There Is No Place For Us is a deeply reported and emotionally resonant work of journalism that exposes the dramatic rise of the “working homeless” in America’s cities, focusing particularly on Atlanta. Brian Goldstone follows the lives of five families—Maurice and Natalia, Kara, Britt, Michelle, and Celeste—each of whom, despite working tirelessly, cannot secure stable housing due to skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages, and inadequate tenant protections. These families are emblematic of a new, invisible class of Americans: people who work full-time yet are forced to live in cars, extended-stay motels, or with friends, falling through the cracks of official homelessness statistics356.
Goldstone’s narrative is both intimate and expansive, weaving personal stories with rigorous research. He shows how, for some, a single traumatic event—such as domestic violence or a house fire—can trigger a rapid descent into housing insecurity, while for others, the decline is gradual, the result of being priced out of neighborhoods and unable to keep up with rising costs2. The book details how bureaucratic inefficiencies, gentrification, and the lack of affordable housing options further entrench these families in precarious situations3.
Through novelistic portraits, Goldstone humanizes the statistics, following parents and children as they navigate daily life—working, attending school, and searching for stability—while facing the constant threat of displacement. The book critiques the narrow definitions of homelessness used by policymakers, arguing that the true scope of the crisis is vastly undercounted and misunderstood23. Goldstone ultimately contends that the American Dream has become a cruel illusion for many, and that meaningful change will only come when housing is recognized as a fundamental human right156.
Humanizing the Crisis: Goldstone excels at portraying his subjects with dignity and depth, transforming abstract statistics into compelling, fully realized portraits of families caught in impossible circumstances36.
Rigorous Reporting: The book is meticulously researched, integrating broader social and economic context with individual experiences to expose the systemic failures behind the crisis3.
Narrative Power: Goldstone’s prose balances journalistic precision with emotional resonance, making the national crisis of homelessness both understandable and deeply felt31.
Broader Social Analysis: The book connects individual struggles to larger issues—rising rents, stagnant wages, ineffective social services, and the impact of gentrification—demonstrating that homelessness is a predictable outcome of policy choices, not personal failings35.
Emotional Weight: Some readers may find the unrelenting focus on hardship overwhelming, as the stories are often heartbreaking and the scale of the problem daunting3.
Scope: While the book’s focus on Atlanta provides depth, it may leave readers wanting a broader geographic perspective on the crisis nationwide.
The Reality of the “Working Homeless”: The book dispels myths about homelessness, showing that many affected are employed, often in multiple jobs, yet still cannot afford stable housing236.
Systemic Causes: Readers gain insight into how policy failures, economic inequality, and social service gaps contribute to housing insecurity, challenging the notion that homelessness is solely a result of personal choices35.
The Human Cost: Goldstone’s storytelling fosters empathy and a deeper understanding of the daily realities faced by families living on the edge, highlighting the resilience and aspirations of those affected31.
Call to Action: The book argues for treating housing as a fundamental human right and urges readers to recognize the urgency of systemic reform to address this hidden crisis56.
In sum, There Is No Place For Us is a powerful, eye-opening account that not only documents the lives of the working homeless but also calls for a societal reckoning with the failures that have allowed such a crisis to persist in one of the world’s wealthiest nations136.