Sharon M. Keigher (ed.). Housing Risks and Homelessness Among the Urban Elderly. New York: Haworth Press, 1991, pp. 156.

Abstract

This book reports on a survey conducted in Chicago, in 1988, among homeless seniors and elderly whose housing situations were considered to be precarious. The first part of this work establishes the socio-economic context which resulted in the development of this problem among the homeless, while the second part deals with the results of the survey and the third tackles the problem of the gradual disappearance of affordable housing – e.g., the single-room occupancy (S.R.O.) hotel. Through this book we learn that the decrease in the number of affordable housing units, such as public housing, during the '80s plays a central role in the emergence of the phenomenon of homelessness among the elderly. It should be remembered that Canada became partly familiar with this situation as of January 1994, with the removal of federal funding for the construction of new social-housing units. In addition, the results of the survey informs us that homeless seniors are often without shelter on a temporary basis. This can be attributed to specific episodes in their lives resulting primarily from situations like an eviction, a fire in a previous dwelling, loss of social support or a sudden decrease in revenue (robbery, loss of a spouse). Housing Risks and Homelessness Among the Urban Elderly is a simple book that sheds light on a fringe phenomenon which, as yet, is not well-known.