Book Review: Matthew D. Marr, Better Must Come: Exiting Homelessness in Two Global Cities

Dr.MarrsbooktakesacomparativeapproachtohomelessnessexitsinLosAngelesandTokyo. Hismultileveltheoreticalmodelisessentiallythemirrorimageofthemultilevelmodelsofthecauses ofhomelessness,nowwidelyaccepted.Peoplebecomehomelessnessbecauseoftheinteractionof inequitablydistributedmarketsinhousingandwork,throughlimitedandfailedsocialprotections, andthemediationoftheseforcesintheconflictedlivesofdisadvantagedpeople,families,and communities.Perhapsnotsurprisingly,peoplegetoutofhomelessnessthroughthereversemediation oftheselargermarketsandsocialforcesandthroughhelpfulsocialconnections.Here,Dr.Marr introducesthetermforgivingtodescribethesocialcontextsthatmakeitpossibletoexithomelessness: Whilesurmountingthecomplexproblemsthatdrivepeopleintohomelessnessrequiressubstantial individualresilience,exitsfromhomelessnessalsodependonforgivingcontextsatmultiplesociallevelswhetherfavorable conditionsinlocal laborandhousingmarkets, flexible andholisticsocial service settings, orcultural milieux thatpromote mutual aidamong friends, family, and community. Thesearesocialcontextsthatworkagainsttheglobalandlocaltrendsdrivinginequalityandthatcan promote exits from homelessness.