Durham's History with Homelessness

The nature of homelessness has changed over the past 20-30 years. In the past, homeless people were found mainly by railroad tracks and living in boxes, or sometimes sleeping in church pews. Providers would simply meet their immediate, individual needs by providing meals or handing out money. Since then, numerous service agencies have been established with collaboration from the County government to provide expanded services to homeless men and the growing number of homeless women and families.

The Steward McKinney Act of 1987 allowed federal funding to provide support for homeless needs, such as emergency shelter and transitional housing programs, services for alcohol and drug rehabilitation, mental health and general health care. "At one point in time [the] Steward B. McKinney [Act] even allowed us to purchase detox bed[s] and recovering services … It was wonderful, it was so wonderful… [but] horribly expensive, and the powers that be nationally pitched a fit about it." With fewer opportunities to apply for funding, compounded with diminishing support from local government as the city and county's administrative concerns have grown with the population, certain service agencies have met with a constant struggle to attain adequate funds and resources for their services.

Providers' Definitions of Homelessness

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Services Provided