The homelessness legislation has prompted a vast amount of litigation; its many discretionary terms are encrusted with a substantial growth of case law. This work examines the extent to which such case law affects the way in which the act is implemented by local authorities. Do government administrators take any notice of administrative law? Do courts control the behavior of local authorities? The author suggests the answer to both questions is "no", a situation which has serious implications for both the legality and legitimacy of the government process.