mcre Media

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Project Otis

The relationship between alcoholism and homelessness is a complex, bidirectional cycle where each condition can both cause and exacerbate the other. Alcohol use disorder is far more common among people experiencing homelessness than the general population, with studies estimating that 30–40% of homeless individuals struggle with it. Understanding this interplay requires examining how addiction can lead to housing instability and how the hardships of homelessness can drive or worsen alcohol dependency.How Alcoholism Contributes to HomelessnessAlcoholism destabilizes lives, often paving the way to homelessness through multiple pathways:

Job Loss and Financial Strain: Chronic alcohol abuse impairs job performance, leading to unemployment or underemployment. The cost of addiction, combined with lost income, can make housing unaffordable, resulting in eviction or foreclosure.
Strained Relationships: Alcoholism often fractures family ties and friendships, leaving individuals socially isolated. Without a support network, they have fewer options for temporary shelter or aid, increasing the risk of chronic homelessness.
Prioritizing Addiction: As addiction deepens, individuals may prioritize alcohol over essentials like rent, accelerating financial decline. In some cases, addiction becomes the tipping point for housing loss, even when other factors are present.
Mental Health Challenges: Alcohol use disorder often coexists with mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD. These comorbidities hinder employment, financial management, and efforts to escape housing instability.

How Homelessness Can Lead to AlcoholismFor many, the trauma and stress of homelessness foster alcohol dependency, with addiction emerging as a consequence of a harsh existence:

Coping Mechanism: Alcohol serves as self-medication to dull the physical and psychological toll of homelessness, offering temporary relief from fear, hopelessness, or exposure to violence, hunger, and harsh weather.
Social and Environmental Influences: Street life often involves social circles where substance use is common or normalized, encouraging new or increased alcohol consumption as individuals adapt to their surroundings or seek acceptance.
Trauma Amplification: Many homeless individuals have histories of trauma, such as childhood abuse or domestic violence. The added trauma of homelessness can reignite these wounds, with alcohol becoming a way to numb emotional pain.

Henry McClure

Time kills deals

785-383-9994

www.henrymcclure.live

Truth

Rich,

Could you take a look at this Facebook post from one of our City Council folks? You testified at a county commission meeting that the city could and should sue to collect.

Christina Valdivia-Alcala

Topekans - please see the press release below from the county. This is referencing Klausman's properties at Laurens Bay. As the city Council person for district 2, I believe we should be trying to sue for the back due specials. The county is the only entity that can sue for the back due property taxes. Klausman may still follow through with his request for the city to provide him with an RHID. This is an acronym for reinvestment housing incentive district. if the city allows this, and only the governing body can ultimately approve it… This would give Klausman over 20 years of not having to pay any future property taxes. We cannot afford this because we are in a budget deficit for at least the next three years. Klausman is not on a fixed income stuff, he is not struggling to make ends meet. He continues to game the system. And what this leaves the city vulnerable to is more and more developers or other entities to come to the city and ask for similar deals. Please consider calling/emailing any or all of the numbers below to let your voice be heard on this issue. I will continue to vote no on incentives.
ONE NOTE: From all the people I've talked to over the past two years (and tracking social media) - the majority of their concern has been collection of the property taxes, which is the far, far greater amount than assessments. Only the county can collect through legal means on property taxes. So that last in the press release is rather disingenuous.
City Council
council@topeka.org
785-368-3710
Mayor
mayor@topeka.org
785-368-3895
City Manager
citymanager@topeka.org
785-368-3725

Henry McClure

Time kills deals

785-383-9994

www.henrymcclure.live

What percentage of the homeless suffer from alcohol abuse

While exact percentages can vary by study and location, research estimates that around 30% to 40% of people experiencing homelessness have an alcohol use disorder. Some studies have found even higher rates, especially when looking at a lifetime history of alcohol problems.

It is important to remember that substance use can be both a cause and a consequence of homelessness, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.

Key statistics on homelessness and

Prevalence: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates that 38% of homeless people abuse alcohol, a rate significantly higher than in the general population.
Lifetime history: A study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that the lifetime prevalence of alcohol use disorder among people experiencing homelessness is about 60%.
Contributing factor: A survey conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that 68% of cities reported substance abuse as the primary cause of homelessness among single adults.
Coping mechanism: The stress and trauma of living without stable housing can lead people to use alcohol as a coping mechanism, further entrenching them in their addiction.
Combined issues: A significant portion of homeless people with substance abuse issues also struggle with co-occurring mental health disorders, which complicates both treatment and recovery.

A complex issue

Addiction can lead to job loss and eviction, causing homelessness.
Homelessness can exacerbate or initiate alcohol abuse as a way to self-medicate for the stress and trauma of living on the streets.
Many people experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder, such as lack of insurance and transportation.

Henry McClure

Time kills deals

785-383-9994

www.henrymcclure.live