Despite its historical presence in this country and around the world, homelessness was not addressed on a federal level in the United States until the 1980s, and only one piece of enacted legislation has been devoted solely to addressing homelessness. Investigating the political climate and the incremental steps necessary to induce federal action allows one to understand the government’s response to this vulnerable population. This article details the events that precipitated the signing into law of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act by Ronald Reagan in 1987.