Fortunately, homelessness among families is typically not a long-term experience. Many families who enter shelter are able to quickly exit with little or no assistance and never return. Some families, however, require more intensive assistance.
One of the most important strategies for lifting families from homelessness is rapid re-housing. The more quickly families are connected with permanent housing, the more quickly their homelessness can be solved, and their lives can return to relative stability. Similarly, prevention strategies — in the form of cash assistance, housing subsidies, and other services — can avert homelessness before it starts.
