The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines homelessness as:

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• People who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in an emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided for up to 90 days and were in a shelter or a place not meant for human habitation immediately prior to entering that institution.
   

• People who are losing their primary nighttime residence, which may include a motel or hotel or a doubled up situation, within 14 days and lack resources or support networks to remain
  in housing. 
   

• Families and children or unaccompanied youth who are
  unstably housed and likely to continue in that state.  This applies
  to families with children or unaccompanied youth who have not
  had a lease or ownership interest in a housing unit in the last
  60 or more days, have had two or more moves in the last 60 days,
  and who are likely to continue to be unstably housed because of a
  disability or multiple barriers to employment.