Homelessness

Some people do not have a safe home.

They may sleep on the street. Some may stay in a temporary shelter.

In the past, things were very hard. Some people lived in places not made for sleeping. This could be very scary for them.

Many people work to make things better. They build warming centers for cold days.

These centers help keep people safe.

Some leaders think a home is a right. They want to help everyone find a place to live.

It is good to care about others. Helping people find homes is a big goal.

Homelessness means not having a safe or stable place to live.

Some people sleep on the streets. Others move between temporary shelters. In 2025, about 330 million people worldwide had no shelter at all.

In the past, laws were often very harsh. In England, people without homes were sometimes punished. They might be sent to jail or forced to work. Later, the state tried to give them housing and job training.

In the United States, the Great Depression in the 1930s caused much poverty. Many people lost their homes during this time. President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped by creating programs to build public housing. In the late 1800s, groups like the New York City Rescue Mission began to help.

Today, many people work to help. Some cities use warming centers to keep people safe during cold weather.

Some leaders believe a home is a human right. One plan is called "Housing First." This plan helps people get a home right away. It helps them stay in their homes for a longer time.

Homelessness means a person lacks a stable and safe place to live.

This can happen in many different ways. Some people live directly on the streets. This is often called primary homelessness. Other people move between temporary places like shelters or hotels. This is known as secondary homelessness. Some people sleep in places not meant for sleeping. They might stay in doorways, on piers, or in abandoned buildings.

In 2025, about 330 million people worldwide experienced absolute homelessness. This means they had no form of shelter at all.

Different groups use many names for this condition.

Some people use terms like unhoused or houseless. Others use words like urban campers or unsheltered. In the past, people used words like vagrants or hobos. Today, those older words can be seen as unkind. Many reporters now use person-first language. They say "homeless people" instead of "the homeless." This helps to treat everyone with respect.

Using kind words helps us see the person behind the situation.

History shows that how we treat people without homes has changed.

In 1383, England had very harsh laws for people without homes. They could be sent to jail or forced to work. In 1547, some people even faced very serious punishments. Later, the state tried to help by providing training for jobs. In the United States, many men lived in a group called "hobohemia" after 1870. They often traveled by hopping onto trains.

In 1872, Jerry and Maria McAuley started the New York City Rescue Mission to help.

The 1930s brought big changes during the Great Depression.

This time caused a lot of poverty and hunger in the United States. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the New Deal in 1933. This plan provided money to build public housing for people. In England, many people lived in dormitory housing called "spikes." In North Korea, a famine in the 1990s forced many people to leave their homes. Some children, called Kotjebi, even fled to China on their own. These events show how hard times affect where people live.

Today, many places work on new ways to help.

Some cities use warming centers to keep people safe during cold weather. In Scotland, leaders made a ten-year plan to end homelessness. In the United States, some cities use a "Housing First" plan. This plan helps people get a home right away. It does not require tests for drug use first. Research shows this helps people keep their homes for a longer time.

Many people believe that having a home is a basic human right.

Homelessness is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing.

Because different countries have different rules, the definition of homelessness varies globally. Some nations have not yet established an official definition. In general, the condition involves a lack of permanent or secure living quarters. This issue is deeply connected to poverty and economic stability. Many people argue that housing should be treated as a fundamental human right.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter expressed this view in 2017. However, many people in the United States do not share this belief.

Experts categorize homelessness into different types to understand its complexity. Primary homelessness occurs when people live directly on the streets. Secondary homelessness describes people moving between temporary places. These places include emergency shelters, hotels, or the homes of friends and family. Some people sleep in locations not designed for human sleeping. This might include doorways, piers, or abandoned buildings.

Many people also engage in "squatting," which means occupying unoccupied or abandoned buildings. Others may live in natural areas like beaches, creek banks, or mountains.

Different organizations use specific frameworks to measure this issue. The United Nations defined a homeless household in 2004. They identified these as households lacking shelter due to a lack of steady income. In 2009, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe used a different approach. They helped create the ETHOS Typology of Homelessness and Housing Exclusion. This typology views homelessness as a process rather than a static state. It helps countries use a common language to track vulnerable households.

This system exists in 25 different language versions.

History shows how laws and social views have shifted over centuries. In 1383, English laws allowed constables to punish vagabonds. Penalties included jail, the stocks, or whipping. By 1547, a new bill introduced even harsher punishments like branding or death. Eventually, the state tried to provide housing and job training through bridewells. In the 1870s, a counterculture called "hobohemia" emerged in the United States. These men often lived near train tracks and traveled by hopping onto trains.

During this time, the first rescue missions, like the New York City Rescue Mission, were founded.

The 20th century brought major economic shifts that impacted housing. The Great Depression in the 1930s caused an epidemic of poverty in the United States. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the New Deal. This program expanded social welfare and funded public housing construction. In England, many people used dormitory housing called "spikes."

In the 1990s, an economic crisis and famine in North Korea forced many to flee. This created a group of orphaned children in China known as the Kotjebi.

Modern approaches focus on specific strategies to address these needs. In the United States, many cities adopted a "Housing First" solution. This program provides housing without requiring tests for drug usage or sobriety first. While some critics argue it misuses resources, research shows it helps people retain housing. In Scotland, the government implemented a ten-year plan to end homelessness. This plan involved regular meetings to check progress and legislative changes.

Many jurisdictions also use warming centers to save lives during cold weather.

Understanding the scale of this issue requires looking at global figures. In 2025, approximately 330 million people worldwide experience absolute homelessness. This means they lack any form of shelter entirely.

Because there is no standardized way to count people, most cities rely on estimates. Language also plays a role in how we discuss this topic. The Associated Press Stylebook now recommends person-first language. Reporters are encouraged to say "homeless people" instead of "the homeless." This helps avoid dehumanizing people by focusing on their situation rather than defining them by it.