The single-parent families are typically lead by women. The triggering condition is that some single-parent families are one paycheck away of economic disaster. All it takes is one major illness, or a job loss, to push them over the brink. This particular componement of homeless is well-known to social service agencies, but it is not as noticeable or as publicized as the schizophrenics and alcholics visibly spleeping on doorsteps, sidewalks, and nooks & crannies.

Most homeless families go to public shelters and are provided public housing or other types of assistance. So there are fewer chronic homeless in this group, even though the population-size (and the causes of it) is fairly constant.