For most homeless, the move from 'the street' back to permanent housing consists of 4 distinct steps:

1. Immediate, temporary 'off the street' shelter;

2. Longer term shelter with no 'graduation' requirements;

3. 'Transitional' shelter which provides social services—supposedly a path to permanent housing; and

4. Permanent independent housing.

These steps are slippery, awkward, and dangerous as proven by the moldering souls of the many who could not successfully navigate them.

S.H.E.L.T.E.R. has chosen to concentrate on the first two steps. As people wait for weeks—even months—to enter 'transitional' shelter programs, we will work to provide them safe overnight refuge in individual modular shelters or at a centrally-located drop-in center.

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