Commentary
Was I the only person shocked by the levels of homelessness women experience in the United States , as reported during this workshop? In 1985 women and their families were 27 percent of those homeless in the United States ; by 1995 this had risen to 39 percent. Domestic violence was, and continues to be, a common factor in women's homelessness along with extreme poverty, physical and mental health problems, and substance abuse.

Women of color, disproportionately represented among those in extreme poverty, with earning capacity restricted by wage inequalities and discrimination within the labor market, were particularly vulnerable to homelessness. It was reported that women who are “housed” in shelters and transitional housing are no longer considered homeless, yet they remain one step away from the street.