Homeless People

Abstract

Over the last quarter century, homelessness has become one of the symbols of urban blight. Regardless of the accuracy of this perception, homelessness is indeed a serious issue in many cities. Here and throughout this chapter, we define homeless people as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence, including those who are living in emergency or transitional shelters, in motels or hotels due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations, or in private or public places not intended for human habitation (such as cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, or bus or train stations). The health of the homeless and the role of cities in their health present an important challenge. First, how does the urban environment influence the creation and perpetuation of homelessness, especially among (but not limited to) individuals with pre-existing health problems such as mental illness and substance abuse? Second, how does the urban environment affect the health of people after they have become homeless? These questions frame the issue of the impact of the urban environment on the health of disadvantaged populations. Rather than creating an either/or distinction, we will approach homelessness as the result of a complex interaction between individual vulnerabilities and structural forces in the urban environment. In most cases, the relative importance of these factors in determining the health of homeless people and the prevalence of homelessness remains the subject of ongoing debate. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)