DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Let’s talk Homelessness solutions.

In 2025, homelessness in the U.S. increased compared to previous years, with the number of people experiencing homelessness reaching a record high. This increase is evident in both sheltered and unsheltered populations, and the rise is particularly noticeable when compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Key points about the increase:
Record high:
The number of people experiencing homelessness in 2025 is the highest since HUD began tracking data in 2007, according to the North American Community Hub.
Year-over-year increase:
The 2025 count shows a significant increase compared to 2024, with some areas experiencing a double-digit percentage rise.
Factors contributing to the increase:
Rising housing costs, insufficient social safety nets, and the aftermath of the pandemic are major contributing factors to the rise in homelessness.
Impact on specific populations:
While some subpopulations, like homeless youth and veterans, saw decreases in 2025, others, such as those experiencing "chronic homelessness" and families, saw increases.
Regional variations:
The increase in homelessness is not uniform across the country, with some states and cities experiencing more significant surges than others.
Undercounts:
It's important to note that point-in-time counts, which are used to track homelessness, are often considered undercounts, meaning the true number of people experiencing homelessness could be higher.

Guess nobody wants to talk about possible solutions lol. Much like the entire USA. The political leaders of our country will just continue to allow the homeless to roam our streets like zombies. Pathetic.

Nobody has an answer. Poor always with us. Church attendance down. Take care of number one. It is a huge "hidein" problem and no organization wants to address it. Food banks at churches are always going empty. I don't have an answer.

Drive around Cleveland and what you will see is one abandoned building after another. You'll see large swaths of vacant land... Homes falling down in ruin.

I'm sure its like that in other cities as well.

SO what if, with the help of the Federal Government, we take over these buildings and land and rebuild or build new buildings that would house the homeless? It's gonna cost like crazy.. Then you gotta staff them which is another nut you got to cover.

But would that solve the problem? Honestly, I doubt it completely eradicates the problem. But it might take care of the bulk of it.

That's just a thought from a lubricated mind....:) But at least it's an attempt to find a solution.

What ever happened to the poor farm? I remember growing up hearing. Keep going like this and you’ll end up on the poor farm.

I believe getting the homeless out of urban areas and into modern facilities that tackle health and welfare mental and addiction issues is a good start.

Those that just find themselves on the street because the can’t afford rent obviously need financial help and a roof to get back on their feet. Some of these people have jobs but can’t afford to get off the street.

And then we have those people that just like living on the street freeloading vandalizing store fronts and basically trashing up others property. They don't want help. This is the hardest group to deal with.

They did exist I guess.. Long long ago. They were taxpayer funded facilities.. Both in the country and urban areas. Also referred to as The Poor House!

My only guess as to what happened to them is someone had what they thought was a better idea.. Meaning being on the public dole like with welfare as such...

I guess this kinda proves what is Old is new again.....

Anyway, like I said, it was just a thought.

Say no to drugs!

I think the following would help a lot.

1. Stop spending money on other countries.
2. Stop spending money on foreign wars.
3. Reduce military spending.
4. Spend saved money on mental health reform. This is one of the most needed things. I am disgusted by the cost of mental health care in the US, even with insurance it's embarrassing.
5. Spend saved money on taking care of veterans.
6. Strict guidelines on welfare system. Can't milk the system.
7. Don't just spend money wildly. It must be focused, or else you'll end up spending like the so called "war on poverty" which is BS and the definition of bad government. Just throwing money at a problem does not fix the problem. I think it's about HOW you're trying to fix the problem and who you're working with.
8. Societal morals must return. One must be proud to earn a wage and ashamed to receive help from the government\welfare.
9. Balance the budget. Pass a law where if the president doesn't balance the budget then he\she is not allowed to run for a second term. This will hopefully cause a surplus and bring a good economy.
10. Ban all lobbying.
11. Limit membership in congress to 5 years.

Do all of that and I think you'd have sky high surpluses but they don't care. I am also very curious about the history of military spending since 1900. It seems like the amount of money we spend on the military yearly is like we're in a perpetual war when we're actually not. I find this absurd.

The reality is if there was a definitive answer we would have probably already done that.

As you said there are a certain number of people who do it by choice. I am not going to speculate on what percentage that might be or what causes that. It could be any number of reasons.

Another reality is the problem will never be totally solved. It just won't.

Education is part of the problem. I think we tend to steer everybody towards a college prep education where IMO everybody isn't suited towards college. I think by 8th grade you have a pretty good idea if a person is a serious student or not. After that is when kids zone out so to speak. Don't require those kids to take French or advanced math and science. Steer them towards trades and on job training programs. They will still have more math and science, but it will be applied math and science which will be picked up more easily if the kid is interested. Make it math associated with the skill being taught.

This will help both those who lag behind, so to speak, and the smarter kids who are sometimes held back as teachers have to spend more and more time trying to get a certain number of students in the class to meet some quota number.

Until then, I suppose just set up more tent cities with basic services available, I am not saying it has to be tents. Just using the term. Most people don't like to feel worthless so don't just make it free. Have some sort of community service programs associated to provide some sense of worth and self esteem in addition to providing some community good. What those services might be can be debated.

Another reality is there probably isn't much you can do with those locked in that cycle. The key is trying to keep more and more kids from falling in to that cycle.

Cute,, And the first step is to dismantle the Department of Education.

I don't think you are wrong about education. I just think we have a class of people that don't want an educated population. And I think that group are now running the country.

WE could learn a lot about education from Japan.

lol yeah reduce spending by passing the largest spending bill ever. Are you for real? Trump style policies help create homelessness. Like dismantling the department of Education. Under trump homelessness has grown exponentially this year. Inflation still up up up. Grocery prices up up up. Rent up up up. Tariffs making inflation worse. Prices up up up. There are people a paycheck away from becoming homeless.

And all we hear from Goper’s is nothing can be done about homelessness while they’re all backing Trump policies that help create more homeless. Pffft. Goper’s…And they won’t even try to address it. It’s pathetic. No plan = a failure to act. IMO if we’d solve homelessness we’d also solve a multitude of other issues along with it. But we won’t, because Americans in general are lazy asses.

I’d vote for this

Dismantling the DOEd is a good first step. In it's current configuration, it is totally lost. Local control is the way to go.

There still needs to be some federal oversight to see that monies given are being spent on education and certain minimum standards are being met, standards established mostly by the states.

So having 50 different education systems with 50 different standards makes sense? I guess it will make it easier for red states to push a religious, right wing agenda on their students. After all that's the real goal here.

Meaning inner city schools where the highest rate of homelessness exists will be a lot worse thanks to Trumpians policies. But collateral damage is expected right?

Um... I don't know where you are getting your information? Hud's 2025's report doesn't come out until 2026. 2024 is the latest data.

here is the link:
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2024-AHAR-Part-1.pdf


Takeaways specific to Ohio

The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, produced by The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, estimated that 11,759 Ohioans faced homelessness during the year, representing 9 in every 10,000 individuals. 80% of the homeless were sheltered. This population was made up of 3,357 people who belonged to families with children, 815 unaccompanied youth, 589 veterans, and 1,429 chronically homeless individuals. (page 92)


Reality:

I feel like there really isn't a solution to solving 100% of homelessness.

When I donated my time to help the homeless, many of the people that wanted to be chronically homeless liked the "lifestyle" and didn't really want help to rejoin the workforce. Also, unfortunately, many out of that group had mental issues that needed addressed.

Now, the people who were homeless and wanted help.... there was tons of help being given. Job fairs, food, meds, clothing, housing etc. I do think we can do more. I think if we reduced homelessness for 20-25% that would help the 80-90% who don't want to be homeless. Also, entry level jobs should be more readily available thanks to our immigration situation. The reality is the vast majority of the people who are homeless are sheltered and do not stay homeless for long periods of time. But, we can also do better and help them get out of a bad situation quicker.

I guess you missed the part where I said there would still need to be some Federal oversight to make sure that money allocated was being spent on education and minimum standards are met.

How else can Red States change the narrative about them being the worse school systems. I mean look at how they fare in overall rankings.

Are you trying to indicate that red states won't be trying to inject a religious agenda into their school systems? That what's taught in public schools from state to state may not be quite different? Education in our school systems run well beyond "reading, writing and arithmetic." ...................................

Oklahoma state superintendent announces all schools must incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments in curriculums

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/27/us/oklahoma-schools-bible-curriculum

None of which ranks states in education. This does. Rankings from 35th to 50th...............................

35 Alaska 47.31 24 49
36 Arizona 45.89 31 41
37 Idaho 44.55 29 47
38 South Carolina 44.31 38 26
39 Tennessee 43.23 40 16
40 Indiana 42.98 41 10
41 Texas 40.22 42 23
42 New Mexico 37.81 39 50
43 Alabama 36.48 44 28
44 Kentucky 35.76 45 27
45 Nevada 34.60 46 30
46 Oklahoma 32.55 43 48
47 Arkansas 30.25 47 34
48 Louisiana 28.64 48 38
49 Mississippi 26.11 49 45
50 West Virginia 24.29 50 43

https://wallethub.com/edu/e/most-educated-states/31075

Top 10 states with the best public education

Many of the top 10 states for education have a few things in common, including a 90% or higher high school graduation rate, low pupil-to-teacher ratio and high test scores. The majority of these states are also located in the Northeast.

1. Massachusetts

Massachusetts has the best public schools in the country, according to our ranking. It boasts the highest high school graduation rate in the U.S. (96.1%) and ties Connecticut for having the highest average ACT score (26.4 out of a highest possible score of 36). The national average is 19.5. Younger students in this state have proven their success in the classroom — the state has the best fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math scores in the country on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests.

These high assessment marks have allowed school officials to reward educators generously. On average, Massachusetts teachers have the third-highest teaching salary in the country, at $92,307 per year, 33% above the national average.

2. New York

New York sets a high bar for investing in students and teachers. It dedicates $33,020 in expenditures per K-12 student, which is the highest amount among states from 2022 to 2023. New York pays its teachers the second-highest teaching salaries in the country ($92,696 per year) and employs more teachers with advanced degrees (master’s degree or higher) than any other state.

Despite having one of the highest K-12 populations, New York’s student-to-teacher ratio is sixth best in the country, at 11.7 students per teacher.

3. New Jersey

The Garden State has smaller-than-average student-to-teacher ratios — with one teacher for every 11.8 students — and receives high marks in school safety. Between 2022 and 2024, New Jersey had the fourth-lowest number of gun violence incidents per 100,000 students. It also had the third-lowest number of criminal offenses on college campuses per 100,000 students in 2022.

Students in this state also perform very well on tests. For instance, New Jersey eighth graders rank first in the nation in reading assessments and score in the top 10 in both fourth-grade reading and math assessments and eighth-grade math assessments. Older students also excel, with the average ACT score in New Jersey at 24.4, about 25% above the national average.

4. Washington

Washington is the first West Coast state to appear on our top 10 list, ranking fourth in the nation for best public schools. The average ACT score of 24.5 is above the national average, and the average teacher salary in the state is the fourth highest in the country, at $86,804 per year. The Evergreen State also has the country's third-highest grant aid per student ($2,060), which is the highest in our top 10.

Katy Payne, chief communications officer for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington, told ConsumerAffairs she likes seeing her state’s continued progress. “While these ratings are just one way to measure progress, we appreciate the opportunity to see how Washington is doing compared to other states,” she said.

5. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is a great place to live if you want a good education. This Northeastern state has the second-highest high school graduation rate in the nation (95.89%), and students have an average ACT score of 23.9, which is 23% higher than the national average.

The Keystone State also has a lower-than-average student-to-teacher ratio (13.3 students per teacher) and employs an impressive number of teachers with advanced degrees.

6. Vermont

Students in Vermont have above-average SAT and ACT scores, and the state has the best student-to-teacher ratio in the U.S. (10.5 students per teacher). In addition to small classrooms, Vermont has the third-highest student expenditure in the country, $28,782 per student, which is 65% above the average from 2022 to 2023. It also has the third-highest high school graduation rate, with 94.55% of students earning a diploma.

7. Minnesota

Ranking seventh on our list, Minnesota has an excellent high school graduation rate (94.13%) and high test scores. Students in this state have the ninth-highest average SAT score in the country (1201). Also, K-12 Minnesota public schools excelled on fourth-grade and eighth-grade national math assessments.

Minnesota’s Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett told ConsumerAffairs that officials in Minnesota are focused on making the state the best place to raise a family. “A cornerstone of that commitment is ensuring every child receives a quality education, no matter their race or ZIP code,” Jett said, adding that Minnesota officials continue to invest considerably in the state’s education system.

“These include ensuring our students are well fed through free school meals, transforming the way we teach reading, building and retaining the best educator workforce, and making sure our schools are safe and nurturing places to be,” Jett stated.

8. Connecticut

Connecticut students are tied with the first-place state, Massachusetts, for having the best average ACT score in the country (26.4). The state also had the sixth-highest spending per student in the U.S. from 2022 to 2023 ($25,139), more than $7,000 above the national average.

State officials have invested the fourth-highest amount of state and local funding per college student from 2021 to 2022. Connecticut teachers enjoy small classrooms and substantial salaries ($83,400 per year), and many of them (89.6%) have an advanced degree. Lamont, the governor, stated that he’s proud of his state’s ranking.

“Much of what we are seeing in these rankings must be credited to the exemplary teachers in our state who have dedicated their careers toward improving the lives of our students. Connecticut’s strong education system is creating a workforce that is prepared with the skills and talent employers need to fill good-paying jobs,” he told ConsumerAffairs.

9. Virginia

Students in Virginia average an ACT score of 24.6, which is 26% above the nation's average. It’s also worth mentioning the state’s teacher-to-student ratio is lower than average (13.6 students per teacher), and an above-average percentage of teachers have advanced degrees (62.7%). Virginia also has a high four-year college graduation rate (69.3%) and the country's fifth-highest public college retention rate (85.9%).

10. Wisconsin

Rounding out our top 10, Wisconsin is a high-performing state in education. It has an above-average high school graduation rate (93.33%) and a lower-than-average student-to-teacher ratio — Wisconsin classrooms have 13.7 students for every teacher. Notably, the state has the fifth-best average SAT score in the country, at 1236. This is about 20% above the national average.

Wisconsin’s public four-year in-state college tuition is also 18% lower than average, costing a student an average of $9,619 per academic year. The state also has an above-average expenditure per student ($17,685) and high marks in school safety.

Ranked 41st to 50th

Florida 41.00 37.00 47.00 1.00 6.00
Louisiana 42.00 45.00 46.00 22.00 23.00
Indiana 43.00 23.00 41.00 25.00 31.00
Nevada 44.00 44.00 45.00 16.00 46.00
Arkansas 45.00 42.00 35.00 30.00 43.00
West Virginia 46.00 50.00 34.00 31.00 41.00
Idaho 47.00 21.00 48.00 39.00 3.00
Oklahoma 48.00 49.00 49.00 36.00 18.00
New Mexico 49.00 51.00 31.00 8.00 51.00
Alabama 50.00 47.00 39.00 45.00 47.00

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/movers/best-states-for-public-education.html