Some homeless people stay in an area for awhile but don't see it as their home. A substantial portion of those who indicated that they live in the study area have also been on the streets in that area for awhile. A substantial number of those who indicated that they live in the area have been homeless for 7 days, while among those who say they do not live in the area, most have been homeless only a few nights in the last week. The result is that there is no more appropriate site where these people will be enumerated by the Census Bureau. Very few homeless people have a permanent place to stay.
Most homeless people are regularly homeless.
A substantial majority of those counted in the Demonstration Project are regularly homeless and do not have a place to stay. The chronic nature of homelessness among those enumerated in the City's Demonstration Project suggests that even on an extremely cold, wet night, many homeless people will remain on the street rather than stay in a temporary or permanent shelter. This may be an effective question for people who are housed, but homeless people are not regularly housed and are mobile. Enhanced food and shelter services that during the survey week might prove effective in drawing homeless people off the streets. Many people will remain on the street because they do not use food and shelter services at all.