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Cold injury: An injury caused by exposure to extreme cold that can lead to loss of body parts and even to death. Examples of cold injury are chilblain, trench foot, and frostbite. Cold injury occurs with and without freezing of body tissues. The young and the elderly are especially prone to cold injury, and alcohol consumption increases the risk of cold injury. It is important not to thaw an extremity if there is a risk of it refreezing. The extremity should be protected from trauma and gradually rewarmed.

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Cold injury: An injury caused by exposure to extreme cold that can lead to loss of body parts and even to death. Examples of cold injury are chilblain, trench foot, and frostbite. Cold injury occurs with and without freezing of body tissues.

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Learn about different mental health conditions' stats in easy to read info-graphics.

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There are three main ways you can address homelessness:

Since mass homelessness emerged in the mid-1980s, we have largely used emergency services to respond to people's immediate needs. While we will always need emergency services to help those in crisis, over time these short-term responses have become the standard method for managing homelessness long-term.

In the last decade, Canadian policies and practices have begun to shift from managing homelessness to finding solutions, in particular the expansion of the Housing First approach across the country. The Housing First model provides housing and supports for people experiencing chronic homelessness with no housing readiness requirements. New research, innovation, and best practices have propelled our thinking to make the goal of ending homelessness realistic; however, we are still missing an important piece - preventing homelessness in the first place.

Why must we wait until people are entrenched in homelessness before offering help?

The international evidence reveals that homelessness prevention makes sense from social and economic perspectives. See research from:

Evaluations of prevention initiatives in Germany, England, and the UK demonstrated that prevention contributed to the reduction of homelessness. A range of prevention interventions, from evictions prevention, support for survivors of intimate partner violence, to landlord mediation, all showed success.

In Canada, research on the importance of discharge planning from correctional facilities, hospitals, and shelters provides evidence that prevention efforts can and will be successful in the Canadian context. Research continues to inform emerging practices to support key populations including, youth, veterans, families, and those with high-needs such as addictions and/or mental health challenges. While there continue to be gaps in the knowledge on homelessness prevention, particularly as it relates to evaluation and measuring outcomes, the evidence is mounting that it is effective and worth investing in.

Definition of the Prevention of Homelessness

Homelessness prevention refers to policies, practices, and interventions that reduce the likelihood that someone will experience homelessness. It also means providing those who have been homeless with the necessary resources and supports to stabilize their housing, enhance integration and social inclusion, and ultimately reduce the risk of the recurrence of homelessness.

The causes of homelessness include individual and relational factors, broader population-based structural factors, and the failure of many public institutions to protect people from homelessness. This suggests that homelessness prevention must not only include interventions targeted at individuals, but broader structural reforms directed at addressing the drivers of homelessness. That not only communities but all orders of government, and most departments within have a responsibility to contribute to the prevention of homelessness is in keeping with a human rights perspective.

Adapting the public health model

Homelessness prevention adapts the public health model of prevention, which has been used since the 1940s to reduce the risk and harms associated with illnesses. The public health model provides a range of prevention interventions that should take place simultaneously.

Primary prevention

Refers to structural-level initiatives that apply to everyone, in order to reduce the risk of homelessness and build protective factors. From a health perspective, primary prevention includes immunization programs or anti-smoking campaigns. The framework breaks down primary prevention further to describe an array of strategies that impact the population at large:

Universal prevention - policies and interventions that target the broad public. While these strategies do not always have homelessness prevention as their goal, they have the effect of reducing the risks of becoming homeless by creating greater equality, which is vital to homelessness prevention. Examples include having an adequate supply of affordable housing and poverty reduction strategies, such as greater access to affordable child care.

Selected prevention - prevention efforts aimed at members of a particular group, such as school-based programs and anti-oppression strategies for individuals facing discrimination, in particular Indigenous Peoples. It also includes programs aimed at low-income people, such as the basic income program currently being piloted in Ontario.

Indicated prevention - applies to all those who are disadvantaged to ensure they do not become homeless in the first place. Examples of indicated prevention include support for families experiencing violence and individuals facing mental health and addictions challenges.

Secondary prevention

Those intervention strategies aimed at those who are at imminent risk of homelessness (i.e. received an eviction notice) as well as those who have recently become homeless, with the aim of avoiding homelessness or moving out of homelessness as quickly as possible. Secondary prevention includes a range of options from emergency financial assistance, family mediation, and domestic violence victim support, to name a few.

Tertiary prevention

Prevention initiatives that support individuals and families who have previously experienced homelessness to ensure that it doesn't happen again. The Housing First model is a type of tertiary prevention by providing chronically homeless individuals with housing and supports to maintain housing stability.

These classifications exist along a continuum. In order to effectively prevent homelessness, all three forms of prevention must occur simultaneously. Most of the prevention programs that exist in Canada and internationally fall into the secondary prevention category. While these interventions are crucial to support those in crisis, secondary interventions alone cannot prevent homelessness. Structural and systemic interventions that work at the level of primary prevention are needed to provide the policy, practice, and funding backbone for individual interventions to be successful.

Typology

The typology described below outlines the various policies, practices, and interventions needed to prevent homelessness in Canada. Prevention requires an integrated systems approach, where each category works in union with one another. Moreover, each of the five categories has implications for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. As described above, the classifications are not discreet; homelessness prevention requires an increased level of coordination between all levels of government, collaboration between systems and institutions, and cooperation at the community level. The typology is as follows:

Structural prevention

Legislation, policy, and investment that builds assets, and increases social inclusion and equality.

Examples: Increase the affordable housing stock, anti-discrimination policy, practice, and training, poverty reduction strategies, and income supports

Systems prevention

Addressing institutional and systems failures that contribute to the risk of homelessness.

Examples: Barriers to accessing supports, such as transportation challenges, disability, linguistic barriers, cost, citizenship requirements, difficulty with system navigation, etc.

Early intervention

Policies and practices to support individuals and families at imminent risk of homelessness or who have recently become homeless.

Examples: Family mediation, shelter diversion, case management

Evictions prevention

Programs and strategies designed to keep people at risk of eviction in their home and avoid homelessness.

Examples: Landlord/tenant legislation, rent supplements, emergency funds, legal advice and representation

Housing stability

Initiatives and support for people who have experienced homelessness that allows them to exit homelessness quickly and never experience it again.

Examples: Housing First, help obtaining and retaining housing, supports for health and well-being, education and employment, and enhancing social inclusion

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There are three main ways you can address homelessness: Since mass homelessness emerged in the mid-1980s, we have largely used emergency services to respond to people's immediate needs. While we will always need emergency services to help those in crisis, over time these short-term responses have become the standard method for managing homelessness long-term.

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Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The variety of opinions expressed in this collection of articles and book excerpts explore many aspects of the problem of homelessness. According to a 1994 report by the U..S. Conference of Mayors, the number of homeless people at that time was growing at more than 5% a year. Even those who agree about the extent of homelessness disagree about the cause of the perceived increase. Suggested reasons include economic conditions, budget cuts that affected welfare and unemployment, personal choice, and the deinstitutionalization of many people formerly in mental hospitals. All of these factors are among the topics discussed in the 33 papers of this collection, grouped into 5 chapters: (1) "Is Homelessness a Serious Problem?"; (2) "What Are the Causes of Homelessness?"; (3) "What Housing Options Would Benefit the Homeless?"; (4) "How Can Society Help the Homeless?"; and (5) "How Can the Government Help the Homeless?" Each chapter contains references to periodical articles, and a bibliography of 68 books is included at the end. Twenty-two organizations that can be consulted for further information are listed. (SLD)

Descriptors: Budgeting, Critical Thinking, Deinstitutionalization (of Disabled), Economic Factors, Economically Disadvantaged, Etiology, Government Role, Homeless People, Housing, Low Income Groups, Mental Disorders, Social Problems, Urban Problems

Greenhaven Press, Inc., P.O. Box 289009, San Diego, CA 92198-9009.

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ERIC - ED403356 - The Homeless. Opposing Viewpoints Series., 1996

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Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The variety of opinions expressed in this collection of articles and book excerpts explore many aspects of the problem of homelessness. According to a 1994 report by the U..S.

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According to the recently released Homeless Census, the number of individuals counted in Monterey County is 2,308. For the purposes of the census, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness as "persons living in shelters and places not meant for human habitation," but excludes multiple families housed together due to economic hardship -- an all-to-common circumstance in Monterey County.

The Homeless Census provides us with numbers, statistics and demographics. But the people behind the
numbers are often our neighbors, loved ones, friends and coworkers.

He served his country and did three tours in Iraq. He experienced death, war and battle. He came home with an honorable discharge, post-traumatic stress disorder and few employment opportunities. One piece of bad luck followed another until he found himself sleeping in the alley way of a shopping center. He just wants a job and the chance to get his life together again.

She is a woman of a certain age, a homemaker married for 30 years before her partner left her. The last thing she would ever do is to become a burden to her grown children who live in different states. They think Mom is doing OK, but Mom is not OK. You see, she lost the house eight months ago and has been sleeping in the car every night since and visiting libraries in the daytime hours trying her best to blend in.

Homelessness comes at a very high cost - to individuals, communities and systems of care. Numerous studies demonstrate that communities save money by providing permanent supportive housing to people experiencing homelessness. Homeless persons are more likely to suffer from chronic medical conditions and complications due to housing instability. Emergency rooms, crisis response and public safety systems are utilized at a much higher rate by homeless individuals.

In short, it is proven to be more cost-effective toprovide permanent supportive housing than to leave someone on the streets or in shelters. Local governments should make concerted efforts to increase the stock of safe and affordable housing for extremely low-income individuals and families. It is essential that all of us - faith communities, local residents, nonprofits, government, housing developers, business, education and funding entities - work together to do the heavy lifting needed to end homelessness in our community. To help, sign the online petition supportive affordable housing or learn more about programs for landlords that provide rental subsidies at www.chspmontereycounty.org.
Written by Katherine Thoeni, Executive Officer of the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers.

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Homelessness in Our Community Affects Us All

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According to the recently released Homeless Census, the number of individuals counted in Monterey County is 2,308. For the purposes of the census, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness as "persons living in shelters and places not meant for human habitation," but excludes multiple families housed together due to economic hardship -- an all-to-common circumstance in Monterey County.The Homeless Census provides us with numbers, statistics and demographics.

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Effects of Homelessness
Word Search
The effects of homelessness on homeless people are large. They range from health issues to personal entrapment. It is believed that many homeless individual failed in their lives to cope with their difficulties and this makes them alienate themselves from the rest of the world.

There are many effects of homelessness on individuals.

1. Health- homeless people often encounter a lot of health issues in their lives. Their health gets worse from time to time because they lack attention from people such as doctors, wives, husbands, and family members. And because of lack of necessities they suffer from multiple diseases such as:

Cold Injury

Cardio-Respiratory diseases

Tuberculosis.

Skin diseases

Nutritional deficiencies

Sleep deprivation.

Mental Illness

Physical and sexual assault

Drug dependency

Mortality

HIV/AIDS

2. Personal - at the time when a homeless person realizes that he/she won't have a roof to live under forever. It is hard for them to believe. It is this fact of not dealing with reality that makes homeless people less able to take actions, but they suffer psychologically as a result.
Here some of the consequences:

Loss of self esteem

Becoming institutionalized

Increase in substance misuse

Loss of ability and will to care for oneself

Increased danger of abuse and violence

Increased chance of entering the criminal justice system

Development of behavioral problems

_____________________________________________________________________________
Sources:
"Causes and Effects of Homelessness." OSW. OSW. 17 Jul 2007 < http://www.spa.ucla.edu/dup/projects/HomelessWebPage/Effects.html>.

"Effects of homelessness on the Individual." 17 Jul 2007 < http://www.spa.ucla.edu/dup/projects/HomelessWebPage/Effects.html>.

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Word Search The effects of homelessness on homeless people are large. They range from health issues to personal entrapment. It is believed that many homeless individual failed in their lives to cope with their difficulties and this makes them alienate themselves from the rest of the world.

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According to a 2015 assessment by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 564,708 people were homeless on a given night in the United States. At a minimum, 140,000 or 25 percent of these people were seriously mentally ill, and 250,000 or 45 percent had any mental illness. By comparison, a 2016 study found that 4.2 percent of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness.
What are the most common types of mental illness among people experiencing homelessness?
Affective disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and substance abuse disorders are among the most common types of mental illness in the homeless population.
How are homelessness and mental illness connected?
Most researchers agree that the connection between homelessness and mental illness is a complicated, two-way relationship. An individual's mental illness may lead to cognitive and behavioral problems that make it difficult to earn a stable income or to carry out daily activities in ways that encourage stable housing. Several studies have shown, however, that individuals with mental illnesses often find themselves homeless primarily as the result of poverty and a lack of low-income housing. The combination of mental illness and homelessness also can lead to other factors such as increased levels of alcohol and drug abuse and violent victimization that reinforce the connection between health and homelessness.
Can homelessness exacerbate an existing mental illness?
Studies do show that homelessness can be a traumatic event that influences a person's symptoms of mental illness. Having ever been homeless and the time spent homeless can be related to higher levels of psychiatric distress, higher levels of alcohol use and lower levels of perceived recovery in people with previous mental illness.
How do homelessness and mental illness influence a person's interactions with police and the justice system?
In general, homelessness among people with mental illness can lead to more encounters with police and the courts. For instance, rates of contact with the criminal justice system and victimization among homeless adults with severe symptoms such as psychosis, are higher than among housed adults with severe mental illness. Homeless adults with mental illness who experienced abuse or neglect in childhood are more likely to be arrested for a crime or be the victim of crime.
How does homelessness affect mental illness within families?
One of the biggest impacts of homelessness on mental illness comes through its effect on the mothers of families. For instance, mothers who experience postpartum depression during the first year after birth are at higher risk for homelessness or factors leading to homelessness such as evictions or frequent moves in the two to three years after the postpartum year. One of the largest studies of children and homelessness (17,000 children in Denmark) found a higher incidence of psychiatric disorders, including substance abuse, among adolescents with a mother or both parents with a history of homelessness.
What kinds of interventions help people with mental illness experiencing homelessness?
Programs that provide long-term (a year or longer) stable housing for people with mental illnesses can help to improve mental health outcomes, including reducing the number of visits to inpatient psychiatric hospitals. A 2015 study concluded that services that deliver cognitive and social skill training, particularly in developing and maintaining relationships, would be useful in helping people with mental illnesses and homelessness regain housing.

- Written By Peter Tarr, Ph.D.
Click here to read the Brain & Behavior Magazine's September 2018 issue
1. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2015 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness in the U.S. https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2015-AHAR-Part-1.pdf.
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Healthhttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FFR1-2016/NSDUH-FFR1-2016.htm.
3. S. Fazel et al. The prevalence of mental disorders among the homeless in western countries: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis. PLoS Medicine, Volume 5, Pages e225, December 2008.
4. National Coalition for the Homeless, "Mental Illness and Homelessness,"http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/Mental_Illness.pdf.
5. A. Mathieu. The medicalization of homelessness and the theater of repression. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, Volume 7, Pages 170-184, June 1993.
6. M Shinn and C Gillespie. The roles of housing and poverty in the origins of homelessness. American Behavioral Scientist, Volume 34, Pages 505-521, 1994.
7. AM Fox et al. Untangling the relationship between mental health and homelessness among a sample of arrestees. Crime and Delinquency, Volume 62, Pages 592-613, November 2013.
8. J Castellow et al. Previous homelessness as a risk factor for recovery from serious mental illnesses. Community Mental Health Journal, Volume 51, Pages 674-684, 2015.
9. L Roy et al. Criminal behavior and victimization among homeless individuals with severe mental illness: A systematic review. Psychiatric Services, Volume 65, Pages 739-750, June 2014.
10. H Edalati et al. Adverse childhood experiences and the risk of criminal justice involvement and victimization among homeless adults with mental illness. Psychiatric Services, Volume 68, Pages 1288-1295, September 2017.
11. M Curtis et al. Maternal depression as a risk factor for family homelessness. American Journal of Public Health, Volume 104, Pages 1664- 1670, September 2014.
12. SF Nilsson et al. Risk of psychosis in offspring of parents with a history of homelessness during childhood and adolescence: A nationwide, registerbased, cohort study. Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 44, Pages S111, April 2018.
13. N Kerman et al. The effects of housing stability on service use among homeless adults with mental illness in a randomized controlled trial of Housing First. BMC Health Services Research, Volume 18, Pages 190-197, 2018.
14. S Gabrielian et al. Factors affecting exits from homelessness among persons with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Volume 76, Pages e469-e476, 2015.

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Homelessness and Mental Illness: A Challenge to Our Society

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What is the prevalence of mental illness among people experiencing homelessness in the U.S.? According to a 2015 assessment by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 564,708 people were homeless on a given night in the United States.

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Craig Denuyl
La Puente Volunteer

While homelessness has always existed, its dynamics have changed drastically in recent decades. Prior to the 1980's the sight of people living in cars, on the streets, or out in the woods was a distant memory of the Great Depression. With the advent of the Second World War, virtually all of the homeless (primarily men in that era) were absorbed into the army or the burgeoning war industry. After the war, employment rates remained high and America boasted a housing market and system of public supports that allowed all but a handful of people to avoid homelessness. In most cities, there was much more affordable rental housing, including very inexpensive single room occupancy housing. Before the 60's people with chronic mental illnesses were often committed involuntarily to psychiatric units of hospitals. Institutionalization in hospitals was not the proper solution to mental illness; however, de-institutionalization without other supportive services along with changes in housing markets led to a large rise in homelessness among the mentally ill and other populations.
The past several decades were marked by a large change in the availability of affordable housing. Most single-room occupancy housing was lost as part of urban renewal strategies. Much of the affordable rental housing was converted to higher priced housing, cooperatives, and condominiums. Hospitals for people with mental illness were closed down in favor of a system of community-based housing and care. These changes had many positive effects. Downtowns were revitalized, and for people with serious mental illnesses, community-based housing and care was a superior alternative to institutionalization.
At the same time, other forces were reshaping the landscape for low-income Americans. Jobs requiring low-skilled labor were lost. New and powerful illegal drugs came onto the scene. Public resources to assist low-income people did not keep pace with their growing needs. The result was a rise in homelessness. Nation-wide, there are now millions more low-income households that need housing than there are affordable housing units. Right now the waiting list for low-income housing in Alamosa is over 12 months. Most tragic is the following: in the 1950's reports showed that the majority of the homeless were still able to find shelter in emergency homes and missions; In contrast, a recent study showed that virtually every city surveyed officially estimated that the number of homeless individuals in that city greatly exceeded the number of spaces that city had in emergency shelters. On multiple occasions during the harvest season this year the La Puente Home Homeless shelter reached its capacity and had to stop accepting new guests for the first time since its expansion in 2005. In short, homelessness is on the rise and basic services such as shelters do not have enough room to handle the growing problem.
Many people view homelessness as a fringe issue, affecting only certain kinds of people on the edges of society. This view does not reflect the changing demographics of homelessness in the United States, including a steady rise in homelessness among families with children. Consider the following questions:
Could you ever experience a flood, fire, tornado, or other natural disaster?
Do you work in an area of the economy where your job might become obsolete?
Could you ever suffer from a long-term illness or accident without proper health benefits or other compensations?
Do you live in a household with only one full-time wage earner?
Are you behind on any monthly bills?
Are housing costs in your area increasing faster than wages?
Does anyone in your family struggle with addiction or mental illness?
Could you ever face extreme financial difficulty without family or close friends available to come to your aid?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you are not immune to homelessness. These questions are not meant to create alarm, but rather to spread awareness that people experiencing homelessness are people just like us. They desire financial stability and a secure home, but have confronted difficult circumstances without sufficient resources to overcome the situation and remain housed. That is the reality of homelessness today.
If you would like to volunteer for a local homeless prevention and service organization or to learn more about the issues in your community, please call La Puente at 719-587-3499.

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Craig Denuyl La Puente Volunteer While homelessness has always existed, its dynamics have changed drastically in recent decades. Prior to the 1980's the sight of people living in cars, on the streets, or out in the woods was a distant memory of the Great Depression.

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Someone who is experiencing homelessness does not have a primary residence. He or she may be staying in a shelter, living on the streets, occupying a motel room, "doubled up" with friends or family, sleeping in a vehicle, or living in any other unstable or non-permanent situation.

Homelessness can happen to anyone. Homelessness does not define a person but is instead a temporary situation. Homeless Connections serves people of all races, genders, ages, ethnicities, and educational backgrounds. Some contributing factors to homelessness include chronic poverty, job loss and underemployment, a lack of affordable housing, mental illness, addiction, and domestic violence.

There is no single face or cause of homelessness, but people experiencing homelessness do have shared basic needs including affordable housing, suitable income, and health care. Some people experiencing homelessness may require additional services such as mental health or addiction treatment services to achieve self-sufficiency. All these needs must be met to prevent and end homelessness.

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Someone who is experiencing homelessness does not have a primary residence. He or she may be staying in a shelter, living on the streets, occupying a motel room, "doubled up" with friends or family, sleeping in a vehicle, or living in any other unstable or non-permanent situation. Homelessness can happen to anyone.

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AHURI BRIEF

The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines six categories of homelessness
Last updated 27 May 2019
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recognises a person as experiencing homelessness if they are living in a dwelling that is inadequate; has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations. From this overview the ABS defines six categories of homelessness:

1. persons living in improvised dwellings, tents, or sleeping out ('rough sleepers')

2. persons in supported accommodation

3. persons staying temporarily with other households ('couch surfing')

4. persons living in boarding houses

5. persons in other temporary lodgings

6. persons living in 'severely' crowded dwellings.

Figure 1: Different types of homelessness (ABS homelessness operational groups)
People are not classified as homeless if they are in prisons, detention centres and other institutions such as juvenile correctional facilities or hospitals; students living in halls of residence; and members of religious orders such as monks and nuns living in seminaries and nunneries and similar establishments.

The ABS estimates of homelessness cover people who are residents in Australia and other Territories on Census night and do not include overseas visitors; people who were counted in offshore, shipping or migratory regions; and people on an overnight journey by train or bus.

Of the 116,427 people counted as being homeless on Census night 2016, the greatest proportion ( 51,088 or 43.9% of all homeless people) were those living in 'severely' crowded dwellings (e.g. living in a dwelling which requires four or more extra bedrooms to accommodate the people who usually live there). Of those living in 'severely' crowded dwellings 43.7 per cent (22,300 people) were aged 19 to 34; 32.9 per cent lived in NSW; 54.0 per cent were male; and 21.1 per cent were attending secondary or tertiary education.
Table 1: Number of homeless in each category and % of all homeless people, 2016

Persons living in improvised dwellings or sleeping out

Persons in supported accomm.

Persons staying temporarily with other households

Persons living in boarding houses

Persons in other temporary lodgings

Persons living in 'severely' crowded dwellings

All homeless persons

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What are the different types of homelessness

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AHURI BRIEF The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines six categories of homelessness Last updated 27 May 2019 The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recognises a person as experiencing homelessness if they are living in a dwelling that is inadequate; has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations.

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Statutory Homelessness

Local Authorities are responsible for assessing people who are homeless, but they are also responsible for deciding who and who doesn't qualify for statutory (legal) support. To do this they apply five key tests to homelessness applications, all of which must be satisfied before full support is offered. They are:

1. Eligibility: Are you a British citizen or have entitlement to public funds?

2. Status: Are you homeless or likely to lose your home in 28 days?

3. Locality: Do you have a local connection to the area? Have you lived there for at least 6 out of the last 12 months? Are you employed in the area? Do you have close relatives in the area?

4. Intentionality: Have you done anything or failed to do something that has caused you to lose your home, such as not paying your rent or mortgage even though you had the money to do so? Were you evicted due to nuisance behaviour?

5. Vulnerability: Are you a priority or not? Do you have dependent children? Are you or someone you live with pregnant? Are you or someone you live with disabled, elderly, or suffering from illness? Are you under 18? Have you lived in a care or foster home?

If someone fails to satisfy one of these tests they are deemed to be non-statutory homeless and not entitled to the same assistance as someone who is entitled to assistance.

Non-statutory homelessness

People who are non-statutory homeless (often referred to as single homeless) must often rely for support on third sector and voluntary organisations like Framework, which work with local authorities to ensure nobody is left behind. Sometimes we are able to successfully challenge the decisions of local authorities and get people housed under a "duty of care".

People who have added complications and who are not so easy to house may need more support to find housing and start to meet some of their own personal issues. This is where we either advice or support or house that person until they are able to live independently.

Hidden homelessness

Another term that is used to describe homelessness is 'hidden homelessness' this describes people who are homeless but do not show up on official figures because they have not asked for help or don't know where to find it.

Sofa Surfing

The term Sofa Surfing is used to describe people who stay on a night-by-night basis with friends and family - with no security of tenure. They may already be seeking help or they may be "Hidden Homeless." Either way they are in a very vulnerable position.

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Local Authorities are responsible for assessing people who are homeless, but they are also responsible for deciding who and who doesn't qualify for statutory (legal) support. To do this they apply five key tests to homelessness applications, all of which must be satisfied before full support is offered.

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The Austin City Council will vote Thursday on whether to turn area hotels into homes for the homeless.

The move is a big departure from the city's previous plan to buy a building on the south side of the city and turn it into a shelter.

Austin City Mayor Steve Alder, a Democrat, told KXAN, that the plans were scrapped because the building wasn't broken up into rooms, which is the residential structure the city was seeking.

He also said the plan lacked a solid timeline for when the South Austin Housing Center, a 1.66-acre property shelter facility, would be ready. The project was expected to cost the city $8.6 million to purchase the building. It would have cost a lot more to turn the property into a residential center for the homeless.
OAKLAND'S HOMELESS STATS SOAR AS PRESSURE GROWS FROM RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES FOR A SOLUTION
"My understanding is it would've been a year or two to do those kinds of renovations on that building," he said.

Alder said he prefers the hotel option because it would have a quicker turnaround and would cost the city less.

Austin would have to pay only $8 million for The Rodeway Inn off I-35 near Oltorf, Texas.

"It's something that we can put into service probably a year or two earlier than what we can put into service the Ben White facility," he said.
AS HOMELESS CAMPS CONTINUE TO SPRING UP IN AUSTIN, GOV. ABBOTT ORDERS CLEANUP EFFORT
Austin's Ending Community Homelessness coalition has volunteered to fund the operation of the hotels after the city buys the building. The group said it plans to fundraise to cover the costs it would take to actually operate a homeless shelter.

The idea of converting hotels and motels isn't all that new.

In New Mexico, The Sundowner Motel along Albuquerque's Route 66 was turned into an affordable housing complex in 2014. The dilapidated 110-room motel was turned into a 71-unit mixed-use affordable housing development. In Orange County, Newport Beach-based affordable housing builder Community Development Partners recently opened a 72-unit development for chronic homeless people in Santa Ana. Other cities like Orlando and Salt Lake City are also jumping on the trend.

Earlier this year in Austin, the city council voted to legalize camping, sitting and lying down in public spaces in the city. The move backfired.

Residents and business owners were outraged by the increased presence of homeless people littering, creating health hazards and scaring away customers from shops.

Adler admitted he didn't realize so many people would start sleeping on the streets and sidewalks. About four months and a pretty big backlash later, Austin voted again to ban camping on sidewalks.

A one-night point-in-time count last year found there were 1,014 unsheltered people living in Austin and surrounding Travis County. The number of homeless has increased by more than 30 percent in the past five years.

Conservatives have slammed state politicians for the growing problem and worry that Austin is heading down the path of West Coast cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle and Portland, Ore., where homelessness has gone from a containable problem to an all-out crisis in less than a decade. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has warned if that Austin hadn't shown improvement by Nov. 1, the Texas Department of Transportation would begin clearing out encampments under the bridges of state-owned highways and roadways.
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Keeping his word, Abbott ordered state agencies to move in and clean up Austin. Cleaning crews with leaf blowers and street sweepers were seen cleaning up trash and debris. The workers were guarded by state police.

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Austin City Council to vote on turning hotels into homes for the homeless

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The Austin City Council will vote Thursday on whether to turn area hotels into homes for the homeless. The move is a big departure from the city's previous plan to buy a building on the south side of the city and turn it into a shelter.

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"I'm a plasterer by trade. Never been to jail, but four years ago I went to rehab for heroin addiction. I got through it but afterwards I relapsed and ended up just hurting everybody. That's when I ended up on the streets.

About eight months ago, I was begging, and the police kept coming over to me and asking me to move. They didn't tell me anywhere to go and get help. They just moved you. I got moved a couple of times and then they issued me a letter with a court date. I missed the first date because I was still on the streets and not thinking straight. Then I was asleep in a doorway and they came and arrested me at two o'clock in the morning. I was in court the next day.

The court fined me £150. The term they used in court was, 'Gathering money for alms.' Afterwards I was just sent on my merry way. The courts didn't tell me anywhere to go to try and get support. Nothing like that.

The fine comes out of my benefits. That just makes it even harder. I had about £90 to last me a month. It's not right. It didn't deter me from begging. I was straight back out again. The same place. I was just trying to survive without being a criminal. It's either that (begging) or go out and rob because you're desperate.

I nearly died on the streets after that. My legs were rotten. Six months ago, I went to hospital and they told me I nearly had septicemia, but they also released me straight back onto the streets with no fixed abode. Apparently, they weren't allowed to do that.

About a week later that's when I met Chris (outreach worker for local volunteer charity), who helped get me housed. Once I was off the streets, I got on a methadone script and I've been clean for four months now. I'm also building my plastering business up again and getting back in touch with my family. My only support came from them. The Vagrancy Act didn't help me at all. I was already on the streets, and then they fined me. You just felt like a statistic."
Shaun, Blackpool
The Vagrancy Act does nothing to resolve the root causes of homelessness. In fact, it's more likely to push someone further from the vital services that help them to move away from the streets. The Government is soon to review the Vagrancy Act, but hasn't said that they will repeal it - yet. Until they do, vulnerable people will continue to be pushed even further from support. That's why we're calling on the UK Government to #ScraptheAct once and for all. Sign up to the campaign here and find out how you can be involved.

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Shaun's story. 'The fine comes out of my benefits. That just makes it even harder.'

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"I'm a plasterer by trade. Never been to jail, but four years ago I went to rehab for heroin addiction. I got through it but afterwards I relapsed and ended up just hurting everybody. That's when I ended up on the streets.

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This is great background information

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When Housing is Out of Reach

More than at any other time, there is a lack of housing that low income people can afford. Without housing options, people face eviction, instability and homelessness.

Housing

Income and Housing Affordability

Low income households often do not earn enough to pay for food, clothing, transportation and a place they can call home.

Income

Connecting Homelessness and Health

Health and homelessness are inextricably linked. Health problems can cause a person's homelessness as well as be exacerbated by the experience. Housing is key to addressing the health needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Health

Escaping Violence

Many survivors of domestic violence become homeless when leaving an abusive relationship.

Domestic Violence

Impact of Racial Disparities

Most minority groups in the United States experience homelessness at higher rates than Whites, and therefore make up a disproportionate share of the homeless population.

Racial Inequality

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More than at any other time, there is a lack of housing that low income people can afford. Without housing options, people face eviction, instability and homelessness. Housing Low income households often do not earn enough to pay for food, clothing, transportation and a place they can call home.

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This articule is about the causes of homeless in Texas and ways to help reduce the numbers.

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Our neighbors may find themselves homeless for many reasons. An unexpected medical bill, escaping physical abuse, alcohol or drug addiction; or a combination of these situations. Some may have struggled for much of their lives. Others may have been doing fine until, suddenly, they weren't. There's no easy explanation and everyone's story will be different. In Austin, we believe the necessities of life must be affordable and accessible to all. Whatever led someone to live on the streets, we'll do what we can to help them back on their feet.

We do this because it's the right thing to do; there's a moral imperative to address this issue. We do it because we know Austin can't become the most livable City in the country if some of our citizens are abandoned when they need help the most. And we do it because a united City where everyone can thrive is better - for everyone. A united city is better than a divided City where the less fortunate are ignored, stigmatized, or criminalized.

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Our neighbors may find themselves homeless for many reasons. An unexpected medical bill, escaping physical abuse, alcohol or drug addiction; or a combination of these situations. Some may have struggled for much of their lives. Others may have been doing fine until, suddenly, they weren't. There's no easy explanation and everyone's story will be different.

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About Homelessness from Crisis.org

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Homelessness: Causes, Types and Facts | Crisis UK

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Find out the causes, effects, and types of homelessness - and what we’re doing to end it for good.

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A story from someone who got helped by Crisis.org

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"I was in a rental property for fourteen years. The landlord decided out of the blue that he was selling it. There was no formal eviction notice. After fourteen years, I was given two weeks to move out. Previously we'd always had a good relationship, then he started to harass me. When I left it was awful. The locks were changed and the door closed behind me for good. Saying goodbye to all my neighbours, I couldn't believe it was happening. I just felt lost.

There were a few people who could put me up for a few nights, but it wasn't my home, and I couldn't stay forever. My kids had their own lives. They were only 22 and 25, living in shared houses. I didn't have anywhere to live. I was also on Disability Living Allowance because I've got Sarcoidosis. It's a rare inflammatory disease that can affect the lungs and brain, but it can also affect most of the body. They said it can't be cured. I had a form of chemotherapy and injections with high doses of steroids which can make you feel really sick. All my hair fell out. It was horrendous.

Before I became ill I worked all the time. I used to work on the market in Coventry on the fruit and veg stalls. I also worked in the dementia care homes for years. Before I was evicted I had been working part time in two different shops at the time, but I was on a contract with one that was due to end anyway, and the other one was due to close down completely. There was no way I couldn't afford private rent.

I was advised to go to the council but I didn't know what they were going to say. They gave me a letter and sent me to the Salvation Army Life House hostel. When I arrived, the whole place was on lockdown. I didn't know what was happening. My housing officer said the plan was to get me into my own place eventually, but they couldn't tell me how long it might take. Eventually they sent me to a hotel out of town in a village near where I had grown up. I had actually stayed in that hotel before as a paying guest for weddings and things. It was surreal.

I went from working and living in my own home to living in a hotel, homeless, with no job. I couldn't believe what my life had come to. After seven weeks, I suddenly received a text message from someone who was an 'outreach support worker for people in temporary accommodation', saying I had to leave the hotel by 10am because they had a room for me back at the Salvation Army hostel. I only had half an hour to get there.

When I arrived, I was crying at reception, but the ladies there were nice and said they would look after me. Sometimes it was quiet, other times it was chaos. I was lucky though. The six of us on our landing became firm friends. We'd cook each other meals and look out for each other.

When I was in the hotel and the hostel one of the hardest things was not being able to see my grandchildren properly. It had a knock-on effect with my daughter and her job because I couldn't help with the babysitting like I used to. They weren't allowed to stay with me in the hostel. My grandkids didn't like it of course. They would say things like, 'Does Nanny not love me anymore?.' My mum was embarrassed. She only had a one bed flat herself. She'd check I wasn't sleeping on the streets of course, but it's especially hard for her generation to get their heads around. To her homeless people were drug addicts and criminals and I was now one of them. Now she's a bit more understanding about homelessness.

I was put into the bidding system with the council and I was deemed high priority because of my disability. Whatever they offered me I had to take it, otherwise I'd be classed as intentionally homeless. I was so worried. I didn't know what it would be like. Every Tuesday you had to log on to the computer and see if they'd matched you with a property. If it says 'match' next to the property, you had to go immediately to see it before they gave it to someone else. Everything has to happen at a million miles an hour when you're homeless. You can't afford to miss any chance of anything because nobody waits. There are so many other people needing it.

After seven months in the hostel a match came up. I couldn't work out where it was though. It looked like it was out in the middle of the woods. I didn't know what to think, so I just tried be positive and think how I could make it home. It wasn't clean at that point. There was damage from leaks and things. I thought, I've got my work cut out here. But it was ground floor, which was vital, and they give me a decorating grant, plus I still had my furniture in storage with the council. I've been there 2 years and I like it now, but it's long way out of town. When you're in the hostel, at least you're surrounded by people, but when you're out on your own the isolation can be worse.

I came to Crisis the July before I moved in. I didn't know anything about them before. I did all the classes. I was a member ambassador for a while. They definitely helped. There was lots of opportunities. They really helped to get my confidence back. I'd like to try and change people's perceptions of homelessness. Now I volunteer at with a homeless charity. I like helping people who come in. They often don't have a clue which way to turn. They can't believe I was homeless too."
Tracy, Coventry. Crisis is currently one of the beneficiary charities of the People's Postcode Lottery, with players helping to raise over £3 million so far to support our work. The funds raised by players will help us to extend the support we offer to people like Tracy, ensuring that anyone facing homelessness is able to get the help they need to end their homelessness for good. For more information about the People's Postcode Lottery please visit postcodelottery.co.uk

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Tracy's story. 'I'd like to try and change people's perceptions of homelessness.'

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'I was in a rental property for fourteen years. The landlord decided out of the blue that he was selling it. There was no formal eviction notice. After fourteen years, I was given two weeks to move out. Previously we'd always had a good relationship, then he started to harass me.

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A story from someone who got helped by Crisis.org

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"I was first arrested for the Vagrancy Act in 2008. I just asked someone for 20p so I could use the phone. Two police saw it and arrested me on the spot for begging. I spent the night in the cells and was in court the next morning. They just fined me and sent me straight back to the streets. No more help. Nothing.

Arresting people for being homeless only made them stay homeless. You felt like a criminal, so you end up shutting down and just relying on the homeless community instead. It becomes learned behaviour. I tried my best to stay out of sight. You found little places to hide away like garages, air vents, and parks. Where I live now there's a park I walk through early in the morning with my dog and they've started sniffing at something on the floor, and I realised it's a person. They tell me they'd been moved out of town. But they'll only go back. They have to.

You get mental fatigue trying to access any kind of support services. It's like the whole system is set up to perpetuate homelessness and crime, not to end it. People are also begging just to pay bills, or to get a room in hostel, or get enough for a permanent address for when that hostel moves them on. At the end of the day if someone's begging on the street, that person needs help, not being arrested for it.

When Crisis came to the hostel I was staying in three years ago, I was in such a mentally bad place that it took six months for me to talk with their support worker, but I was so sick of everything by then that I gradually opened up. They got me in touch with a mental health worker, then help with housing and benefits, even my English and maths. I was on a countdown to go back to jail or go back to the streets, but they started giving me the tools to help myself. If it wasn't for Crisis I wouldn't have known about those services. They invested in me and got a human being at the end of it.

I try to explain to people the horrors of the living on the streets, and how much difference it makes for someone to treat you like a human being. The best thing I can remember is silly little things like people saying good morning and asking if I was ok. It would be brilliant if the Vagrancy Act could be repealed. That would help turn public opinion back to helping homeless people instead of punishing them. At the end of the day the police only do as they're told. People always says it's complex to end homelessness. But it's not. It's only complex for homeless people living on the streets. The solutions to solve it are already there."
Karl, Liverpool. The Vagrancy Act does nothing to resolve the root causes of homelessness. In fact, it's more likely to push someone further from the vital services that help them to move away from the streets. The Government is soon to review the Vagrancy Act, but hasn't said that they will repeal it - yet. Until they do, vulnerable people will continue to be pushed even further from support. That's why we're calling on the UK Government to #ScraptheAct once and for all. Sign up to the campaign here and find out how you can be involved.

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Karl's story. 'Arresting people for being homeless only made them stay homeless.'

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'I was first arrested for the Vagrancy Act in 2008. I just asked someone for 20p so I could use the phone. Two police saw it and arrested me on the spot for begging. I spent the night in the cells and was in court the next morning.'