The United States of America claims to be the land of freedom, opportunity, and economic success, yet millions of its citizens find themselves without a permanent residence and thousands more end up in this position every year. Countless discussions on how to fix the homelessness crisis in America have failed to result in any meaningful solution to the problem, leading to many people wondering, “Why are there so many homeless people in the US?”

The reason why there is an astronomically high amount of people without homes in America is simple – the commodification of basic human necessities has created a system in which millions of people cannot afford a comfortable standard of living. As recently as 2011, it was estimated that 3.5 million people in the US have been homeless for a significant period of time. That same year, Fox Business estimated that 18.9 million homes in the country lay vacant. That is enough for every homeless person in America to receive five homes and still have thousands of empty properties left over. In the time since then, both numbers have increased, yet the problem still has not received the obvious solution. The only reason why these people in perpetual peril have not received relief is that a capitalist economy values money over human lives; capitalism rewards any action that is not profitable, even if it is at the expense of fellow human beings.

There are many possible solutions to the homelessness crisis. One solution would be supporting and enabling homeless people to take residence in these empty houses through squatting. Squatting is “the action of occupying an unoccupied building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use.” Though it may not be legal, society should not base its morality on a set of arbitrary laws that the upper class wrote to protect their property. Another solution would be a government program that gives those without homes access to a place of residence in order to give them a chance at having a comfortable standard of living. Housing programs all across the country have seen lucrative results when those in need are provided with homes. In Charlotte, a nonprofit that provided permanent housing saved the city $2.4 million in medical costs. Utah’s housing program reduced chronic homelessness by 91 percent. This shows that actions taken to help the homeless lead to better conditions for the whole community.

One solution, unlike the other ones, looks at the root of the homelessness problem and works to solve it. That solution would be abolishing the current economic system that commodifies one of the most basic life needs. Capitalism is a cancer that is killing off those who are put in unfortunate decisions and an alternative organization of society is needed to save them. A system of production that directly provides goods and services to every human being, regardless of social status or economic standing, would ensure that no one would be forced to live on the streets and struggle to provide for their families.