What Makes People Feel at Home? Reframing Home and Homelessness Through Stories From Seattle's Tent City 3

Abstract

This is an exploration of “home” in pursuit of a better understanding of “homelessness”. While the literature on home and homelessness reveals various perspectives, social integration was considered most relevant for this research. “Houselessness” and “homelessness” are distinct concepts. The houseless are characterized as being “unsettled”, occupying spaces not considered rightfully theirs, and being “othered”. The meaning of “home” is questioned and scrutinized through personal stories from Tent City 3, a houseless encampment in Seattle. An interpretation of the stories revealed that (1) human connection is the core factor in a sense of home, (2) homelessness is a condition independent of housing, and (3) people can be in flux between home and homelessness. The research proposes moving from “ending homelessness” to “making people feel at home” and presents the Home Framework, which can serve as a guide for approaches to houselessness, planning and policy of the built environment, and manifestations of global migration.