Many documents require proof of residency and a legal address -- nearly impossible for most.

Some are lost or stolen, others are seized when crews enforce city ordinances. Concerns have also been raised that ID's are being thrown out when a homeless person goes to jail,

The original focus was on creating a plan to help someone with mental illness or substance abuse before getting her in housing, as well as a reliance on the shelter system

By 1985, there were 8.9 million poor renters in need of housing but just 5.6 million units, a 3.2 million shortage.

the same time, gentrification sped up, with cities getting rid of cheap housing like single room occupancy units and replacing them with more expensive stock, and units being built were more often for co-ops and condos for ownership instead of rent.

Instead of this, they gave billions of dollars in tax handouts to the wealthy and well-connected.

We no longer live in a Democracy where governance is of the people, by the people and for the people.

According to the Institute for Children and Poverty, homeless children are nine times more likely to repeat a grade, four times more likely to drop out of school, and three times more likely to be placed in special education programs than their housed peers. [5]  

Every time a child has to change schools, his or her education is disrupted

The top of the list for me would be to take the shelters, close them down and build or purchase small, single rooms.

when they run well, get very, very crowded, and ours is very crowded. We have an overflow into local faith communities.

You know, I had my shoes stolen, just like people said you get your shoes stolen

s that you hear a lot of terrible things about shelters, that shelters are dangerous places, that they're full of drugs and drug dealers, that people will steal your shoes, and there's bedbugs and body lice.

Every day, street outreach workers in cities across the nation go out into communities to encourage people on the street to take shelter, but many homeless people refuse.

He said, "Okay, well here is my number. Call me and we can hook up later tonight."

"You are not getting blankets tonight and I don't care if you all freeze to death!"

Many of these backpacks contained all the men had to their names, including important documents like their birth certificates, and photos and letters from loved ones.

When I ask them what happened to their other blanket or backpack, they told me staff at the shelter threw them away.

We give out backpacks, clothing and blankets at City Walk. I kept seeing the same faces come back for blankets or backpacks.

We just have to force the government to do what is right — provide a home for everyone who needs one.

It is time for the government to outlaw homelessness — rather than the homeless — and take responsibility for guaranteeing that everyone has a home.

Homelessness is the end result of a market economy that will not provide anything for those whose labor is no longer needed in an increasingly automated system of production.

In fact, the U.S government owns millions of vacant housing units. So, why is anyone homeless?

In Louisiana, every level of government continues to make clear it has no plans to house the poor who lost what little they had in Katrina.

Federal spending for public housing has fallen drastically over the past 30 years.

Fruit and vegetables that travel shorter distances are therefore likely to be closer to a maximum of nutrition.