Homelessness facts

Homelessness in Canada has grown in size and complexity by 1997.While historically known as a crisis only of urban centers such as Montreal, Laval, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Toronto the increasing incidence of homelessness in the suburbs is necessitating new services and resources. The demographic profile of Canada's homeless population is also changing. By the end of the 20th century, it was reported that, while previously, men comprised the vast majority of homeless persons, now men and children represent the fastest-growing subgroup of the homeless population, followed by youth.In recent years homelessness has become a major social issue in Canada.

In England, local authorities have duties to homeless people under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002. There are five hurdles which a homeless person must overcome in order to qualify as statutorily homeless. If an applicant only needs the first three of these tests Councils still have a duty to provide interim accommodation

Homelessness is the condition of a person or persons lacking "A fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" as defined by The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Homelessness emerged as a national issue in the 1870s. Many homeless people lived in emerging urban cities, such as New York City. Into the 20th century, the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a devastating epidemic of poverty, hunger, and homelessness

The Vulnerability Index is a survey and analysis methodology for "identifying and prioritizing the street homeless population for housing according to the fragility of their health". It is a pragmatic methodology based on concern and inquiry into the reasons for recurring fatalities of homeless living in the outdoor urban context. It was developed by Jim O'Connell of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program