Homelessness is one of the most intense social crises facing the Unite
d States since the onset of the Great Depression more than 60 years ag
o. Estimates of the total population of homeless are argued to range f
rom 250,000 to upwards of three million, with a projected rate of incr
ease of approximately 24% per year. The spectrum of diversity within t
he population mirrors that of society in general, except that the prob
lems are more severe, as illustrated by the difficulties facing the ho
meless mentally ill. Thirty-eight percent of the homeless are single-p
arent, primarily female-headed families, thus representing the fastest
growing segment of the population. This paper will consider the pheno
menon of homeless as a contemporary social issue, and include recommen
dations for public policy and social response.