David A. Porter, MA, LADC.
August 5, 2026
Opening Thoughts
Proposed Typologies of Homeless People
- Homeless by misfortune; a series of tragic events and losses in their lives have exhausted every resource and option available to them.
- Those who have fled abuse. In desperation, they have decided that life on the street would be safer than remaining with their abuser. This includes runaways and DV (Domestic Violence) situations.
- Those who are incarcerated or released from psychiatric hospitals onto the street with nowhere to go and no available resources.
- Those who are addicted to substances, (the question of which comes first—the addiction or homelessness—is debatable and beyond the scope of this article)
- People who burn every bridge available to them. They have alienated themselves from friends, family, and potential employers through insufferable behavior. The end result of their poor choices is that they have nowhere to go and nowhere to live.
As with all academic typologies, people do not fit neatly into categories. One person may be in more than one category or move between categories at different stages.
Bridging the Gap Between Typology and Resources
Homelessness is multi-factorial, so resources that may be of value will vary from one person to the next. Someone escaping an abusive home, discharged from prison, deep in addiction and someone who has exhausted every financial and social resource will have differing needs and paths to regaining stability in their lives.
For first responders and outreach personnel, recognition of this typology can match resources and contacts that will be of optimal value. de facto resources are intended to supplement formal services. They are parts of the informal community infrastructure that can mitigate suffering by providing immediate practical support and connection with opportunities for more permanent solutions.
The severely mentally ill or those in the stranglehold of addiction may not have the capacity to utilize all of these resources. Many of these resources are more appropriate for those that are higher functioning, are newly homeless or short term homeless, with reasonable assurance of acquiring housing soon. Other resources may be more intended for those who have a home but are dealing with poverty or abusive relationships.
De Facto Community Resources
A de facto resource, or resource in fact, was not designed for this purpose, but it serves this purpose.
The conundrum with providing resources to homeless individuals is finding the line between helping and enabling. A place to sleep, access to clean water, food, and shelter are important, but they are not the only answers. They do not address the root problems, which in reference to the above typology are often untreated mental illness and untreated addiction.
The resources listed below are not intended as long term solutions, but short-term interventions intended to mitigate suffering, improve safety, optimize self-reliance, and provide opportunities for contact with resources for employment and to locate housing. These resources are about mitigating harm and preventing situations from deteriorating into an acute crisis where law enforcement and EMS will be needed.
These resources can be contact points for outreach workers, where meetings can occur. They are pre-established nodes in the community where prone-to crisis individuals, outreach workers and co-responders and resources intersect. Co-responders or community outreach staff can contact homeless individuals, facilitate referrals to appropriate services, help break the cycle they are experiencing, and provide options and alternatives.
The commonality among all of these de facto resources is:
- Mitigation
- Connection
- Communication.
They are places to rest, to maintain hygiene and establish a routine, and to avoid looking homeless. This is an important reality that some may deny: looking unkempt and disheveled is not conducive to positive social interaction and societal acceptance. Looking neat, clean, and fit restores and maintains dignity and creates a reciprocity effect: people will treat you with more respect and be more willing to engage and interact with you. That feedback will improve confidence and contribute to presenting oneself with greater dignity and self-respect. This can open the door to opportunities.
These de facto resources, some of which are not commonly considered include:
- Churches
- Food banks
- Barbershops
- Libraries
- Laundromats
- Gyms
- Dollar stores
- A PO (Post Office) Box
- Overnight parking
- Churches are a resource. A foundation of Christianity is to provide aid to those who are in need. They may open their doors as a place to sleep, they can have contact with spiritual advisors for prayer, comfort and instillation of hope, and networking and referral to resources.
- Food banks are community repositories of donated food. Typically, people can go there and receive a several day food supply at no cost. There is also the possibility of volunteering there or working in a paid position. Dignity can be maintained by offering a trade—food for labor, so to speak. Food banks can typically use volunteers for stocking and organizing.
- Barbershops are places where hygiene and appearance can be maintained, and where conversation and connection occur.
- Libraries provide a place to get out of the cold and heat, read, submit job applications, send and receive emails, charge phones, and provide a place to add structure and continuity to a daily routine. Meetings for job interviews or outreach workers can also be held at a library.
- Laundromats are a valuable resource where homeless individuals can do laundry to keep themselves clean and presentable. They are also places where there is an opportunity for social interaction and networking. Laundromats often have bulletin boards for community announcements. One problem the homeless have is lack of secure storage. They have to carry all their belongings on their back or hide them and risk theft. If someone develops a relationship with the laundromat staff, there is a possibility that they would allow clean laundry to be stored there or hold dirty laundry until it can be washed1
- A low-cost gym membership can be an invaluable resource for homeless individuals. It provides a place to shower and maintain hygiene, exercise, improve health, and build self-confidence. It can also provide companionship, opportunities to meet people and network, an anchor in the day, something to look forward to, and a way to improve morale and be presentable for job interviews and public interaction. Some gyms offer overnight locker use, where items can be stored.
- Dollar stores are a very high-value, unintended intervention for people who have a home but are experiencing financial hardship. They provide access to food, much of it non-perishable, hygiene items, household cleaners, and a small variety of tools and automotive items for maintaining a home and vehicle.
- A PO box is an inexpensive way to receive hardcopy mail and packages. It is an anchor, and provides the perception of stability, to maintain dignity.
- Overnight parking areas provide a reasonably secure place to leave your vehicle for the night for those living in their vehicle.
Conclusion
There must be a balance between providing short-term relief and assistance without fostering dependency or enabling. The de facto resources I have described can help make people more independent and self-reliant over time.
de facto resources can ease some of the burden on already overstressed systems. They can be part of the system that prevents a crisis situation from deteriorating further and requiring intervention by Law enforcement or EMS. De facto resources can fill the gap between the street and stability.
Endnotes
- I heard of a laundromat owner who saw two young women coming in off the street to sleep on the floor of a 24-hour laundromat through his security cameras. Rather than ejecting them from the premises, he left out bottles of water, clean blankets, and pillows for them in an act of subtle but meaningful compassion.
References
Barone, M., Fifelski, S., Stocker, A., Worm, T., Patterson, A., Braamse, J., Lathers, R. S., & LMSW1 (2020). Developing a Model Policy for Public Libraries to Address Homelessness & Mental Illness. Delaware Journal of Public Health, 6(4), 46–51. https://doi.org/10.32481/djph.2020.09.014
Porter, D. A. (2026). De-escalation and referral for mental illness and addiction. Julota. https://www.julota.com/news/de-escalation-referral-for-mental-illness-and-addiction/
Potenko, E. (2019). Dollar stores are filling Vermont’s food deserts. Are they helping? VTDigger. https://vtdigger.org/2019/11/24/dollar-stores-are-filling-vermonts-food-deserts-are-they-helping/
