Homelessness Will Never End, But It Can Be Better Managed The way we talk about the issue makes it more difficult to do what needs to be done. November 29, 2017 • (Flickr/Elvert Barnes) When the subject is homelessness, we hear the word “eradicate” a lot -- the idea that the problem can be completely eliminated. Indeed, “Strategies for Eradicating Homelessness” was the title of a panel at Governing’s recent Summit on Health and Human Services. But I doubt that either of the two panelists, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry or James Mathy, the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services’ housing administrator, would tell you that the outstanding work their jurisdictions are doing will result in the outright eradication of homelessness.