Homelessness in the United States: 1980-1990

• Published in: Journal of Planning Literature
• Main Author: Collin, Robert W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 1992
• Subjects: Geography, Planning and Development; Artide
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/088541229200700102; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/088541229200700102

Homelessness is a condition characterized by shelter insecurity, societal disaffiliation, and human suffering. It is a growing problem, spreadingfrom our urban centers to ourexurban landscape. It is also a complex problem, both in origin and solution. Since the late 1970s there has been a surge of media coverage, research, legislation, and litigation regarding homelessness. Much of the research has been done by planners and planning academics. The planning literature on homelessnessfrom the 1980s has set the stage for the research, literature, and public policy concerning homelessness in the 1990s. This artide reviews the major early planning reports and the planning literature in terms of the definition of homelessness, its causes, and the short- and long-term solutions to it. Included are discussions about the politicization of the homeless count and the 1990 census. Undeveloped areas of planning research on homelessness are also presented.