Part of the challenge in addressing homelessness is that many of our public conversations focus on managing the most visible effects of the crisis rather than understanding the deeper systems that keep people stuck in it. In city halls, community board meetings, and policy discussions across the country, the way we measure the problem often shapes what we believe is possible in responding to it.

Over the years, I’ve noticed something about how we tend to talk about homelessness: We want it to be simple.

We want one solution. One program. One policy. One clear fix that, if implemented well enough, would finally “solve” the problem.

I understand the impulse. Complexity is exhausting. Nuance takes time. And when human suffering is involved, we’re understandably eager for answers that feel decisive and hopeful.

But, like most things on this side of heaven, homelessness is not simple—and pretending it is often does more harm than good.