People Experiencing Homelessness
Approximately 580,000 U.S. Americans are homeless, and around 110,000 are experiencing chronic homelessness. Additionally, veterans make up roughly 40,000 and unaccompanied youths make up around 34,000 people who are homeless. At least 20 people experiencing homelessness die every day in the U.S., and in 2020, close to 8,000 homeless people lost their lives, a number that increased in 2019 and 2018. Thirty-eight percent of homeless people are physically challenged, 25% have mental illness, and the average life expectancy of a homeless individual is only 50 years.
From 2010 to 2017, the United States witnessed an increase in homelessness for the first time in seven years, reaching over half a million people. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated homelessness in the U.S. Most shelters closed their doors creating a void in social support to aid the crisis. This upward trend contributes to a breakdown in quality of life over time. For example, families with children make up 30 percent of the homeless population and there the number of homeless students has also increased. The homeless population often faces lack of access to quality health care, nutrition, and treatment regimens, leaving them vulnerable to poor health outcomes. Although the homeless population in the U.S. is diverse, there is evidence of inequalities among subgroups. Homelessness risk in the U.S. is linked to race, ethnicity, and gender. Males are more likely to experience homelessness compared to females and the number of people from the LGBTQ+ population is on the rise. Although white people make up the highest percentage of the homeless population in the U.S. by race, most minority groups—especially Black and Indigenous people—experience homelessness at higher rates than white people. The most striking disparity can be found among Black people, who represent 13% of the general population but account for 37% of people experiencing homelessness.
The homeless population is more at risk for poor mental health, and as a result more police encounters leading to arrest. This victimizes homeless people and prevents them from experiencing re-entry to society. All of these factors can create despair and can lead to substance abuse over time. The rise of homelessness is caused in part by stagnant wages, unemployment, lack of affordable housing, lack of affordable healthcare, poverty, lack of mental health and addiction treatment services, racial inequality, domestic violence, family conflict, and systemic failures.
Communities can work to prevent and decrease homelessness by using proactive screening of populations at heightened risk of homelessness, investing in eviction prevention programs, and advocating for permanent deep rental property subsidies. Homeless people often rely on emergency rooms for healthcare services, which is a financial burden on the system—mobile and street clinics in cities most in need can be implemented at the systems level to help alleviate the burden of health care cost. Other solutions include increasing access and awareness of public health services, access to medical care, health insurance coverage.
Resources & Tools
District of Columbia B24-0941: Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Amendment Act of 2022
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
The Long Road Home: Decreasing Barriers to Public Housing for People With Criminal Records
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Published on 04/30/2016
National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth and Families
Resource
Brought to you by Family and Youth Services Bureau
The Long Road Home: Decreasing Barriers to Public Housing for People With Criminal Records
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Data Sharing Helps Reduce the Number of Homeless Veterans
Resource
Brought to you by The Pew Charitable Trusts
A Perfect Storm: Extreme Weather as an Affordable Housing Crisis Multiplier
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Center for American Progress
Ending Veteran Homelessness Map
Resource - Map
Brought to you by National Alliance to End Homelessness
Pathways to Partnership: Early Childhood
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by SchoolHouse Connection
Deeper Dives for Schools: Practical Strategies to Serve Young Children Experiencing Homelessness
Resource - Fact Sheet
Brought to you by SchoolHouse Connection
Los Angeles Homeless Initiative
Resource - Fact Sheet
Brought to you by American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences
Indiana SB 464: Homeless Children and Youths
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Charlotte Area Transit System Blue Line Extension
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Published on 06/30/2015
Neenah-Menasha Sewerage Commission Biosolids Storage Facility
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Measure H: Preventing and Reducing Homelessness in Los Angeles County
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Published on 02/01/2017
Crosswalk of Key Federally-funded Child and Youth Homeless Contacts
Resource
Brought to you by US HUD
Metro Westside Subway Extension (Wilshire Corridor)
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Published on 01/01/2012
Five Steps to End Veteran Homelessness
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by National Alliance to End Homelessness
Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse Project
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Published on 12/31/2008
Promising Practices for Counting Youth Experiencing Homelessness in the Point-in-Time Counts
Resource
Brought to you by US HUD
Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses: Emerging Evidence as of Late 2018
Resource - Report
Brought to you by US HUD
Guidance for Domestic Violence Partners and CoCs on Participating in the PIT Count
Resource
Brought to you by US HUD
Replacing Public Housing Units Destroyed by Hurricane Ike
Resource - Assessment
Brought to you by Health Impact Project
Downtown Women’s Center: A Journey Towards a Trauma-Informed Community
Story - Written
Brought to you by Community Commons
Prescription for Housing? California Wants Medicaid to Cover 6 Months of Rent
Story - Written
Brought to you by KHN
Hotel Rooms for the Homeless Change Health Outcomes Beyond COVID
Story - Written
Brought to you by Shelterforce
Homeless at Starbucks: Why the Coffee Chain is Bringing in Outreach Workers
Story - Written
Brought to you by The Guardian
One WA School District Helped Homeless Students Graduate. Can Others?
Story - Written
Brought to you by The Seattle Times
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