homeless

Every Dec. 21, the longest night of the year, vigils are held in many cities for the homeless who have died there. Life expectancy is at least 12 years shorter than for those who are not homeless.

In the city of Santa Barbara, north of Los Angeles, the demand for senior housing is so great the wait list is now closed. For many of those seniors, their only safe living option is in their cars.

Tiny homes are a growing solution to homeless veterans and vulnerable youth, especially those who identify as LGBTQ. But the movement faces challenges from regulations and neighbors across the nation.

There are 44,000 people living on the streets in and around Los Angeles. With no other place to go, many end up at a Starbucks — to the consternation of some employees.

One citizen has taken the Los Angeles homeless crisis into his own hands, building dozens of small shelters and giving them to the homeless. But the city says the structures are unsafe.

For transgender people, church can feel extremely unwelcoming. A congregation in Phoenix is trying to change that by offering free meals and support to them — many of whom are homeless trans youth.

The rural homeless often crash with friends or stay in cheap motels on cold nights due to a lack of shelters. But this means homeless tallies miss them — and the state gets less funding to help them.

The spirit of Route 66 is alive in a community helping homeless people rebuild their lives.

Thousands of homeless military vets have government vouchers for rent. But landlords aren't always willing to accept them, partly because of tight housing markets and stereotypes about the tenants.

Over 560,000 people lived on the street or in homeless shelters this year — a 2 percent drop, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Still, many say the numbers are unreliable.

Combating homelessness isn't just about shelter. Lately, some affordable housing projects are getting decidedly upscale — to help residents heal, adjust and build bonds with their new neighbors.

The number of people sleeping in New York's shelters has been slow to fall after hitting a record high of 59,000 last year. Advocates for the homeless say more New Yorkers are living on the streets.