Homelessness can take many forms.
Homeless persons include those who live on the street, in emergency or transitional shelters, with relatives, in cars, or in campgrounds. The federal legal definition of homelessness is set forth in the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, first passed in 1987. The McKinney Act authorized job training, education, and housing programs for the homeless population. The McKinney definition of homelessness applies well to large, urban communities, where tens of thousands of people are without homes. The definition is not appropriate for those persons who are homeless in rural areas, where there are few shelters.