homeless

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.

The city installed new public toilets that are better ventilated than port-a-potties and include running water. But they turned out pricier than expected, and plans for more are circling the drain.

In 2009, then-Veterans Affairs head Eric Shinseki declared that all homeless veterans would have housing by 2015. New Orleans has made big strides, but in Los Angeles, the problem persists.

After becoming homeless and jobless following her transition to being a woman, Ruby Corado got her act together, and now helps others facing similar challenges. "We have a family here," she says.

In Seattle — one of the nation's wealthiest cities — homelessness has surged over the past decade. More people are now homeless in Seattle than anywhere except New York City, Los Angeles or Las Vegas.