US Homelessness : An Introduction to a Multifaceted Issue

Homelessness in the United States is a really complicated problem with a long and difficult past. While it has always been around to some extent, it has gotten much worse and more noticeable in recent years. To truly help people experiencing homelessness, we need to understand what causes it, how bad it is now, and what we can do to make it better.

Reasons of US Homelessness 

There are many reasons why people end up without a home, and it’s often a mix of things. Poverty is a big one, but it’s not the only reason.

• Finding a place to live can be really tough: Rent is going up, but many people’s wages aren’t keeping up. This makes it hard for people with low incomes to find a place they can actually afford.
• Mental health and addiction can make things harder: When someone is struggling with mental health issues or addiction, it can be really challenging to hold a job and keep a roof over their head.
• Escaping abuse can be dangerous: People fleeing domestic violence situations might find themselves without a safe place to go.
• Life throws curve balls: Losing a job or facing unexpected financial problems can quickly put someone at risk of losing their home.
• Sadly, some people face extra barriers: People of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups often face discrimination that makes it harder for them to find housing and get the help they need.

What raised US Homelessness

Homelessness has always been an issue in the US, but it’s gotten much worse in recent years. Here are a few reasons:

• Changes in mental health care: In the past, many people with mental health conditions lived in institutions. When these institutions closed down, many people ended up on the streets without the support they needed.
• Cuts to help programs: Programs that help people in need, like those that provide housing assistance or financial support, have been cut back. This makes it harder for people struggling to make ends meet to keep a roof over their heads.
• The gap between the rich and poor is growing: The rich are getting richer, while many people are struggling to get by. This makes it harder for people with low incomes to afford basic things like rent and food.

Current state of US Homelessness

A new Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) which outlines the key findings of the Point-In-Time (PIT) count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) conducted in January 2024 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shows that over 7,71,480 people were living in shelters or on the streets in January. That’s a huge increase – 18% more than last year, which was already a big jump from the year before. This is the highest number of homeless people since the government started tracking this data in 2007.

Key Findings of the AHAR 2024 Report

• The number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024 was the highest ever
  recorded. A total of 771,480 people – or about 23 of every 10,000 people in the United States –
  experienced homelessness in an emergency shelter, safe haven, transitional housing program, or in
  unsheltered locations across the country. Several factors likely contributed to this historically high
  number. Our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among
  middle- and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched
  homelessness services systems to their limits. Additional public health crises, natural disasters that
  displaced people from their homes, rising numbers of people immigrating to the U.S., and the end to
  homelessness prevention programs put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the end of the expanded child tax credit, have exacerbated this already stressed system.
• Nearly all populations reached record levels. Homelessness among people in families with children,
  individuals, individuals with chronic patterns of homelessness, people staying in unsheltered locations,
  people staying in sheltered locations, and unaccompanied youth all reached the highest recorded numbers in 2024.
• People in families with children had the largest single year increase in homelessness. Between 2023
  and 2024, 39 percent more people in families with children experienced homelessness. Overall, the
  number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 18 percent.
• Nearly 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, reflecting a 33 percent
  increase (or 32,618 more children) over 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, children (under the age of 18)
  were the age group that experienced the largest increase in homelessness.
• Veterans were the only population to report continued declines in homelessness. Between 2023 and
  2024, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by eight percent, or 2,692 fewer
  veterans. The number of veterans experiencing homelessness has declined by 55 percent since data
  collection about veteran homelessness began in 2009. The declines in sheltered and unsheltered
  experiences of homelessness were similar, (56% and 54%). These declines are the result of targeted and
  sustained funding to reduce veteran homelessness.
• About one in every five people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024 was age 55 or
  older. More than 104,000 people experiencing homelessness were aged 55 to 64, and just over 42,150
  people were over age 64. Nearly half of adults aged 55 or older (46%) were experiencing unsheltered
  homelessness in places not meant for human habitation.

Vide earlier report of The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on a single night in 2020, over 580,000 people were homeless.

Homelessness is a really serious issue in big cities, where it’s expensive to live and hard to find affordable places to rent. But it’s important to remember that people become homeless everywhere, not just in cities. It’s a problem that affects individuals and families across the country.

Impact of Homelessness in United States

Homelessness takes a huge toll on people’s lives and our communities.

• For individuals: Life on the streets is incredibly tough. People experiencing homelessness often struggle with mental health issues, addiction, and serious health problems. It’s also hard to get an education or find a job when you don’t have a stable place to live.
• For our communities: Homelessness puts a strain on our resources and can make neighborhoods feel unsafe. The presence of people living on the streets can be concerning for everyone, including the homeless population themselves.

Supreme Court Ruling on Homelessness

On June 28, 2024, Supreme Court while hearing the City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, uphold Grants Pass’s law that criminalizes sleeping outside and thereby forces all such people to leave the city or face fines and jail time.