'If a bird can have a nest and a fox can have a den, then why can't the sen of man have a roof over his head?' In 1984, the American government allowed an abandoned building near Capitol Hill in Washington to be used as a shelter. Despite being nearly derelict, the building soon housed 800 homeless people. But a series of bureaucratic delays prevented the building being restored and led ultimately to an eviction notice. The four-year battle against the Government was to bring the plight of the homeless to national attention. The campaign was led by Mitch Snyder , a dedicated but awkward figure prepared to risk his life in the struggle.