The Social Issue of Homelessness in North CarolinaPeople drive by or pass a homeless person almost every day without thinking twice about the plight of that person person or they may even unconsciously turn their heads another way, in disgust. Simply put, homelessness means homeless. Homelessness is therefore a state of equal opportunity that can happen to anyone. Although we have experienced some economic prosperity over the years, statistics show that the number of homeless people remains very high. With this in mind, communities must come together at the state, city, and individual levels to find solutions to mitigate the spread of this problem. The definition of homelessness varies depending on which organization you speak to. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, under Section 11302, defines homeless as a person who does not have a fixed, regular, and adequate residence or a person who resides in a shelter , a social hotel or a place that is not usually used for sleeping. HUD expands this definition to include people who are at risk of eviction within a week (Homeless Act and Legal Definition, 2001-2012), but what remains constant is that the root cause of homelessness is l increasing poverty and the shortage of affordable rental housing. housing (National Homeless Coalition, 2009). In 2004, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found that 25% of homeless people were aged 25 to 34, and the percentage of homeless people aged 55 to 64 was 6%. Most studies show that single homeless adults are more likely to be men than women: 67.5% of the single homeless population is male, and it is this population alone that accounts for 76% of homeless populations surveyed (United States Conference of Mayors, 2007). . ...... middle of document ...... we would certainly be moving in the right direction in mitigating the spread of homelessness and that should be the ultimate benefit of everyone involved. References Cassady, L (2011, July). Effects of homelessness in society. Retrieved from: http://www.Ehow.com/infoMecklenburg County NC. Community support services. (2012). Retrieved from: http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/CommunitySupportServices/HomelessSupportSNational Alliance to End Homelessness. Retrieved from: http://www.endhomelessness.orgNC Department of Health and Human Services. Emergency Housing Grants. Retrieved from: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/homeless/esg.html.Homeless Law and Legal Definition. http://definitions.uslegal.com/h/homelessNational Homeless Coalition (July 2009). Who is homeless. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/who.html