Homelessness
An estimated 2-3 million Americans experience homelessness over
the course of a given year. For most people, homelessness is
a short, one-time event. But a relatively small and visible group
experiences homelessness repeatedly or for long periods and places
heavy demands on available assistance. This group, persons experiencing
chronic homelessness, is most often made up of single, poor adults
with prevalent disabilities. President Bush has made ending chronic
homelessness within a decade a major goal of his administration.
While the number of elderly persons who are homeless is small,
their presence is increasingly a part of the landscape of homelessness.
It is anticipated that the number of older homeless will grow
substantially as the baby boom generation ages.
The most succinct information on homelessness among the elderly is provided in a fact sheet of the National Coalition for the Homeless.
The following resources provide policy information on homelessness
and links to services and programs designed to assist the homeless.
Federal Links
Other Resources