Homelessness" azcentral.com. 28 Sep. 2009. 16 Nov. 2010 <http://www.azcentral.
com/new/articles/2009/09/28/20090928homelessfamily0927.html>.

Katrina Bland, in the article "Arizona Family Descends into Homelessness" (2009), explains the downward spiral of one Arizona family into homelessness and how they are coping with the harsh reality they are facing. Bland supports her explanation by illustrating just how quickly things can fall apart, for anyone. She writes for the purpose of inform others on how easy it is to lose everything and that it can happen just like that. We take so many things for granted, and as evidenced in this article you can lose it all in the blink of an eye. The author writes to inform people just how serious of a problem this is. The author writes in a easy to understand and friendly tone for the citizens of Arizona, because whether we choose to accept it or not the homeless population is growing exponentially in our own backyard and steps need to be taken to reverse it.

This source was useful in my research because it provided another point of view on this topic, it is very different than most of the other sources in my bibliography because it demonstrated how a 'normal' family could become homeless in just a matter of weeks. "Arizona Family Descends Into Homelessness" came from a very reliable and objective author who had written many other pieces for the Arizona Republic. I think this source provided another angle for me to look at in my argument. You cannot slump the entire homeless population together in one category because the issue runs much deeper than that. This article makes me want to do more for this cause and educate more people about the severity and the toll this issue takes and the harsh reality that so many Americans and our neighbors in Arizona are facing.

Allison, Tanene. "Confronting the Myth of Choice: Homelessness and Jones v. City of Los Angeles." (2007): 1-6. Www.law.harvard.edu. Web. 31 Jan. 2012.<http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/crcl
/vol42_1/allison.pdf>.

Tanene Allison, a Harvard Graduate and author, in the journal editorial "Confronting the Myth of Choice: Homelessness and Jones v. City of Los Angeles" (2007), asserts her argument that the American Dream and homeless population essentially negate each other. Throughout the piece she shares her own experiences and writes in a raw and emotionally charged way that instigates emotions in the reader intended to help her case. Allison uses her own experiences in which she lived and breathed the homeless life, in combination with her education, degree and ability to share her, and many others', story. The author develops her thesis through the chronological time frame that she spent homeless and by adding statistics and facts alongside her own observations and thoughts. Allison writes to fire up the reader. Her main objective in this piece is to be blunt and extremely frank. The very people that the homeless population depends on to help them escape their grim reality, are the very ones stigmatizing and criminalizing them. The author writes for those that do not fully grasp the harsh reality that these people are faced with every day, she writes for the teachers, the students, the random individuals that want to help, but do not fully understand the problem.

Allison is a unique source due to the fact that she was completely immersed in the homeless culture and population. She can empathize and relate them in a way that few can- she can share their thoughts, feelings and hopes in a way that they cannot. Her claims are supported by textual and statistical evidence that back up what she witnessed herself. "Confronting the Myth of Choice" is such a fantastic addition to my research due to the fact that it correlates well with my other sources and findings, yet it derives from a very unique source and provides me with insight that I otherwise would not have. The final draft of my research project will be greatly influenced by this source for the reason that Allison's argument is very similar to my own- that our society today, with all of our excess and material possessions should not allow for the homeless population to have grown so significantly. This is a reliable source that can shed light on the grey areas of my argument that deal with the sentiments of those at present without a fixed address.

"Homelessness." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. Nov. 2010.

The author, in the article "Homelessness: Current Issues" (2010), explains the different ways homelessness has developed and the impact that the recession and downturned economy has had on the homeless population. His/her argument is supported by clarifying to the reader what the different statistics and facts mean in a way that is easy to understand so more people are exposed to the facts. Their primary intention is a a no-nonsense, candid editorial in which those who are unaware or uneducated on this grave dilemma in our society can understand the severity of the issue. "Homelessness: Current Issues" is written in an easy to understand and relatable semi-formal tone for students, teachers and those searching for an answer to the many challenges faced by the homeless in America.

"Homelessness: Current Issues" has been very useful in my research, the article is very reliable because the site it comes from is an online database and is written in a very objective manner. This is an expose that anyone wanting to learn more on this topic should read- the author goes into great detail concerning the issues that the root of homelessness has stemmed from. By explaining the history of this problem, we can be sure that history does not repeat itself and we come to a solution. This source is very helpful in my project and it has helped shape my argument because it provided me with more information on what is truly going on in America, without the media's yellow journalist influence and where the root of homelessness originated from. It has not really changed how I think about my topic in a drastic way but it has made it more clear to me that something needs to be done about this.

Fagan, Kevin. "Homelessness Is Declining." San Francisco Chronicle (14 May 2006): A3. Rpt. In Poverty and Homelessness. Ed. Noel Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Nov. 2010

Kevin Fagan, in the Article Homelessness is Declining (2009), asserts that homeless numbers are declining three years after the launch of an aggressive nationwide strategy to combat homelessness. Fagan supports his argument by explaining the new statistics on homelessness in reaction to this new policy. The author's purpose is to convince others who may not support this new plan so that more can be done to fight against this growing predicament. The author writes in a fairly semi-formal tone for those who were not aware of this new plan and the change that it has initiated.

This is a very useful source to support my argument because it information on a process used to fight against homelessness that has actually made progress. It connects well with the other sources I have found and provides a good example of a method that has worker. However, this source is different than the others that I have included because the author discusses a method that has worked, and provides statistics and facts to back up his claim that this plan has majorly affected the homeless environment in cities across America. The source is so helpful because the author discusses what the plan is, and what we have accomplished with it, and the statistics provide a backbone for his argument. The information written in this article was written by a very reliable and objective source. The argument presented in this piece has allowed me to gain insight from another angle and provide the readers with a plan that has worked, so when it comes time for me to act on my topic, this is a good place to start.

"The State of Homelessness." Phoenix Rescue Mission - Phoenix Rescue Mission. The Phoenix Rescue Mission, 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. <http://phoenixrescuemission.org/learn/state-of-homelessness/>.

The author in the article "The State of Homelessness" (2012) asserts that the homeless population in the state of Arizona has grown substantially and the conditions that these people are subject to are utterly inhumane. "The State of Homelessness" makes clear that while we obliviously live our comfortable lives everyday and take our luxuries for granted, tens of thousands in Arizona alone do not know when their next meal will be. The author develops their thesis by supporting their argument with relevant facts and statistics concerning the rising crisis and what the Phoenix Rescue Mission is doing to stop the progression of this issue. The sole purpose of this editorial is to spread information concerning this topic in order to instigate positive change in our community and reverse this negative aspect of our society. The author writes in an informal tone for those that are not fully aware of the magnitude of this problem, or those that do want to help- but do not know how.

"The State of Homelessness" was written for the use of the Phoenix Rescue Mission. They utilize facts, figures and statistics relevant to their argument. I forsee myself using this source in the final step of my research, because the source that it comes from is a well developed organization that helps so many in our community. The author is very straightforward and blunt in their depiction of the harsh existence these people face. Their use of facts and statistics along with testimonials and success stories gives the grim reality a hopeful and inspiring feel. The essay is extremely helpful due to the fact that it stresses the importance of not only physical aide, but also mental and emotional.

Romeo, Jim. "Homelessness in America Is a Growing Problem." Poverty and Homelessness. Ed. Noël Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

The author, in the article "Homelessness in America Is a Growing Problem" (2009), explains the demographic trends that indicate that homelessness in America is growing. They support their argument by explaining to the reader what needs to be done in order to stop the recent spike in homeless populations across the country. By describing the steps that need to be taken and how anyone can help, the author allows the reader to draw their own conclusions while still providing a framework to base their research. "Homelessness in America Is a Growing Problem" is written in a formal, however not impossible to understand, tone for those students and teachers interested in the growing trend and who are searching for facts and statistics concerning the issue on a broader scale.

This article was extremely useful in my research project because it was easy to understand and the statistics connected very well with my other sources. The information came from a very widely used, objective and factual site. By informing the average American on the growing homeless population epidemic and opportunities for them to foster change in their own community, the author is influencing their readers to instigate their own change. This source has greatly helped shape my argument because it provided me with information regarding homelessness in America on a broader scale than that in my own community. This source will be very useful in helping me decide how to act on this problem.

Newton, Casey . "Phoenix may use Seattle Program to Battle Homelessness" azcentral.com." 23 May 2008. 15 Nov. 2010 <http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/05/23/20080523phx-housing0524.html>.

Casey Newton in the Article "Phoenix may use Seattle Program to Battle Homelessness" (2008), explains the advantages of "Housing First," a program implemented in Seattle, Washington that has had immense success in comparison to traditional homelessness programs. She advocates that the program, in which homeless families are given homes even if one or more members of the family is abusing substances, is a better solution to the problem, and that Phoenix could drastically change their homeless population in the next few years by implementing the policy. Newton supports her argument by explaining to the readers the benefits and the success this program has had in the past. Many homeless individuals turn to alcohol and drugs for the temporary feeling of safety and comfort that they provide, so when a stable, safe house is made available for them, their chances at sobriety increase exponentially. The author's purpose is to inform those who may not be informed on this topic so that "Housing First" can gain more support in Arizona. Casey Newtonwrites in a semi-formal tone for the readers of the Arizona Republic interested in the program and its potential in our own state.

This source was very useful in my research because it provided me insight into this program, which, prior to my research- I had never heard of. The author explains Housing First in an easy to understand manner, and incorporates testimonials and statistics to accompany her argument. This was a very useful source and correlates well with my other sources on homelessness in Arizona. This source was written by a reliable and objective author, who has written many other periodicals for the well-known azcentral website. I see myself using this source in the final stages of my research, because it introduces a program that works, and has seen real change evoked. It is also a controversial topic in our own community now concerning the homeless crisis in our state. The goal of this source is to inform the citizens of Arizona on the benefits of this program. This source was very helpful in contributing to my research by giving me a program that has worked, and thoughts on how I will act on this dilemma.

"Why I Choose Streets Over Shelter." Change.org News. Change.org, 06 Mar. 2009. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. <http://news.change.org/stories/
why-i-choose-streets-over-shelter>.

The author, in the editorial, "Why I Choose Streets over Shelter" asserts their argument that it is not always the more advantageous option to reside in a Homeless shelter rather than on the street and that the common thought that those who reside on the streets as an alternative are worse off than their counterparts in the shelters. The author develops their thesis by giving a list of points supporting their argument and by backing them up with relevant and real life examples of each detail. It seems that the intended purpose is to clear up the misconception that life on the street always pales in comparison to that of a shelter in order to provide another side to the homeless debate and educate that there are more sides to this story, and that it is a topic that needs more attention. The author writes for an audience of those that truly want to see real change evoked, and are passionate about the topic- but are not aware of all sides of the argument.

This article derives from a popular organization known for their efforts against many different social ills and their actions toward a solution of these problems. The author has experienced, first-hand, the life of someone without a fixed address, and is able to share their thoughts and feelings on the topic. This resource has provided me with an alternative view to help further shape my argument. Is homelessness a choice? After reading this, and a few other sources regarding the controversial issue, I believe that in some cases, yes, homelessness can be a choice. That being said, however, the slim population of those that choose this life do not take away from the severity of the issue of those not living on the streets by choice. I envision myself using this source and the ideas it shared in the final step of my project- when I act on this issue and do something about it.