More specific terminology can go a long way toward clarifying the kind of homelessness someone is experiencing. Farha noted that some people could be chronically homeless-homeless for more than a year-or just experiencing it episodically, falling into homelessness for only a month or so, even just couch surfing.

The other issue with finding the right terminology is that homelessness is different to every person experiencing it. Article 25 of the document states “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” Farha, who served as the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to housing from 2014 to 2020, said that in her work in international legal fields, homeless is the appropriate term as it goes back to language in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, the terminology is important in legal matters, according to Leilani Farha, global director of the housing initiative The Shift. She added that unhoused seems to be used more generally along the West Coast compared to the East Coast, where homeless is more common.

“People said as long as they’re being described with respect, they kind of don’t care.”

“We’ve had conversations with some members who were previously homeless about what term they prefer: homeless person versus unhoused versus person experiencing homelessness,” Routhier said.

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