English Learning: Homelessness in Major U.S. Cities

Dialogue

Current Situation

Homelessness remains a significant and growing challenge in many major U.S. cities. Factors such as a severe shortage of affordable housing, stagnant wages, mental health crises, substance abuse, and the economic fallout from events like the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the issue. Cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco consistently report some of the highest numbers of unsheltered individuals.

The problem is multifaceted, encompassing not only those living in visible tent encampments or “sleeping rough” on the streets, but also people living in cars, staying in temporary shelters, or “couch-surfing” with friends or family (often referred to as “hidden homelessness”). Cities are grappling with how to address the immediate crisis, often setting up temporary “safe sleeping sites” or increasing shelter capacity, while simultaneously trying to implement long-term solutions like permanent supportive housing and robust mental health and addiction services. The economic and social costs are immense, making it a critical policy and humanitarian concern.

Key Phrases

• Plotting world domination: (figurative) Planning something big, complex, or ambitious.

  Example: He was quietly working on his startup, looking like he was plotting world domination from his garage.

• Tell me about it: (idiom) An expression used to show that you agree completely with what someone is saying, often because you have experienced the same thing.

  Example: “The traffic was terrible this morning!” “Tell me about it! I was stuck for an hour.”

• Last resort: The only option left after all others have failed or been exhausted.

  Example: Moving back in with his parents was a last resort for him after he lost his job.

• Glamping: A portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping,” referring to a style of camping with amenities and comforts not usually associated with traditional camping.

  Example: For our anniversary, we went glamping in a luxury tent with a proper bed and electricity.

• Sleeping rough: To sleep outdoors, often on the street, without proper shelter.

  Example: The charity aims to reduce the number of people sleeping rough during the winter months.

• Couch-surfing: Staying temporarily at various friends’ or acquaintances’ homes, sleeping on their couches or spare beds.

  Example: After college, she spent a few months couch-surfing until she could find a stable job and an apartment.

• Complex web: A situation or system involving many interconnected and intricate factors or elements.

  Example: Poverty, lack of education, and healthcare access form a complex web of social issues.

• Safe sleeping sites: Designated outdoor areas, often managed by cities or non-profits, where unsheltered individuals can set up tents or sleep, typically with access to basic services like restrooms, hygiene facilities, and security.

  Example: The city introduced safe sleeping sites to offer a more organized and secure option for the homeless population.

• Massive drain on resources: Something that consumes a very large amount of money, time, effort, or other valuable assets.

  Example: The old factory became a massive drain on resources, costing more to maintain than it produced.

• Marathon, not a sprint: (idiom) A situation or task that requires a lot of time, patience, and sustained effort over a long period, rather than a quick burst of intense activity.

  Example: Building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint; it takes consistent hard work over many years.

Grammar Points

1. Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both) that create a new meaning, often idiomatic. They are very common in spoken and informal English.

• Pop up: To appear or occur suddenly or unexpectedly.

  Example: New cafes seem to pop up on every street corner these days.

• Set up: To establish, arrange, or prepare something.

  Example: They decided to set up a charity to help local families.

• Run out of: To completely use up a supply of something so that there is no more left.

  Example: We ran out of milk, so I need to go to the store.

2. Conditional Sentences (Type 1)

Type 1 conditional sentences are used to talk about real and possible situations in the present or future. They express a real possibility. The basic structure is: If + present simple, … will/can/may + base verb. However, the dialogue uses a slight variation with the past simple in the ‘if’ clause to express a hypothetical but still possible situation that might happen in the future (sometimes called ‘future less vivid’).

• If I wanted to set up a tent in Central Park, I’d probably get arrested.

  Here, “If I wanted to…” describes an imagined scenario, and “I’d probably get arrested” (I would probably get arrested) is the likely consequence. Alice’s response “You probably would!” reinforces this as a likely outcome if Bob actually tried it.

  Example (standard Type 1): If it rains tomorrow, we will stay home.

  Example (dialogue style): If I won the lottery, I might buy an island (a less likely but still possible future event).

3. Present Perfect Continuous

The Present Perfect Continuous tense (has/have + been + -ing verb) is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present, or has recently stopped but has a clear result in the present.

• The number of people sleeping rough has actually been on the rise in some places.

  This indicates that the trend of increasing numbers started in the past and is still continuing up to the present moment.

  Example: She has been studying for three hours.

  Example: It has been raining all morning.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Vocabulary Match

Match the key phrase with its definition.

1. Plotting world domination
2. Last resort
3. Sleeping rough
4. Couch-surfing
5. Complex web
6. Massive drain on resources

a. The only remaining option when all others have failed.
b. A situation with many interconnected and intricate factors.
c. To sleep outdoors without shelter.
d. Planning something ambitious or complicated.
e. Something that consumes a lot of money, time, or effort.
f. Staying temporarily at various friends’ homes.

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the appropriate key phrase from the list below.

(last resort, complex web, tell me about it, on the rise, couch-surfing, safe sleeping sites)

1. After losing his apartment, his only ________ was to move into a temporary shelter.
2. “The traffic was terrible this morning!” “________! I was stuck for an hour.”
3. The city decided to establish ________ to provide some basic amenities for unsheltered individuals.
4. The cost of living has been consistently ________ for the past decade, making housing less affordable.
5. Her homelessness was due to a ________ of issues, including job loss, mental health problems, and family disputes.
6. Many young people find themselves ________ between friends’ houses when they can’t afford rent.

Exercise 3: Grammar Focus – Phrasal Verbs

Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using a suitable phrasal verb from the dialogue (pop up, set up, run out of). You may need to change the tense.

1. New coffee shops appear quickly in trendy neighborhoods.
2. They plan to establish a temporary camp for the festival.
3. We depleted milk, so I need to buy more.

Exercise 4: Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions based on the dialogue and the “Current Situation” section.

1. What does Bob initially find surprising or practical about homelessness in parks?
2. According to Alice, what is “sleeping rough”?
3. Besides visible tent encampments, what are other forms of homelessness mentioned?
4. Name at least three factors contributing to homelessness in major U.S. cities.
5. What is a “safe sleeping site” meant to provide?