Record High Homelessness in America as Rents Soar

Homelessness in America Reaches Record High

According to federal officials, homelessness in America reached a new record earlier this year, primarily due to a significant increase in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time.

A recent report revealed that thousands of Americans have joined the ranks of the unhoused population over the past year. This surge can be attributed to the expiration of pandemic programs, such as the eviction moratorium, as well as rising rental costs. Additionally, the termination of COVID-era aid, including the expanded Child Tax Credit, stimulus checks, and other forms of support, has resulted in a sharp spike in poverty. Notably, the poverty rate among children has doubled, highlighting the severity of the issue.

For more information, you can read the full report here.

Homelessness in America

"Homelessness is solvable and should not exist in the United States," said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge in a statement. "This data underscores the urgent need for support for proven solutions and strategies that help people quickly exit homelessness and that prevent homelessness in the first place."

Homelessness in America

The U.S. had been making steady progress until recent years in reducing the homeless population as the government focused particularly on increasing investments to get veterans into housing. The number of homeless people dropped from about 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017.

But the post-pandemic years have delivered a financial double-whammy that has hit vulnerable Americans particularly hard. For one, government supports that helped people weather the economic turmoil of the pandemic drew to an end, cutting off funds and protections.

Secondly, rents have surged, pushing cost burdens for renters to their highest recorded level, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. Almost 9 in 10 low-income households with incomes below $15,000 spent more than 30% of their income on housing in 2021, the analysis found.

Generally, housing is considered unaffordable if it edges higher than one-third of a household's income.

How many are homeless in America?

About 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness during the January snapshot.

Homelessness in the U.S.

The overall rise in homelessness in the United States has been significant. Among individuals, there has been an increase of nearly 11%. For veterans, the rise is 7.4%, and for families with children, it is 15.5%.

Despite making up only 13% of the U.S. population, people who identify as Black account for 37% of all people experiencing homelessness. Additionally, more than a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness are over the age of 54.

Here are the five states that have seen the biggest increase in their unhoused population over the past year: