20 June 2024

Winifred Makawa, MSN, BSN, RN

In our great nation, homelessness continues to be on the rise with every passing year. The statistics can not only be overwhelming but also sad, considering the many governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations that exist to tackle this huge problem. According to the 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), the year 2023 saw the greatest number of people experiencing homelessness since HUD started the report in 2007, with the cessation of pandemic-era support measures homelessness rates have increased nationwide. Homeless individuals are those who do not have permanent housing and include people who stay in shelters or safe havens, those who are unsheltered such as people who live outdoors, in cars, etc., and those who stay with family, friends or acquaintances for a period longer than 14 days (USA Facts, 2024).

Per the report, over 70% of the nation’s homeless population consists of adult individuals. The remaining 30% comprises the special populations of families and unaccompanied minors (AHAR, 2023). For some time, there has been a downward trend of both individuals and families that are experiencing homelessness. However, between 2022 and 2023, there has been a 16% rise in families that are experiencing homelessness. The research shows that this is likely due to the cessation of pandemic-era support measures. Unaccompanied youth is a particularly vulnerable population that is not immune to homelessness. They comprise 22% of single homeless individuals under 25 years old, with a 15% increase between 2022 and 2023, according to the report. Again, this 15% increase is most likely linked to the loss of pandemic-era safeguards.

Veteran homelessness is 52% lower in 2023 than in 2009, which is the baseline comparison year. Although veteran homeless rates are higher than in the total population, 22 out of 10,000, the trend is promising for this population.

While in many countries around the world statistics on homelessness are largely unavailable. However, we do see from statistics in some developing nations that homelessness is a global phenomenon not unique to the USA. For example, the highest rates for lifetime homelessness were as follows: the UK, 7.7%; the United States, 6.2%; Italy, 4.0%; Belgium, 3.4%; and Germany, 2.4% (Toro et al., 2007). However, the problem in the USA seems to be our nation’s devotion to quick fixes. Our society is used to finding fast solutions for many problems, but solving homelessness requires time, dedication, and long-lasting initiatives. Many programs and organizations believe in a “housing first” policy for solving the homeless crisis, but a lot of people who become housed through such programs quickly end up homeless again due to the many issues underlying their homelessness that are not being adequately addressed (Powell, 2024).

Another reason the USA is unable to halt homelessness is politics. Initiatives by one administration get either de-funded, significantly underfunded, or outright terminated with the next. Therefore, initiatives are not sustained for a duration long enough to actually improve the nation’s homeless crisis. The data demonstrate that countries with more robust social services typically have lower rates of homelessness than the USA (Powell, 2024). But since the state of social services in our nation is tied to current administrations, it is no wonder we see fluctuations over the years in homelessness statistics across states.

Although homelessness in general is increasing, there are ways to alleviate this problem. Governmental and non-governmental organizations should address the root problem of what is causing individuals or families to be homeless and enact long-term initiatives to tackle the issue. It is also advisable to compare notes with other countries to pull success stories from a variety of sources to discover solutions. For certain populations, such as families and veterans, the future looks better than before, which demonstrates that our country’s homelessness rates can indeed be significantly decelerated if not completely eliminated. 

 

References 

AHAR, Fact Sheet: 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Dec 1, 2023. Web, accessed 6.9.24, available: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUD_No_23_278_4.pdf

HUD Releases 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report. National Low Income Housing Coalition. Dec 18, 2023. Web, accessed 6.9.24, available: https://nlihc.org/resource/hud-releases-2023-annual-homeless-assessment-report#:~:text=HUD%20released%20on%20December%2015,70%2C650%20more%20people)%20from%202022

Powell, A. Why it’s so hard to end homelessness in America. The Harvard Gazette. January 24, 2024. Web, accessed 6.9.24, available: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/01/why-its-so-hard-to-end-homelessness-in-america/

Toro, P.A. , Tompsett, C.J., Lombardo, S., Philippot, P., Nachtergael, H., Galand, B., … Harvey, K. (2007). Homelessness in Europe and the United States: A Comparison of Prevalence and Public Opinion. Journal of Social Issues 63: 505-524. Web, accessed 6.9.24, available: https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/homelessness-europe-and-united-states-comparison-prevalence-and-public-opinion#:~:text=The%20highest%20rates%20for%20lifetime,%25)%20and%20Belgium%20(3.4%25).

USA Facts, How many homeless people are in the US? What does the data miss? USA Facts. March 28, 2024. Web, accessed 6.9.24, available: https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-homeless-people-are-in-the-us-what-does-the-data-miss/#:~:text=The%20total%20homeless%20population%20was,health%20care%20and%20economic%20opportunity.