▁those ▁who ▁are ▁currently ▁or ▁have ▁lived ▁in ▁pover ty ▁in ▁the ▁past . ▁The ▁reasons ▁for ▁hom eless ness ▁can ▁be ▁character ized ▁into ▁three ▁groups : ▁those ▁who ▁lack ▁stable , ▁social ▁relationships ▁and ▁are ▁" pred is posed ▁to ▁personal ▁vulner abilities ", ▁those ▁who ▁lack ▁access ▁to ▁afford able ▁housing , ▁and ▁those ▁who ▁can ▁not ▁afford ▁or ▁receive ▁proper ▁health care . ▁Those ▁who ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁strong ▁famil ial ▁relationships ▁with ▁k ids ▁or ▁other ▁family ▁members ▁and ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁strong ▁friend ▁relationships ▁are ▁more ▁at ▁risk ▁of ▁becoming ▁hom eless ness ▁than ▁those ▁that ▁do . ▁ ▁Resources ▁in ▁the ▁community ▁ ▁To ▁assist ▁with ▁the ▁growing ▁hom eless ▁elder ly ▁population ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁several ▁programs ▁initi ated . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Urban ▁Development ▁( H UD ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁began ▁to ▁provide ▁permanent ▁housing ▁for ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁living ▁on ▁the ▁street ▁and ▁showed ▁proof ▁of ▁dis ability ▁( ment al , ▁physical ) ▁and ▁an ▁in ability ▁to ▁find ▁afford able ▁housing . ▁Many ▁local ▁and ▁national ▁organizations ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁H ear th ▁Out re ach ▁Program ▁( located ▁in ▁Boston ), ▁the ▁National ▁Co al ition ▁for ▁hom eless ness , ▁the ▁National ▁Alliance ▁to ▁End ▁Hom eless ness , ▁and ▁Justice ▁in ▁A ging ▁and ▁others , ▁seek ▁ways ▁to ▁raise ▁money ▁and ▁improve ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁the ▁elder ly ▁living ▁in ▁hom