When many people think of homelessness, they picture someone sleeping on the street. That does happen, but the reality is often much less visible.
Families doubling up with relatives, adults and children couch surfing or people living in cars are all part of what’s call “hidden homelessness” – and they’re often excluded from public awareness.
So what is safe housing?
Safe shelter isn’t just about a four walls and a roof. Real safety means stability, dignity and peace. For someone fleeing domestic violence, it’s protection. For the person living with mental illness, it’s space to recover. For a child, it’s a place to grow.
Can’t people just figure it out go to shelters?
“Figuring it out” often leads to unsafe situations that include overcrowding, exploitation, or eviction.
Shelters do serve temporary need, but they’re not realistic long-term solutions. People are often separated from their possessions or even families members accompanying them.
A word about children.
No child chooses homelessness, but more than 2.5 million people under the age of 18 will experience it this year. That’s one out of every 30 children.
Homelessness disrupts education, sleep, nutrition, and safety. It increased developmental delays, chronic stress, and health issues. For those who reach adulthood, their experiences can introduce or reinforce generational poverty.
Debunking the major myths.
Myth: People choose to be homeless.
Truth: A lot of us are one crisis away from losing housing due to job loss, health issues, domestic violence. Instability is not a choice.
Myth: People just don’t want to work.
Truth: Actually, many people experiencing homelessness do work. Low wages, lack of childcare, or health issues keep them unhoused.
Myth: Addiction is the root cause of homelessness.
Truth: Substance abuse is sometime the response to trauma, not the cause of it.
How we view homelessness or unsafe housing often shapes how we treat people – and how we fund solutions. The truth? Homelessness is complex, but solvable. It starts with seeing people, not problems.
What can Catholic Charities do?
Our teams provide trauma-informed care, consistent support, and solutions that address the root of homelessness – not just the end result. That means, in addition to providing a way to shelter, we can also provide a way home … to stability, safety, and total-person well-being.
