Nonprofit agencies operate 85 percent of all homeless assistance programs. Government agencies operate only 14 percent. Among nonprofits, secular agencies operate 51 percent of homeless assistance programs and religious nonprofits operate 34 percent. Secular nonprofits operate more than half of the housing and other programs, religious nonprofits operate more than half of the food programs, and government operates more than half of the health programs. Shelter and housing programs vary more in their reliance on government for funds.
Some programs have a special focus on one or more population groups.
Clients who have alcohol, drug, or mental health problems, alone or in combination, are a special focus for 17 to 19 percent of programs, with health programs being particularly likely to name one of these groups. Central cities account for 49 percent of all homeless assistance programs , rural areas for the next largest share at 32 percent, and suburban areas for the fewest at 19 percent. However, a different picture emerges when service levels are examined on a per capita basis as a rate per 10,000 population , and also in relation to need as a rate per 10,000 poor people . Using rates makes clear that many medium-sized and even smaller sampling areas actually offer more homeless assistance services in relation to their poor population than larger sampling areas.