The U.S. homeless population increased 18.1% this year, reaching a record level, but the dramatic increase is largely due to a lack of affordable housing, as well as catastrophic natural disasters and some areas of the country. due to a surge in migrants, federal officials announced Friday.
More than 770,000 people were counted as homeless in a federally mandated count nationwide on one night in January 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced in a new report. This estimate likely underestimates the number of unhoused people, given that it does not include people who are staying with friends and family because they have no place to live. be.
That jump is 12% increase in 2023HUD blamed rising rent costs and the end of pandemic aid. The increase in 2023 was also driven by people experiencing homelessness for the first time.
In the years following the pandemic, vulnerable Americans have been hit hard as many government aids have been cut off. Eviction suspension. At the same time, housing costs are soaring, with record numbers of renters feeling cost-burdened or paying more than 30% of their income on housing, according to Harvard University’s Joint Housing Research Center.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness, a nonprofit organization focused on preventing and ending homelessness, said in a post about the HUD report that “More people than ever need help paying rent. . More people than ever are experiencing homelessness for the first time.”
Overall, this figure equates to 23 people per 10,000 people in the United States, making Black people overrepresented in the homeless population.
“No American should face homelessness,” HUD Secretary Adrian Todman said in a statement, adding that the focus should remain on “evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness.” .
However, the statement added that the report is based on data collected almost a year ago and may not accurately represent the current situation. For example, illegal border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border I declined this yearafter immigration fears soared to an all-time high under President Joe Biden, peaking at 250,000 in December 2024.
Increase in family homelessness
One of the most alarming trends was a nearly 40% increase in family homelessness. This region is one of the areas most affected by the influx of immigrants into large cities. Thirteen immigrant-impacted communities, including Denver, Chicago and New York City, more than doubled the number of homeless families, while the remaining 373 communities experienced an increase of less than 8%, according to HUD.
Nearly 150,000 children will experience homelessness on any given night in 2024, a 33% increase from last year.
Disasters are also contributing to the increase, particularly last year’s devastating Maui wildfire, which became the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than 100 years. On the night of the count, more than 5,200 people were staying in emergency shelters in Hawaii.
“The rise in homelessness is increasing the need for resources and protection to help people find and maintain safe and affordable housing,” Lenny Willis, incoming interim CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement. “This is a tragic but predictable outcome of a lack of investment.” “As advocates, researchers and experts warn, the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to rise as more people struggle to pay exorbitant housing costs.”
Prohibition of camping
The numbers also come as more communities are taking tougher stances on homelessness.
Angered by the prevalence of dangerous and dirty tent camping, some communities, particularly in western states, are enforcing camping bans. This follows a 6-3 Supreme Court decision last year that ruled that bans on outdoor sleeping do not violate the Eighth Amendment. Homeless advocates argued that punishing people who need a place to sleep would criminalize homelessness.
There was some good news in the tally, as the number of homeless veterans continues to trend downward. The number of homeless veterans decreased by 8% to 32,882 in 2024. The decline in unsheltered veterans was even greater, dropping 11% to 13,851 in 2024.
“Decreasing veteran homelessness provides a clear roadmap for addressing homelessness on a larger scale,” Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said in a statement. . “With bipartisan support, sufficient funding, and smart policy solutions, we can replicate this success and reduce homelessness across the country.” Federal investment is essential to ensuring people have access to safe and stable housing.”
Cities where homelessness is decreasing
Some large cities have succeeded in reducing the number of homeless people. Dallas, which undertook an overhaul of its homeless system, saw its numbers drop by 16% between 2022 and 2024. Los Angeles, which has increased housing for homeless people, has seen a 5% decline in the number of unsheltered homeless people since 2023.
California, the most populous state in the United States, continues to have the largest homeless population in the country, followed by New York, Washington, Florida, and Massachusetts.
The rapid increase in the homeless population over the past two years stands in contrast to the success the United States has had for more than a decade.
Going back to the first study in 2007, the United States made steady progress in reducing the homeless population for about a decade as the government focused on increasing investment to provide housing, especially for veterans. The number of homeless people decreased from about 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017.