Wicked Problems in Modern Cities

Problem definition (Wallace Lee Kar Shing)

Homelessness

Lack of suitable and permanent housing for individuals and families is one of the many aspects of homelessness as a societal issue. It includes a range of situations, from individuals who are homeless or placed in emergency shelters to those who are insecurely housed in subpar or temporary housing. Economic, social, and structural reasons such as poverty, unemployment, housing affordability, mental illness, drug misuse, family breakup, and institutional injustices all play a multifaceted role in the issue of homelessness. In addition to endangering people's health, safety, and well-being, homelessness puts a pressure on social services, fuels urban degradation, and maintains cycles of poverty and marginalization. Providing immediate shelter alone is not enough to address homelessness; comprehensive strategies like affordable housing initiatives, supportive services, mental health and drug abuse treatment, education, job opportunities, and community-based approaches to prevention and intervention are also needed. (Emily Kendali, 2024)

 

User persona (Tan Shu Rou, Teh Yin Xin)

Name: Sarah

About Me

I'm Sarah, I became homeless a few years ago due to a sudden cut of employees in my company. Being jobless and paired with the lack of support from the government, I faced issues in finding an affordable place to stay due to the ever-rising house prices. Fortunately, I met very generous people who helped me through the dark times of my life. Thanks to them, although low paying, I found a job and had a roof above my head. I slowly got back to my feet and escaped the issue of being on the streets. Now, I aim to give back to the community and reach out to people in need like me of the past.

Personality

Sarah is empathetic, resourceful, and resilient. Despite facing adversity, she maintains a positive outlook and is determined to make a difference in the lives of others. She is also creative and innovative, constantly seeking new solutions to address homelessness and advocate for systemic change. 

Goals

1. Community Engagement: Sarah hopes to bring people together to foster collaboration among organizations and policymakers hoping to support homeless people by building shelters or raising donations. 

2. Housing Solutions: Sarah hopes to collaborate with local organizations and policymakers to make housing more affordable or at least provide a cheap temporary house to people in need so that they can feel safe even in bad times.

3. Advocacy: Sarah hopes to raise awareness about the realities of homelessness through education and public speeches. 

Storyboard (Benjamin Chan Xie Chung)

Panel 1:

Setting: Vibrant city street with towering buildings.

Description: Diverse crowd rushes past, some carrying bags or chatting on phones, filling the city with energy.

Panel 2:

Setting: Close-up of a chaotic traffic jam.

Description: Cars jam the road, horns blaring amidst exhaust fumes. Pedestrians walk through the congestion, visibly frustrated.

Panel 3:

Setting: Crowded subway station during rush hour.

Description: Commuters tightly packed into subway cars, struggling for space to move or breathe. Discomfort among passengers.

Panel 4:

Setting: A polluted river running through the heart of the city.

Description: Trash litters the riverbanks, murky water lets out foul odors. Wildlife struggles amidst human debris, highlighting environmental damage.

Solution (Wan Ping Yao)

As an entrepreneur, there are many ways to solve such wicked problems that people are experiencing in modern cities like homelessness. One of the many ways to solve such a problem is by collaborating with other Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the government to develop a housing model that is cost effective and durable for living as well as being scalable that can house a large population. This allows low-income individuals and families to have a roof over their heads while non governmental organizations are able to save cost while developing affordable housing units with the government. Furthermore, government will be able to boost their reputation by helping the low-income individuals and families. Not only that, as an entrepreneur, organizations should also provide job opportunities to the poor alongside providing training to said selected group of individuals as the problem of homelessness mainly originates from many people facing financial issues due to the rising cost of living and housing as well as the lack of salary increment and most importantly lack of job opportunities. Therefore, by providing these training programs and job opportunities, more and more people will be able to afford housing and hence decreasing the rate of homelessness. This is due to the fact that the initiatives to enhance entry-level, low-skilled worker routes to employment through investments in subsidized employment and Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA)-funded programs. The availability of work supports, such as child care and transport aid, for low-income households can also significantly affect the ability of a household to maintain employment. (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019)

References

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2024, May 1). homelessness. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/homelessness

National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2019, March 5). Solutions - National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/ending-homelessness/solutions/