Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

This episode of Fresh Air features an interview with Patrick Markee, a long-time advocate for the homeless, about his new book, "Placeless, Homelessness and the New Gilded Age." Markee discusses the systemic causes of homelessness, framing it as a crisis of displacement rooted in policy choices, economic shifts, and the erosion of the social fabric. He draws parallels between the original Gilded Age and the present, highlighting radical inequality and economic dislocation. The conversation explores the history of homelessness in New York City, the shift in approaches to addressing it, including criminalization and the "treatment first" model, and the disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities. Markee champions the "housing first" approach, sharing success stories and emphasizing the importance of compassion and empathy in addressing the issue. The episode concludes with a book review by Maureen Corrigan, who shares her top ten books of the year.