Homelessness and Housing Policy

Abstract Is homelessness a housing problem? An odd question, on the face of it-of course lack of housing is a housing problem. What’s meant by the question, though, runs deeper. If the homeless are homeless because they have deep-seated personal problems, then merely providing housing may not be of much help. What would be needed are social services, medical care, group support perhaps, education and training, psychiatric care, or moral or social rehabilitation, going beyond “mere” housing.