After the stock marked crashed, the homeless rate of US citizens sky-rocketed. Famine spread throughout the mid-west during the 'dust-bowl' which caused many residents to flock to other parts of the country, namely California. Hoovervilles, which were set up cities of the homeless popped up around most major cities as people searched for jobs. Often, after arriving in an area with promise of jobs that had already been taken people would work for next to nothing because that is all the work anyone could offer them.