What Is a Homeless Person?

A homeless person is more complex than the stereotype of a job-less, lazy person begging for change on the corner of the street. People become homeless for a variety of reasons, like being cut off from public assistance or losing a job. Homelessness can affect anyone at any time.

Misconceptions

A homeless person is not necessarily a drug addict, a mentally-disabled person, or someone who lacks employment. Every homeless individual has his own life story and reason for becoming homeless. Many people equate homeless people with panhandlers but not all homeless people panhandle and not all panhandlers are homeless. All these traits are stereotypes, not realities, of the lives of people who are homeless. It’s not a condition or an illness. It’s a temporary situation anyone can fall into.

Identification

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) definition of “homeless,” a person is homeless if she lives in a place not designed for human habitation, like a park or a car, resides in a shelter, or lives in transitional or supportive housing. HUD does not consider a person who is “doubled-up," or temporarily housed with another family, to be homeless. In contrast, the U.S. Department of Education does consider a “doubled-up” family to be homeless. Many homeless advocacy coalitions and activists advocate using a broader definition of homelessness than HUD’s definition.

Types

Even though most homeless people are single adults, the fastest growing segment of the homeless population is families with children. Veterans are also represented in the homeless community. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, one out of every four homeless people are veterans. Some homeless individuals experience addictions, have criminal records, or are mentally disabled and others are not. Some have college degrees, a lengthy history of employment, or have been famous at one time. Though there is not one general description of a homeless person, people living in poverty are at a higher risk for losing their home and often find themselves on the streets. Thirty to 65 percent of homeless people suffer from addiction disorders that may have contributed to their homelessness. Twenty-two percent of homeless parents became homeless as a result of domestic violence.

Time Frame

There is no set time limit to define homelessness. To be considered “chronically homeless” by HUD, you must be an unaccompanied adult with a disabling condition who has fit under HUD’s definition of homelessness continuously for one year or have had at least four homeless episodes in the past three years. Chronically homeless people represent a small portion of the homeless population yet they use up to 50 percent of the services. The National Alliance to End Homelessness hosts conferences on ending chronic homelessness.

Prevention/Solution

The goal of advocacy organizations is to find a home for everyone, decrease and eventually eliminate the number of people who are homeless. According to the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, homelessness can end if more people volunteer as advocates, write letters demanding city officials to address homelessness, and urge landlords to accept housing vouchers for subsidized housing.

Resources

• U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
• Who is Homeless?