Homelessness is more common than you think.

When you picture homelessness, who comes to mind?

For many Americans, it's someone living on the street. But that picture leaves out many people experiencing homelessness.

"People have conflated homelessness with visible mentally illness... and visible substance use. And that really does not explain most of American homelessness," said BHHI Director Dr. Margot Kushel MD in a recent conversation on NPR's "It's Been a Minute."

The conversation between Brittany Luse, and Molly Richard was sparked by a Real Housewives of Rhode Island debate over whether living with family after losing your housing counts as homelessness.

When we define homelessness too narrowly, we overlook people living in cars, couch surfing, or squeezed into overcrowded housing. As housing costs outpace incomes, more people are being pushed into these situations. Understanding the full spectrum of homelessness is essential to designing solutions that match the scale of the housing crisis.

Listen on NPR's It's Been a Minute Podcast

-Produced by