Homeless shelter

Homeless shelters also referred to as "Rescue Missions" are a type of homeless service agency which provide temporary residence for homeless individuals and families. Shelters exist to provide clients with safety and protection from exposure to the weather while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact on the community. They are similar to, but distinguishable from, various types of emergency shelters, which are typically operated for specific circumstances and populations - fleeing natural disasters or abusive social circumstances. Extreme weather conditions create problems similar to disaster management scenarios, and are handled with warming centers, which typically operate for short durations during adverse weather.

Hundreds of homeless individuals die each year from diseases, untreated medical conditions, lack of nutrition, starvation, and freezing to death. In a mild-wintered San Francisco in 1998, the death rate for homeless people was 58% larger than that of the general population. In New Orleans, approximately 10,000 homeless were unaccounted for after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Clients of homeless shelters may also be exposed to bed bugs which have been growing more prevalent in countries such as the United States, Canada and in Europe. Some clients of shelters have reported sleeping in roach-infested spaces at various shelters.

In Washington, D.C., statistics indicate that 63% of homeless people suffer from a lack of access to regular bathing. Another 58% within the same city are unable to obtain sufficient levels of sleep. Areas such as showers and bathrooms in shelters often have restricted access with limited hours.

Homeless individuals also have great trouble finding storage locations for their belongings.

Homeless individuals in the United States are subject to being arrested and held in jail for "quality of life" violations or for public intoxication. In Hawaii, homeless people are banned from sitting or lying on the streets.

The LGBT homeless are at increased risk of violence compared to other groups.Transgender people are also at danger of being placed into the incorrect shelters. Transgender women can be turned away from women's shelters since they were born biologically male. This can place their safety at risk.

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Wikipedia