Definition of Homelessness Homelessness can simply be defined as the lack of a home or shelter. Hulchanski (nd) believes that homelessness is “a great unresolved political and social problem of our time”. It defines homelessness as: The absence of a place to live (a house, apartment or room - the physical structure) - which includes the absence of belonging to a place and the people who live there (a house, in the social/psychological sense). [It refers to] situations in which people do not have regular and habitual access to adequate and appropriate conventional housing (physical structures designed and intended to be permanent residential housing). A person who does not have a regular place to live stays in an emergency overnight shelter, an abandoned building, an all-night cafe or theater, a car, outside, or in other similar places that are not meant to be living spaces” (Hulchanski, n.d.) On the other hand, Springer (2000) views homelessness as a term encompassing many possible meanings. Springer suggests using the term “homeless” instead of homeless. It also identifies categories of homeless/homeless people. According to Springer (2000), there are three categories of homeless people: Absolute homelessness refers to people who use public or private accommodation. “People who sleep rough, that is to say on the streets, in public places or in any other place not intended for human habitation, are those who constitute the core of the population of the “without- shelter” [as well as] those who sleep in shelters provided by welfare or other institutions” (Springer, 2000). Hidden homelessness refers to people who are homeless but temporarily staying with friends or family. "...all people living with... middle of paper ...... retrieved March 30, 2007 from http://www.parkdalelegal.org/Homeless.htmPollack, G. (2001). "Who are the homeless in Canada?". Reader's Digest (2001). Available at http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/44/244.htmlRaising the Roof. “Case Study: Homeless Initiative Fund.” Retrieved March 30, 2007, from http://www.raisingtheroof.org/ss-case-dsp.cfm?casefile=Homeless_Initiatives_FundRaising the Roof “Case Study: Literacy and Homelessness Project.” Retrieved March 30, 2007, from http://www.raisingtheroof.org/ss-casedsp.cfm?casefile=Literacy_and_Homelessness_ProjectSpringer, S. (2000). “Homeless: a proposal for a comprehensive definition and classification.” » Habitat International, Vol. 24, Urban Homelessness in 11Toronto Report Card on Housing and Homelessness (2003). Retrieved March 30, 2007 from http://www.toronto.ca/homelessness/pdf/reportcard2003.pdf.