By winter 1987, up to three million men, women, and children will be homeless; the number of homeless persons will continue to increase at a rate of 25 percent. This report surveys the changes in the homeless population in the following 23 cities over the past year: Albuquerque (New Mexico), Atlanta (Georgia), Boston (Massachusetts), Chicago…

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services conducted a study to collect information about homeless families in the state who are relying on shelters. Information was obtained from census reports from all shelters in the state, from interviews with a parent from each of the 411 families living at the shelters, and from a review…

The role and importance of education for homeless children and families particularly in New York City at the Homes for the Homeless organization are considered. The educational needs and role of parents are also explored. Education is a key component in the struggle against poverty, and parents need to embrace education both to move toward greater…

The causes and consequences of homelessness have been the subject of considerable social science research. This report details recovery from homelessness, or "exits from homelessness," through analysis of descriptive demographic data and correlation of success rates with participant behavior and intervention context. The 2-year…

In 1990, the London Enterprise Agency, a private sector consortium dedicated to inner-city regeneration in London, established a project to address homelessness. Later called GATE (Guaranteed Accommodation and Training for Employment), the project had three central features: a focus on employment as a means of tackling homelessness; the use of a…

The North Carolina Conference for Social Services invited North Carolina policymakers and service providers to participate in a working conference in January 1991. The conference addressed issues relating to homeless families in North Carolina. Goals of the conference were to: (1) increase the potential for collaboration on behalf of homeless…

This packet contains documents that provide information about the planning and implementation of a comprehensive plan to address homelessness in cities throughout the U.S. Information on the following components of a comprehensive strategy are included: (1) "Task Forces"; (2) "Assessment Studies"; (3) "Emergency Services"; (4) "Transitional…

This book offers specific information on the wide range of federal prevention, emergency shelter, and family service programs available today that provide children and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with financial support, education, job training, nutritional services, and crisis funding. The chapters are: (1)…

Highlights and reviews a number of children's and young adult books that feature homeless children and families. Broadly categorizes the books according to qualities and plot elements, including appreciation of people, nonstereotypical portrayals, positive tone, and story appeal. Offers a bibliography of 24 recommended books. (MJP)

This qualitative study explored parents' perceptions of how their homelessness affected the development and academic achievement of their children. Grounded theory with symbolic interactionism was the framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 34 homeless families in a variety of settings. Multiple factors…

This document comprises a collection of conference papers that provide a broad understanding of the problem of homelessness, highlight innovative local and state responses, and uncover key intergovernmental issues that must be addressed in order to improve public and private action. The conference was attended by more than 100 federal, state, and…

In 1985, the New York City Health Care for the Homeless Program began providing health care and social services to homeless people. The program seeks to provide care to those homeless people with the least access to services, reaching out to them in soup kitchens, shelters, and hotels. This paper summarizes what has been learned since 1985 about…

Provides a starting place for teachers to learn more about the needs of homeless children, and to incorporate this information into lesson plans. A list of instructional activities and projects gives students, teachers, and parents a compassionate perspective. Includes a list of resources on homelessness and housing around the world. (MJP)

This report discusses the growing shortage of affordable housing in the rural United States. The data, released in February 1989, come from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The data show that most of the 3.9 million poor households in nonmetropolitan areas pay high percentages of their limited…

New York City's response to the demand for shelter has consistently been adequate. The city's homeless population is estimated at 35,000, including 11,000 members of homeless families, of whom almost 7,625 are children. The City's Human Resources Administration (HRA) has routinely failed to provide temporary emergency shelter for homeless…