This resource examines the nature and causes of family homelessness and outlines approaches that communities are pursuing to provide homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing. Family homelessness is a widespread problem and is driven largely by the inability of very low-income families to afford housing. Housing stability can greatly improve a family's chances of success in employment, education and health. This paper reviews family homelessness on a national level and includes specific information to the District of Columbia metropolitan region.

This article reviews community prevention strategies that reduce the number of homeless people in local areas. Best practices included targeting through control of eligibility screening, developing community motivation, maximizing resources, fostering leadership, and ensuring access to data systems to track progress.

From the National Alliance to End Homelessness, this article reveals that when asked, many Americans underestimate the problem of homelessness in the U.S. This piece reviews best practices on strategies to reduce family homeless from Washington, D.C.; Columbus, Ohio; Hennepin County, Minnesota; Westchester County, New York; Massachusetts; and New York City.

This research report, from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, discusses measurement and data gathering strategies to measure efforts to alleviate homelessness. While there is a recent charge to end chronic homelessness in local communities, this article provides baseline information for comparison purposes. As of January 2005, it is estimated that 744,313 people experienced homelessness -- 56% of whom residing in shelters and transitional housing, and 44% unsheltered.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina took the lives of 1,800 people in the Gulf Coast region and caused $81.2 billion worth of damage. Since the storm, rebuilding efforts have sought to create a better New Orleans, and this article, from the Brookings Institution, reviews the progress in the past year and visions for the future.

This article from the Urban Institute provides information on the status of housing from prisoners returning to society. While some are able to reside with family members, housing can pose a significant barrier for others. This article reviews the barriers facing ex-offenders and housing, and offers promising housing services available.

This Web article features Polk County Decategorization that works in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Corrections and administers the youthful offender portion of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Grant. The program provides a supportive and cohesive transition for juveniles aging out of the juvenile system and returning to the community.

This resource manual was produced by Policy Research Associates and was sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).