Homelessness and Technology- Thesis, Facts, and Citations

02Nov09

Thesis:

Many are stricken with the plague of being homeless. With the harsh economic times today, many more are loosing their homes. Despite living without the comfort of a warm bed, clean clothes and food, many manage to stay connected; some have cell phones, others use free internet offered from public libraries or hotel lobbies. As a result, some are trying to find jobs and other are finding people that in similar situations as themselves. These people are finding and forming communities and yet they don’t have a permanent residence.

 

 

National Coalition for the Homeless

2201 P. St. NW _ Washington, DC 20037

Phone: (202) 462-4822 _ Fax: (202) 462-4823

Email: info@nationalhomeless.org |Website: http://www.nationalhomeless.org

 

Facts (http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/Fact%20Sheet%20for%20CollegeStudents.pdf)

Definition:

The word homeless translates to “without a home,” so the definition of a homeless person would logically be “a person without a home,” right?

Not necessarily. There are so many other factors that must be in place when determining the definition of homelessness. The federal government has defined a homeless person using a set of very narrow criteria and will provide their services only to those fitting those criteria

According to the Stewart B. McKinney Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11301, et seq. (1994), a person is considered homeless who “lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence; and has a primary night time residency that is: (A) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations… (B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or (C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.” The term “homeless individual” does not include any individual imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an Act of Congress or a state law.” 42 U.S.C. § 11302(c)

The education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act includes a more comprehensive definition of homelessness. This statute states that the term ‘homeless child and youth’ (A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence… and (B) includes: (i) children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement; (ii) children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a private or public place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings… (iii) children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, and (iv) migratory children…who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii). McKinney-Vento Act sec. 725(2); 42 U.S.C. 11435(2).

However, even with this more comprehensive definition, there are still parts of the homeless population left out. The federal government makes it very clear that a person living in substandard housing or with relatives is not considered “homeless” and therefore is not eligible for services. But homeless people who are living in rural areas of the country don’t have access to shelters or transitional housing services because they don’t exist in those areas. These people are more likely to live in substandard housing or with relatives or friends, and even though they technically are “without a home,” they are still not considered “homeless” by the government.

Statistics

Homelessness is a widespread and very serious issue that affects a diverse population. According to a 2006 study done by the US Conference of Mayors,

42% of homeless people were African American

39% were Caucasian

13% were Hispanic

4% were Native American

2% were Asian.

40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces.

A 2005 report by the US Conference of Mayors found that 16% of the homeless population suffered from a mental illness.

 

A report by the US Conference of Mayors designated the five “meanest cities” in the United States based on the number of anti-homeless laws in the city, the severity of the penalties for breaking those laws, the general political climate towards homeless people in the city, the homeless local advocate support, and the criminalization legislation that has taken place in the city. Their findings were:

1. Sarasota, FL

2. Lawrence, KS

3. Little Rock, AR

4. Atlanta, GA

5. Las Vegas, NV

Causes of Homelessness

The reasons why people are homeless vary immensely, and each person has a different story to tell. However, there are some general causes of homelessness in the United States, some due to federal laws and regulations and the economy, and others due to the personal choices of the homeless individual.

1. Unable to Pay Rent

Often times a homeless person works one or two minimum wage jobs full time and still doesn’t make enough money to pay rent. A Fact Sheet put out by the National Coalition reports: “Declining wages, in turn, have put housing out of reach for many workers: in every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.1 A recent U.S. Conference of Mayors report stated that in every state more than the minimum-wage is required to afford a one or two-bedroom apartment at 30% of his or her income, which is the federal definition of affordable housing. In 2001, five million rental households had “worst case housing needs,” which means that they paid more than half their incomes for rent, living in severely substandard housing, or both (Children’s Defense Fund, 2005). The primary source of income for 80% of these households was earnings from jobs” (U.S. Housing and Urban Development, 2001).

2. Mental Illness

Some homeless people have mental illnesses or disabilities, and as a result struggle with finding housing. According to a study by the US Conference of Mayors in 2005, approximately 16% of the homeless population suffers from a mental illness. A report put out by the National Coalition for the Homeless says that in 2006 the amount of money it cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment was $715 a month, which is 113.1% of a person on Supplemental Security Income. In 1999, in over 125 housing markets throughout the country, the cost of a one bedroom apartment was more than a person’s total monthly SSI income. In 2006, the national average rent for a studio apartment became higher than the income of a person who relies solely on SSI income. Only 9% of people not in mental hospitals or facilities receiving SSI have housing assistance.

3. Domestic Violence

Another major cause of homelessness is domestic violence. Battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. In a study of 777 homeless parents (the majority of whom were mothers) in ten U.S. cities, 22% said they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence (Homes for the Homeless, 1998). In addition, 50% of the cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). Studying the entire country, though, reveals that the problem is even more serious. Nationally, approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence (Zorza, 1991; National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2001).

4. Unaffordable Health Care

Health Care in the United States is not universal and is often extremely expensive. Homeless people are unable to afford basic doctor’s visits so they often go untreated for illnesses. Those with mental illness or disabilities often could hold a job or maintain a stable lifestyle if they were able to access medications and services that would assist them. Unfortunately, those medications and services are expensive without health insurance, and most health insurance plans are also too expensive to purchase.

In 2004, approximately 45.8 million Americans had no health care insurance. That equates to 15.7% of the population (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005). Nearly a third of persons living in poverty had no health insurance of any kind. The coverage held by many others would not carry them through a catastrophic illness.

5. Addictions and Substance Abuse

While federal policies and the state of the economy are major causes of homelessness, addictions and substance abuse also plays a large role. Without access to affordable treatment services, many low-income people suffering from addictions are unable to keep their jobs, and subsequently lose their homes and end up on the streets.

 

Violence Against Homeless People

From January-June of 2008, there have been 26 reported assaults against homeless people and 13 of those have resulted in death. Hate crimes against homeless people are a serious issue facing the country today, and the National Coalition for the Homeless is working tirelessly to get homeless people into the hate crimes statutes for each state. This would allow a higher penalty for those convicted of assault against a homeless person because it would be considered a hate crime. Legislation has yet to be passed in the courts regarding this issue on a federal level, but a few states have taken action individually. Alaska is the most recent state to classify homeless people as a “vulnerable person” and as a result the punishment for a crime committed against them is higher.

Most often, the perpetrators of these crimes are youth, with the youngest reported age being 10 years old. The crimes vary, ranging from taunting a homeless person with ethnic or racial slurs to burning the person in a blanket or other flammable material or physically beating the person with a baseball bat or other weapon.

Unfortunately, many hate crimes against homeless people go unreported because the victim is afraid of future retaliation from their attacker. So while the numbers for the reported hate crimes against homeless people in 2008 are high, chances are the actual number of attacks occurring is much higher.

Hate crimes narratives for 2008:

In Peoria, Illinois, officers responded to a call from employees at a McDonalds saying that a man was inside the restaurant and was bleeding from his head. The victim, 39, was not alert, according to police, and only responded to questions when the police officers spoke loudly or shook him. The information that the authorities managed to gather was that the man was attacked and kicked in the head by three youths, but he could not recall what the boys looked like or where the attack happened. The man was taken to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center for treatment.

Two homeless men were the victims of an attack on Easter Sunday in Bartlett, Tennessee. Brenner Holloman, one of the victims, was unhurt from the attack but witnessed everything. The attackers, adult males ages 19-22, used Molotov cocktails, a homemade concoction that consists of a bottle filled with gasoline and set on fire. Holloman claimed the flames only made the attackers laugh harder, and “they thought it was funny all right, they absolutely did.” Holloman now says he can hardly recognize his friend, Jeffery Martin. “It made me ill, he reports. “I just saw him yesterday, his head ballooned out to there…his scalp was taken off, his right hand is completely bandaged up…” Martin reports that it “was the worst pain I’ve ever been in in my life.” Martin sustained second and third degree burns to his head, neck, ears, shoulders and hands. Police found the attackers to be 20 year old Michael Grace, 19 year old Andrew Colin Hicks, 22 year old John Tyler Eggleston and 19 year old Zach Addison Parrish. All four have been charged with attempted aggravated arson, and Parrish was charged with the additional attempted second degree murder, as police suspect he threw the flaming bottle at the victims. Eggleston and Grace pleaded not guilty to the charges and waived their preliminary hearing.

Government Action

There are some federal programs that address the issue of homelessness and work to get homeless people off the streets and into a home of their own. There are three main services that the government offers that help homeless people find housing.

1. Section 8/Public Housing: The Section 8 program provides assistance to people living in privately owned apartments by allowing the person to pay 30% of their income towards the rent and have the government pay the rest. Public Housing does the same thing except it’s for people living in housing provided for by the government.

 

2. HUD Homeless Assistance Grants: The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) helps to fund programs that work towards ending homelessness. They also provide money for shelters, transitional housing, and other services that homeless people need.

 

3. Health Care for the Homeless: A program that provides the health care services to the homeless in an affordable way so that the person can receive care that they would otherwise not be able to get because they can’t afford it.

 

 

Homeless Families with ChildrenPublished by the National Coalition for the Homeless, July 2009 (http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/families.html)

There is a common misconception that homelessness is an issue that only pertains to single men and women, but in reality thousands of families a year will experience homelessness.  In fact, 41% of the homeless population is comprised of families. (National Alliance to End Homelessness)… The problem of family homelessness is not solely restricted to urban areas; rural and suburban communities are increasingly plagued by the problem. President Obama recently addressed this vital issue when he stated “It is not acceptable for children and families to be without a roof over their heads in a country as wealthy as ours.” (Press Conference, Feb. 2009). The issue has become even more pressing recently in light of the severe economic downturn and the ensuing loss of jobs.  Recent economic turmoil will assuredly lead to more families becoming homeless, testing already strained resources for homeless families. The numbers and citations uses in this report are mostly from before the economic downturn, due to the time and manpower it takes to assemble statistics concerning homelessness. With this in mind the statistics mentioned in this report most likely understate the severity of the issue.  The looming and disastrous possibility of increased family homelessness makes understanding the issue immensely pertinent.

DIMENSIONS

In 2007, 23% of all homeless people were members of families with children (US Conference of Mayors, 2007). Recent evidence confirms that homelessness among families is increasing. The rate of requests for emergency assistance by families rose faster than the rate for any other group between 2006 and 2007.  In some cities, it rose by as much as 15%. 71% of cities surveyed reported an increase in the number of families with children seeking emergency assistance. Every single one of the 23 cities surveyed expected an increase in the number of families with children seeking assistance in 2008. (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007)

 

CAUSES

Poverty and the lack of affordable housing are the principal causes of family homelessness. While the number of poor people decreased every year between 1993 and 2000, in recent years the number and percentage of poor people has increased.  The percentage of poor people has risen from 11.3% of the population in 2000 to 12.1% in 2002 (U.S. House of Representatives, 2004), and by 2004 the number of poor people grew by 4.3 million from 2000 (Center of Budget and Policy Priorities, 2004). Today, 35.2% of persons living in poverty are children; in fact, the 2004 poverty rate of 17.8% for children under 18 years old is significantly higher than the poverty rate for any other age group (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005).

Homeless Youth (http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/youth.html)

NCH Fact Sheet #13 Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, June 2008

This fact sheet discusses the dimensions, causes, and consequences of homelessness among youth. An overview of program and policy issues and a list of resources for further study are also provided.

DEFINITIONS AND DIMENSIONS

Homeless youth are individuals under the age of eighteen who lack parental, foster, or institutional care. These young people are sometimes referred to as “unaccompanied” youth.

The number of the homeless youth is estimated by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the US Department of Justice. Their most recent study, published in 2002, reported there are an estimated 1,682,900 homeless and runaway youth. This number is equally divided among males and females, and the majority of them are between the ages of 15 and 17 (Molino, 2007).  According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, unaccompanied youth account for 1% of the urban homeless population, (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007). According to the National Network of Runaway and Youth Services, six percent of homeless youth are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT) (Molino, 2007).  The number of homeless teenagers who are pregnant is estimated to be somewhere between six and twenty-two percent. (Health Resources and Services Administration 2001) According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, five to seven percent of American youths become homeless in any given year. (NAEH, 2007)

CAUSES

Causes of homelessness among youth fall into three inter-related categories: family problems, economic problems, and residential instability.

Many homeless youth leave home after years of physical and sexual abuse, strained relationships, addiction of a family member, and parental neglect. Disruptive family conditions are the principal reason that young people leave home: in one study, more than half of the youth interviewed during shelter stays reported that their parents either told them to leave or knew they were leaving and did not care (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (a), 1995). In another study, 46% of runaway and homeless youth had been physically abused and 17% were forced into unwanted sexual activity by a family or household member (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (c), 1997).

Homeless Veterans

Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, September 2009

(http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/veterans.html)

 

This fact sheet examines homelessness among U.S. veterans. A list of resources for further study is also provided.

BACKGROUND

Far too many veterans are homeless in America—between 130,000 and 200,000 on any given night—representing between one fourth and one-fifth of all homeless people. Three times that many veterans are struggling with excessive rent burdens and thus at increased risk of homelessness.
Further, there is concern about the future. Women veterans and those with disabilities including post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury are more likely to become homeless, and a higher percentage of veterans returning from the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have these characteristics.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night [1]. And approximately twice that many experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country.

Approximately 40% of homeless men are veterans, although veterans comprise only 34% of the general adult male population. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that on any given night, 200,000 veterans are homeless, and 400,000 veterans will experience homelessness during the course of a year (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2006). 97% of those homeless veterans will be male (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008).

DEMOGRAPHICS

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says the nation’s homeless veterans are mostly males (four percent are females). The vast majority is single, most come from poor, disadvantaged communities, 45 percent suffer from mental illness, and half have substance abuse problems. America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom, or the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. 47 per cent of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam Era. More than 67 per cent served our country for at least three years and 33 per cent were stationed in a war zone.

Here are some statistics concerning the veterans homeless [2]:

• 23% of homeless population are veterans
• 33% of male homeless population are veterans
• 47% Vietnam Era
• 17% post-Vietnam
• 15% pre-Vietnam
• 67% served three or more years
• 33% stationed in war zone
• 25% have used VA Homeless Services
• 85% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans
• 89% received Honorable Discharge
• 79% reside in central cities
• 16% reside in suburban areas
• 5% reside in rural areas
• 76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems
• 46% white males compared to 34% non-veterans
• 46% age 45 or older compared to 20% non-veterans

Female homeless veterans represent an estimated 3% of homeless veterans. They are more likely than male homeless veterans to be married and to suffer serious psychiatric illness, but less likely to be employed and to suffer from addiction disorders. Comparisons of homeless female veterans and other homeless women have found no differences in rates of mental illness or addictions.

Homelessness Among Elderly Persons

Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, September 2009.

(http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/elderly.html)

 

When thinking about homelessness, the elderly people issue doesn’t immediately come to our mind. Homeless elders, although increasing in numbers, continue to be a forgotten population.
The poverty rate in 2008 (13.2 percent) was the highest poverty rate since 1997. Since 1960, the number of people below poverty line has not exceeded the 2008 figure of 39.8 million people. The poverty rate remained statistically unchanged for people 65 and over (9.7 percent). Both the poverty rate and the number in poverty remained statistically unchanged for people 65 and older, at 9.7 percent and 3.7 million in 2008 [1].

Among this growing population of older adults living in poverty are people forced to grow old in the streets and in shelters, elderly persons who have recently become homeless or who remain at constant risk of losing housing. The number of elderly adults who have become homeless has increased around the county. An example of this increase has occurred in Massachusetts, where from 1999 to 2002, the number of people over 55 using shelters increased by 60% (HEARTH, 2007).

DEFINITIONS AND DIMENSIONS

Definitions of aged status in the homeless vary from study to study. However, there is a growing consensus that persons aged 50 and over should be included in the “older homeless” category. Homeless persons aged 50-65 frequently fall between the cracks of governmental safety nets: while not technically old enough to qualify for Medicare, their physical health, assaulted by poor nutrition and severe living conditions, may resemble that of a 70-year-old.

Among the Sheltered Homeless Persons in 2008, 16.8% of them were 51 and older according to the 2008 annual homeless assessment report to Congress and 30.6% of the individuals who stayed in emergency shelters for more than 180 days were 51 and older.

CAUSES

Increased homelessness among elderly persons is largely the result of poverty and the declining availability of affordable housing among certain segments of the aging. Throughout the nation, there are at least 9 seniors waiting for every occupied unit of affordable elderly housing (HEARTH, 2007). Among households with very low incomes, households headed by an elderly person have almost a one-in-three chance of having worst case needs, despite the fact that housing assistance has been heavily directed toward elderly people.

In 2008 [2], the share of Americans who live in “deep poverty” — that is, whose cash incomes fall below half of the poverty line — reached its highest level since 1994. Some 5.7 percent of Americans — or 17.1 million of them — had incomes below half of the poverty line. Half of the poverty line in 2008 was $8,582 for a family of three and $11,013 for a family of four.

The current maximum monthly SSI benefits ($674.00 for an individual) remains well below the poverty line. Furthermore, the waiting list for affordable senior housing is often three to five years.

Isolation also contributes to homelessness among older persons; in a 2004 survey, one half of the recipients of SSI (50 years and older) had been living alone before losing their homes (Crane, 2004).

Sources:

Dvorak, Petula. “N D.C. Streets, the Cellphone as Lifeline: Homeless People Turn to             Technology to Track Assistance and Opportunities.” The Washington Post 23 Mar. 2009,             Metro, The District sec. Print.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/22/AR2009032201835.html?sid=ST2009032300833

 

Dvorak, Phred. “On the Street and On Facebook: The Homeless Stay Wired.” The Wall Street                        Journal- Eastern Edition 30 May 2009, Vol 253, Issue 125, sec. A: A1, A10. Print.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124363359881267523.html

Abstract: The article discusses the ability of homeless people in the U.S. to retain access to the Internet. By the end of 2009 New York City hopes to have Internet access available at all of its 9 homeless shelters. “SF Homeless” is an Internet forum devoted to issues affecting the homeless. The Internet habits of several homeless persons are discussed.

 

Flagg, Gordon. “Hooking Up the Homeless.” American Libraries 31.5 (May 2000): 38. Print. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=24&hid=11&sid=ed6c6c22-b056-4a85-9bf8-1892f76ad71a%40sessionmgr110

Abstract: Editorial. Discusses the role of public libraries toward the poor, which has traditionally been self-improvement. Use of public Internet access at public libraries by the homeless; Internet resources which aid the homeless; Number of homeless who take advantage of public Internet access; Suggestion that libraries can ease both the spiritual and economic impoverishment of the disadvantaged.

 

Franklin, M.I. “The Homeless and the Internet : Making Connections for – and by – Outcasts.”             Conference Papers — International Studies Association, 2004 Annual Meeting, Montreal,             Canada (2004): 1. Print.

http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/0/7/3/0/9/pages73093/p73093-1.php

Abstract: This section presents an abstract of the study, The Homeless and the Internet: Making Connections for–and by–Outcasts, presented at the International Studies Association’s Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada, March 17-20, 2004. Homeless people are amongst the most stigmatised groups in high-tech societies, the last people who might be seen as active Internet practitioners. In this context, initiatives from within the Street Newspapers movement, in North America and Europe, have been looking to facilitate connections between local street newspapers and their constituencies all over the world through a more conscious application of Internet technologies. This research begins with the observation that the increasing commercialisation of the world-wide web and supporting Internet technologies deeply affects its future trajectory, one that looks set to actively–and passively– exclude non-elite, non-commercial uses and applications.

 

Hersberger, Julie. “Are the Economically Poor Information Poor? Does the Digital Divide affect             the Homeless and Access to Information?” Canadian Journal of Information & Library             Sciences 27.3 (2002/2003): 45-63. Print.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=7&hid=5&sid=ed6c6c22-b056-4a85-9bf8-1892f76ad71a%40sessionmgr110

Abstract: Homeless persons lack economic capital, but it is less clear whether they concomitantly lack important information capital. The basic information needed by the homeless is not available on the Internet as this is information controlled by governmental social services agencies, but does this result in a state of information poverty? This paper examines the issues of how the lack of access to information technology does not affect how the homeless access basic-needs-level information. The study investigates the information needs of the homeless, information sources, and information-seeking behaviours within the analytical constructs of information outsiders and insiders and the theory of information poverty posed by Chatman (1996). The study explores the differences in information seeking pursuits based on whether the catalyst for the search is internally or externally motivated. Finally, the paper speculates on whether making basic level needs information available via the Internet would be useful and/or used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

 

Mosser, Marry. “Text ‘‘Superpowers’’: A Study of Computers in Homeless Shelters.” Science,             Technology & Human Values 34.6 (2009): 705-40. Print.

http://sth.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/34/6/705

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a research project to understand how a major technology adoption project is taken up in the social setting of Calgary’s three major homeless shelters. An understanding of how technology is used ‘‘on the ground’’ and how it relates to the project’s goals is the key contribution of this research. The results of interviews with clients at the homeless shelters and shelter staff provide the empirical data for an analysis of the major issues concerning the actual and intended use of this Smart Communities project. The research project is influenced by institutional ethnography, which looks at the role of texts in coordinating social relations. This article suggests that information technology could be seen as a text ‘‘superpower’’ in coordinating social relations among socially ‘‘at risk’’ people in particular. It concludes that more transparent dialogue is required on how actions are concerted by information technology.

 

Pierce, Stephanie Casey. “Registration Remains Open for Web Seminar on Using Civic             Engagement to Serve the Homeless.” Nation’s Cities Weekly 28 Aug. 2006, Vol. 29, Issue             35 sec.: 3. Print.

http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/IOURL?locID=coloboulder&issue=35&issn=0164-5935&volume=29&spage=3&prod=BCRC&date=2006&finalAuth=true

Abstract: The article reports on the registration for the “Project Homeless Connect: Using Civic Engagement to Serve the Homeless” web seminar/audioconference, sponsored by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The seminar showcases the Project Homeless Connect model of the city of San Francisco in California. The model relies on one-stop services and community engagement to increase the access to services of homeless individuals.

 

Runaways: San Diego. MSNBC TV, 2009. 2009. Web. 15 Oct. 2009.             <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036750/#28257877>.                                                     Abstract: Homeless teens that find free access to the Internet in hotel lobbies. They use the Internet to communicate with other “runaways” with social networking websites like myspace.com. This is one example of how even those with very few resources have the need to stay connected. Social groups and organizations have been around for centuries but they used to be reserved for those with money and status. Now there is no need to have any of this, but rather only having access to the Internet.

 

Web blog post. HOMELESS,JOBLESS,HUNGRY N DC. Dec. 2008. Web.            <http://homelessjoblesshungryndc.blogspot.com/?sid=ST2009032300833>.

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