Homelessness

Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and functional housing. The general category includes disparate situations, including:

• living on the streets, also known as sleeping rough
• moving between temporary shelters, including houses of friends, family, and emergency accommodation
• living in boarding houses without a private bathroom or security of tenure
• not having access to permanent or secure housing
• internally displaced persons, who leave their domiciles because of civil conflict and are refugees within their country's borders