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How are "homeless" defined in different countries? There was an eye-opening 99pi series of podcasts around homelessness in USA where I learned that the definiti
by Swizec 5y ago
How are "homeless" defined in different countries? There was an eye-opening 99pi series of podcasts around homelessness in USA where I learned that the definition is ridiculously strict.
Something like "If you slept anywhere other than the street last night, you do not qualify as homeless". I can't remember if tents count, but sleeping on a friend's couch, squatting a derelict building, or staying in your car disqualifies you from the definition of homeless.
- mfer 5y agoYou can find the legal definition at https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/11302 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/11302 Squatting in a derelict building counts as homeless per the US definition. It's not just people living on the street.
- wahern 5y agoThat definition is not necessarily applicable to actual research studies, homeless counts, or even government programs. You have to look to the actual study or program details. Unfortunately, the applied definition is rarely reported in the media.
- kbelder 5y agoOne study I saw of the local schools that breathlessly reported huge homeless rates of schoolchildren counted every child that didn't have a dedicated bedroom. Sleeping on Dad's couch? Homeless.
- mfer 5y agoThe numbers being talked about earlier (17 per 10k people) come from HUD. The US legal definitions matter to their reporting
- wahern 5y agoSee column 5 in table Table HC 3.1.1a, page 5, of the OECD report linked elsethread (https://www.oecd.org/els/family/HC3-1-Homeless-population.pdf https://www.oecd.org/els/family/HC3-1-Homeless-population.pd...).