What are the causes of rural homelessness?
Rural homelessness, like urban homelessness, is most often the result of poverty and a lack of affordable housing. However, there are underlying factors that contribute to the cause of homelessness such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental illness. Another characteristic prevalent in rural areas is limited access to transportation and to social service agencies that may solve housing problems and reduce the factors that contribute to the cause. In addition, there are far fewer shelters in rural areas. Therefore, people experiencing homelessness are less likely to live on the street or in a shelter and more likely to live in a car or camper, or with relatives in overcrowded or substandard housing. A higher percentage of homeowners and renters in rural communities live in inadequate housing when compared to their urban counterparts.
