NCJ Number
141209
Journal
Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: special issue (December 1992) Pages: 129-150
Date Published
1992
Length
22 pages
Annotation
A sample of 40 people operating 24 homeless shelters in Chicago were interviewed concerning the types of self- employment activities in which homeless men participate. Self- employment can help homeless men increase their incomes and close the gap between the cost of housing and labor market earnings.
Abstract
The respondents identified over 60 types of work activities in which homeless men were engaged; these activities were classified as predominantly wage employment, predominantly self-employment, and gray employment mixed between the two types. About half of those activities were self-employment, a third fell into the gray category, and one- fifth were wage jobs. While wage work was preferred by homeless men, there was substantial interest in self- employment which ranged from begging to peddling small articles, recycling, doing odd jobs, and washing cars. In terms of policy approach, the findings identified four categories of homeless men: the working poor, the unemployed, the physically or mentally disabled, and those voluntarily out of the labor force. There may be at least five models for helping the homeless own and operate businesses: formal business training, credit only, mentor only, sheltered linkage, and franchises. Programs to enhance self-employment among homeless men should strategically choose homeless people who have status among their peers and provide assistance to them first as a model. 1 table, 24 notes, and 31 references