On the Streets: Mobility Paths of the Urban Homeless

THE MOBILITY PATTERNS of homeless people, as they traverse city streets, provide insights into the resources available to homeless people in different urban communities. Mobility paths are also central to the social networks and coping strategies of the homeless. This article reports on ethnographic research conducted at homeless service facilities in two urban Los Angeles–area communities. Findings suggest that service philosophy, the configuration of urban resources, and community attitudes and public policy influence the formation of homeless social networks, mobility routines, and coping success. (abstract from the article)

Publication Date: 
1992
Pages: 
115-140
Volume: 
6
Issue: 
2
Journal Name: 
City & Society