From Irish Immigrants to Modern Homelessness:
A St. Patrick’s Day Reflection on Poverty, Policy, and Dependency

As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, it’s important to reflect on the resilience of the Irish people—not just in their homeland, but in the United States, where millions arrived seeking a better life. The 19th-century wave of Irish immigration was born out of desperation. The Great Famine (1845-1852) left over a million dead and forced another million to flee. Many arrived in America with little more than the clothes on their backs.

They were met with hostility. The Irish, largely Catholic in a Protestant-dominated society, were caricatured as drunks, criminals, and unfit for work. Many were denied jobs outright—“No Irish Need Apply” signs were common in storefronts. Poverty was inescapable for many, with entire families crammed into disease-ridden tenements in cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago. Homelessness among Irish immigrants was rampant, yet they persisted.

As former President Theodore Roosevelt noted:

“It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.”

The Irish built their communities, taking menial jobs, organizing politically, and slowly climbing out of poverty. Over generations, they transitioned from being the nation’s most despised immigrants to positions of power.

The Irish story was one of extreme hardship followed by resilience and progress, but homelessness in America has never been an isolated issue. The Great Depression (1929-1939) saw an explosion in homelessness, with job losses and bank failures pushing families onto the streets. “Hoovervilles,” the makeshift shantytowns named mockingly after President Herbert Hoover, became a nationwide symbol of destitution.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal provided temporary relief through public works projects, but many economists argue that these programs also expanded government dependence. Still, they helped many get back on their feet—until another crisis struck.

Post-World War II America saw prosperity, but also an expansion of welfare programs. By the 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s "War on Poverty" launched massive social welfare initiatives, including Medicare, Medicaid, and housing assistance. While designed to help the poor, these programs also created a new issue: multi-generational dependency.

President Ronald Reagan famously remarked:

“We fought a war on poverty, and poverty won.”

Studies show that many programs meant to lift people out of homelessness instead created barriers to independence. Housing subsidies often locked people into dependency, while mental institutions—previously a last resort for those with severe mental illness—were closed en masse during the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1970s and 1980s. The streets became the new asylums.

Today, America faces another explosion in homelessness. The numbers fluctuate, but key trends emerge:

    • In 1980, homelessness was estimated at around 250,000 people nationwide. 

    • By 2007, before the Great Recession, the number was about 647,000. 

    • 2019: Homelessness had dropped to 567,715—a sign that economic growth had an impact. 

    • 2023: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported 653,104 homeless individuals, the highest number recorded. 

Several factors have driven this surge:

    • Housing costs: Inflation and skyrocketing rents push working-class individuals into homelessness. 

    • Mental illness and drug addiction: A 2022 study found that 30% of the homeless suffer from severe mental illness, and nearly 40% have substance abuse disorders. 

    • Policy failures: Despite over $51 billion spent annually on homelessness programs, the problem worsens. Many programs offer band-aid solutions rather than pathways to independence.

Cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York have poured billions into “Housing First” programs, which prioritize giving individuals homes before addressing addiction or mental illness. While well-intended, these initiatives have failed to significantly reduce homelessness.

Milton Friedman once said:

“Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.”

Rather than addressing root causes, many policies encourage long-term dependency. Rent subsidies, for example, often keep individuals in subsidized housing indefinitely instead of transitioning them to employment. Cities that provide free services—without requiring participation in rehabilitation—see increased homelessness, not reduced numbers.

History proves that when given the opportunity—not just handouts—people can rise above poverty. The Irish, once among the most destitute in America, built legacies through education, hard work, and community.

The True Nation Project believes in restoring independence through skill-building, community support, and education. Our approach is simple:

    • Work opportunities: Giving individuals a chance to rebuild their lives through employment. 

    • Mental health support: Providing real treatment for those who need it, not just temporary shelter. 

    • Community reintegration: Ensuring people have the skills to succeed outside of assistance programs. 

Homelessness has always existed in cycles, but history shows that dependency-focused solutions fail while empowerment-focused initiatives succeed. This St. Patrick’s Day, we honor the legacy of the Irish—who overcame poverty not through handouts, but through perseverance and opportunity.

We must demand policies that encourage independence, not dependency, and take real action to solve the crisis of homelessness once and for all.