Claimsmakers and Contexts in Early Constructions of Homelessness: A Comparison of New York City and Washington,D.C.

This study compares the emergence of homelessness as a “new” social problem from 1977 through 1981 in New York City and Washington, D.C. The two cases illustrate a comparative constructionist method that analyzes evolving claimsmaking activities, the context in which they were embedded, and the interplay between claimsmaking and context. The method aided in identifying why homelessness became primarily a problem of deficient and pathological individuals requiring rehabilitation rather than a problem of poverty and inadequate housing. Resources at stake in New York caused city‐ and state‐level government officials, who advocated a medicalized view, to become central claimsmakers. This typification eventually became dominant nationally. Washington's lack of similar resources allowed advocates framing homelessness as a problem of social justice to take the lead. This proved to be a less durable typification. Both groups were also embedded in different relevant histories and cultures, which also influenced claims‐making and its resonance with the public.