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Chapter One: Who Are Homeless Families?

A child who is being cared for by a grandparent might be considered “precari- ously housed” if the grandparent has health problems.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) limits the definition of homeless to people who live on the streets or in emergency shelters, or who sleep in cars, abandoned buildings, or tents. According to them, only the first example, of Amanda and her two kids living in their car, would qualify as “homelessness.” The rest would not. On the other hand, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Education (ED), and Health and Human Services (HHS) would absolutely consider James and the others to be homeless. They interpret “fixed, regular, and adequate” more broadly than HUD does. To these agencies, the definition of homeless includes any living situation where someone can be forced to leave at any time. Practices like “doubling up” and “couch surfing”—terms that just mean staying with friends or family temporarily—qualify as homelessness.