Homelessness in rural areas: causes, patterns, and trends

Although homelessness in urban areas has been examined extensively, little attention has been given to the problem of homelessness in rural areas. This article reports the findings from a 1990 statewide study of rural homelessness funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. During the six-month data collection period, 919 homeless adults were interviewed; 247 were heading family units, and 480 children were in these families. More than two-thirds of these families were headed by single parents. Implications of the findings for providing short-term emergency assistance and longer-term policy-making are presented.