In musical chairs, someone always loses — not because of who they are, but because there aren't enough chairs. If there were enough affordable housing, it would be much harder to fall into homelessness, even for those most at risk.

Health challenges, job loss, domestic violence — these determine who is most vulnerable. But housing availability, affordability, and policy shape how widespread homelessness becomes in a community.

When housing shortages exist, those with the least economic and social capital fall first.

Neighboring counties can experience very different levels of homelessness. Those differences follow local housing conditions — cost of rent, availability, how markets function. Any response has to start from understanding the local system.