Homelessness

Introduction

Homelessness and displacement is a growing threat to people and their communities around the world. 

Homelessness puts people at risk from increasingly extreme weather, violent and sexual crime, as well as various types of persecution.

People can become homeless due to no fault of their own, from malicious land owners and private equity firms to climate change and war.

Types of Homelessness

Transitional Homelessness

"Transitional homelessness is “a state of homelessness that’s a result of a major life change or catastrophic event”.  These life changes might be job loss, a health condition, divorce, domestic abuse, a substance use disorder, or personal or family crisis, among many others, resulting in people being in unhoused situations for less than a year.

People who experience transitional homelessness may enter a transitional housing program for a limited time. They may also sleep in their cars or outside. Oftentimes people experiencing transitional homelessness still have jobs, but cannot afford housing and other expenses.

Many people experiencing transitional homelessness tend to be younger. Youth are often harassed and discriminated against when they seek alternative housing, contributing to their disproportionately high rate of homelessness. Compared to older people, young people are often considered "invisible homeless," and statistics about them are scarce as they don't typically access services. The first sign of homelessness for them may be couch surfing or sleeping over with friends, which is considered less serious and obvious than sleeping on the street. About 8% of those who are experiencing homelessness identify as youth or young adults. On average, there are around 550,000 people under the age of 24 and 380,000 under the age of 18 experiencing homelessness per year.

The LGBTQ community faces unique challenges and is often more likely to face violence, abuse, and exploitation. According to the Williams Institute, the most common factor to LGBTQ homelessness is family rejection based on sexual orientation and gender identity." - What Are the Four Types of Homelessness?

Episodic Homelessness

"People can also experience “episodic homelessness”, whether they are currently unhoused or experienced at least three periods of homelessness within the last 12 months. In contrast, those confronting the realities of “chronic homelessness” usually experience four periods within a calendar year without a home.

Like transitional homelessness, many of those facing episodic homelessness are younger or dealing with a disabling condition. These conditions could be substance use disorder, mental illness, and other mental and/or physical health conditions. In some cases, some episodically unhoused people have seasonal or minimum wage income jobs.

Episodic homelessness can eventually become chronic homelessness without adequate resources and support." - What Are the Four Types of Homelessness?

Chronic Homelessness

"A person experiencing chronic homelessness is defined as "an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition" who has been homeless for more than one year. It’s more common for people experiencing chronic homelessness to also deal with a certain disability, mental health condition, addiction, and other debilitating conditions that restrict their ability to escape homelessness.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, chronically homeless people tend to be older and makeup about 17% of the homeless population. Many chronically unhoused people have complex, long-term health issues and live on the street, in parks, in cars, or in other places that are not suitable or safe for living." - What Are the Four Types of Homelessness?

Hidden Homelessness

"The fourth type of homelessness is referred to as “hidden homelessness.”

Individuals who live with others temporarily without a permanent home are considered “hidden homeless,” as it is often most unnoticed. Since they lack access to housing support resources and cannot be identified, they are 'hidden' from national statistics on homelessness.

Since they lack access to housing support resources and cannot be identified, they are 'hidden' from national statistics on homelessness.

People who experience hidden homelessness, often turn to friends, family, and neighbors for a shelter or a place of refuge. In a lot of cases, many of these people cannot afford to pay rent or afford other living expenses.

Many in the “hidden homeless” population are younger people who have experienced a sudden catastrophic life change, trauma, or challenges as a result.  Youth are often harassed and discriminated against when they seek alternative housing, which contributes to their disproportionately high rate of homelessness. Compared to older people, young people are often considered "invisible homeless" - and statistics about them are scarce as they don't typically access services. The first sign of homelessness for them may be couch surfing or sleeping over with friends, which is considered to be less serious — and obvious — than sleeping on the street."  - What Are the Four Types of Homelessness?

Tools & Resources

The following include tools and resources that can be use by homeless people and/or by people who want to tackle the housing crisis as well as the surrounding issues.

Libraries

Traditional libraries offer a wealth of resources for people regardless of their housing situation, including internet access and community services. Some libraries also include a "library of things" while others specialize as "tool libraries" or libraries for specific genres of things, such as musical instruments.

These resources can be particularly useful if you need to fix or build something, without making an investment on tools that might only be used once or that people might not have permanent storage for. Some libraries also include a "library of things" while others specialize as "tool libraries" or libraries for specific genres of things, such as musical instruments.

These resources can be particularly useful if you need to fix or build something, without making an investment on tools that might only be used once or that people might not have permanent storage for.

Nappy/Diaper Libraries

Nappies can be extremely expensive even for families with steady housing and jobs. Nappy libraries and similar programs can help families access nappies, baby wipes, and sometimes other supplies too (baby slings, nappy bags, and period supplies for example).

Racial Equality

The following tools and resources can aid your system in learning more about racial disparities in homelessness, and the structural factors that contribute to them: criminalization, poverty, redlining, mental and physical health, incarceration, and more. The resources on this page can help you in determining where these disparities come from, and how to improve equity across homeless service systems."

North America

USA

The following tools and resources can aid your system in learning more about racial disparities in homelessness, and the structural factors that contribute to them: criminalization, poverty, redlining, mental and physical health, incarceration, and more. The resources on this page can help you in determining where these disparities come from, and how to improve equity across homeless service systems."

Organizations

Europe

Ireland

North America

USA

National Alliance to End Homelessness "is a nonpartisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States."

South America