The number of people who experience rural homelessness is unknown, but the last national count of homeless people found that 9 percent live in rural areas. The same structural factors that contribute to urban homelessness—lack of affordable housing and inadequate income—also lead to rural homelessness. One of the most important strategies in ending rural homelessness is prevention.
This brief provides a detailed overview of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act that was included in the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which was signed into law on May 20, 2009 by President Obama. The document explains the legislation's background, provides details on its provisions, and discusses the ramifications of the bill's language for implementation and application procedures.