"Sleeping rough" is the most extreme form of homelessness.  It means living on the street or in alleys, beside garbage bins, in public spaces, sheltered over heating ducts or in any other place not meant for human habitation.  It is usually a last resort for homeless people.

Places we might find people/families sleeping rough:

• on the street
• in doorways
• in the coulees
• parks
• bus shelters
• cardboard boxes
• beside garbage dumpsters
• barns
• sheds
• garages
• vehicles
• dilapidated buildings
• under loading docks

According to the Lethbridge Homeless Census, 2006, evidence of people sleeping rough in our community has significantly increased.  On the day the census was taken, enumerators found that the numbers have nearly doubled in the past year, from 22 sightings in 2005, to 43 sightings in 2006.

Who are the people sleeping rough in our city?  This is difficult to define as the nature of street life is transient at best.  However, the Census confirms that on October 12, 2006, there were families - including children - sleeping rough in the streets of Lethbridge.

It goes without saying that sleeping rough is extremely difficult and dangerous. People sleeping rough don’t know where their next meal is coming from or where they are going to sleep that night.  There is nowhere to store or protect their belongings.  There may be nowhere to maintain personal hygiene. 

Life on the street poses many dangers, including: 

• risk of illness or death due to weather conditions
• malnourishment
• being assaulted, robbed or worse
• falling into illegal activity to obtain money