The chronically homeless are those who use shelters as long-term housing rather than as an emergency arrangement. They are categorized as people who have been homeless for at least three years. Paul Curtis was once one of the chronically homeless after his marriage ended and he lost his job. He did not immediately find a new job like he had hoped so his debts …show more content…
Paul happened to be one of the lucky ones though, because he never had to live on the streets. He would stay with friends who made him feel at home yet he still felt like an intruder staying there since nothing was his own. He was powerless, as all of the homeless are. He got a job and an apartment to get off his feet, and he now owns his own house again and is retired, enjoying his happy and secure lifestyle (Marsh).
The transitionally homeless are those who only have to stay at a shelter once and only for a short period of time. These are the people who are often only homeless for a short amount of time before getting back on their feet. For Caroline Ryan, being transitionally homeless happened twice, not just once. Both times mental health problems were the cause of her homelessness. The first time she was turned away from her own family and