Homeless Families with Children

Previous studies of homelessness have not adequately addressed the relationship between deteriorating living conditions of inner-city neighborhoods and family homelessness. Interviews with 50 families with children who were residents of homeless shelters in two large cities in New York reveal that substandard housing, unscrupulous landlords, and drug-related violence and crime in neighborhoods, as well as nonpayment of rent and domestic violence, are significant causes of homelessness. The families also identified the unsafe neighborhood environment and substandard housing, as well as high rent, long waiting lists for public or subsidized housing units, and lack of transportation, as the major barriers to finding decent housing. Policy implications are discussed.