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

Third line down in the article.
There is alot of questions about this whole thing. We have failed miserably as a country on the mental illness problem and are not doing much better on the homlessness-but to start taking people off the streets and institutionalize them-

The Order redirects funding to ensure that individuals camping on streets and causing public disorder and that are suffering from serious mental illness or addiction are moved into treatment centers, assisted outpatient treatment, or other facilities.


Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Takes Action to End Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets
The White House
July 24, 2025
ENDING VAGRANCY AND RESTORING ORDER: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to restore order to American cities and remove vagrant individuals from our streets, redirecting federal resources toward programs that tackle substance abuse and returning to the acute necessity of civil commitment.

The Order directs the Attorney General to reverse judicial precedents and end consent decrees that limit State and local governments’ ability to commit individuals on the streets who are a risk to themselves or others.
The Order requires the Attorney General to work with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the Secretary of Transportation to prioritize grants for states and municipalities that enforce prohibitions on open illicit drug use, urban camping and loitering, and urban squatting, and track the location of sex offenders.
The Order redirects funding to ensure that individuals camping on streets and causing public disorder and that are suffering from serious mental illness or addiction are moved into treatment centers, assisted outpatient treatment, or other facilities.
The Order ensures discretionary grants for substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery do not fund drug injection sites or illicit drug use.
The Order stops sex offenders who receive homelessness assistance from being housed with children, and allows programs to exclusively house women and children.
ENSURING AMERICANS FEEL SAFE IN THEIR OWN CITIES AND TOWNS: President Trump is taking a new approach focused on protecting public safety because surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor to other citizens.

The number of individuals living on the streets in the United States on a single night during the last year of the Biden administration—274,224 —was the highest ever recorded.
The overwhelming majority of these individuals are addicted to drugs, have a mental health disorder, or both.
Federal and state governments have spent tens of billions of dollars on failed programs that address homelessness but not its root causes, leaving other citizens vulnerable to public safety threats.
Shifting these individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment is the most proven way to restore public order.
MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: President Trump is committed to ending homelessness across America.

In 2023, President Trump said: “We will use every tool, lever, and authority to get the homeless off our streets. We want to take care of them, but they have to be off our streets.”
In March 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to beautify Washington D.C., directing the National Park Service to clear all homeless encampments and graffiti on Federal lands.
In May 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the National Center for Warrior Independence, a place where homeless veterans can go to receive the care, benefits, and services to which they are entitled.
As part of First Lady Melania Trump’s BE BEST Initiative, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $1.8 million dollar investment to prevent homelessness among young Americans aging out of the foster care

This is the portion that concerned me.............

The Order directs the Attorney General to reverse judicial precedents and end consent decrees that limit State and local governments’ ability to commit individuals on the streets who are a risk to themselves or others.

I had no idea that the AG had the authority to change or reverse court decisions and decrees based on the wishes of the president.

And who is it that will be deciding whether a person is, "a risk to themselves or others"?

Yes, They are making the root causes worse or will shortly-living wage, cuts to veterans services, medicaid changes and then come out and use this as a reason to remove homelessness camps or to take people off the streets and put them in long term institutional confinement

I created a report on Homelessness’s with MSCopilot. Have a read if you care…

# Homelessness in the United States: A Comprehensive Research Report (2025)

---

## Introduction

Homelessness in the United States has reached unprecedented levels in 2024 and 2025, evolving into a multi-faceted crisis characterized by significant regional, demographic, and structural complexities. Despite decades of efforts at local, state, and federal levels, and determined action by nonprofit and advocacy organizations, systemic barriers continue to drive record numbers of individuals and families into homelessness. The root causes are deeply embedded in the nation’s economic, social, and policy fabric—most notably the persistent gap between surging housing costs and stagnating income, chronic underfunding of social safety nets, and ongoing racial and structural inequities.

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of homelessness in the U.S. as of late 2025, integrating the latest statistics, the underlying systemic causes and risk factors, evolving demographics and trends, regional variations, and critical assessments of policy responses and interventions. It considers the impacts of recent federal and state policies, the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of localities and non-governmental actors, and the growing challenges faced by specific populations—children, youth, veterans, older adults, and marginalized communities.

---

## National Homelessness Statistics (2024–2025)

### Overall Numbers and Recent Trends

Homelessness in the United States surged to its highest recorded levels in 2024, with **771,480 people** experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. This figure represents an **18% increase** from the 2023 PIT count and marks the largest annual increase since national data collection began in 2007.

Key trends and drivers include:

- **Rising housing costs** outpacing wage growth, leading to widespread housing insecurity.
- **The end of COVID-19 era pandemic supports**, such as rental assistance and eviction moratoriums, exposing millions to eviction risks and housing instability.
- **An influx of new arrivals**, including asylum seekers and migrants, straining already limited resources.
- **A widening gap** between the availability of affordable housing stock and the demand, with only 35 affordable rentals available per 100 extremely low-income households.

The vast majority of communities, covering 82% of responding Continuums of Care, saw increases in homelessness from 2023 to 2024. Millions more Americans remain on the brink, severely rent-burdened or doubling-up due to rising costs.

#### Sheltered vs. Unsheltered Populations

The 2024 PIT count found that:

- **Approximately 40%** of people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered, sleeping in vehicles, tent encampments, or other places not meant for habitation.
- **Nearly 60%** stayed in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or safe havens on the night of the count.

Recent years saw shifts as shelter capacity increased slightly, but not nearly enough to absorb demand; regions with the greatest increases often saw some of the sharpest rises in unsheltered homelessness.

#### Table: National Homelessness by Status (2024)

| Category | Number | Percentage (%) |
|-------------------------|---------------|----------------|
| Total Homeless | 771,480 | 100 |
| Sheltered | ~462,000 | 60 |
| Unsheltered | ~309,000 | 40 |
| Families with Children | 230,000+ | ~29.8 |
| Individuals | 512,000+ | ~66.4 |
| Children (under 18) | 148,238 | ~19.2 |
| Veterans | 33,000 | ~4.2 |
| Chronically Homeless | 152,585 | ~19.8 |

*Sources: HUD 2024 PIT, AHAR, National Alliance to End Homelessness*

This table underscores several important realities: individuals by far comprise most of the homeless; families with children make up a growing share, and chronic homelessness—defined as long-term or repeated homelessness coupled with disability or health challenges—is a stubborn and growing subset.

---

## Point-in-Time Count Methodology and Data

### How the PIT Count Works

HUD’s **Point-in-Time (PIT) Count** is a census of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night each January. All communities receiving HUD funding for homelessness must conduct an annual count of sheltered populations and, every other year, an unsheltered count (though many communities do both annually due to increasing need).

**PIT Count Methodology:**

- **Sheltered Population:** Counted using bed occupancy records from emergency shelters, transitional housing, and safe havens.
- **Unsheltered Population:** Enumerated through street outreach and surveys, frequently using trained volunteers, mapping locations, and person-to-person engagement.
- **Demographic & Subpopulation Data:** Surveyed for characteristics such as age, gender, race, family status, disability, and chronicity.

The PIT methodology is robust but necessarily limited; it provides a “snapshot” and likely **undercounts** the true extent of homelessness—especially for unsheltered people, individuals living doubled-up, or cycling in and out of temporary accommodations.

Despite these limitations, the PIT remains the core tracking tool for national, state, and local trends, and its findings inform AHAR (Annual Homeless Assessment Report) to Congress and drive key funding and policy decisions.

---

## Demographic Profiles of Homeless Populations

### Racial and Ethnic Disparities

Racial and ethnic disparities in homelessness are **profound and persistent**:

- **Black or African American people:** Represent 12% of the U.S. population but make up 32% of all people experiencing homelessness, though down from 37% the previous year—a decrease possibly reflecting both methodological changes and targeted interventions.
- **Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities:** Dramatically overrepresented. For instance, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have the highest homelessness rate per capita. Indigenous people experience rates 4–5 times higher than the white population.
- **White individuals:** Underrepresented relative to their overall share of the U.S. population.

Disparities are the result of historical and contemporary discrimination in housing, education, employment, wealth-building, and criminal justice, compounded by overt policies such as redlining and ongoing eviction/bias in rental markets.

### Age and Family Status

- **Children under 18:** 148,238 homeless on the 2024 PIT night—a 33% increase from 2023, and the largest jump of any age group.
- **Youth (18–25):** 205,878; studies suggest 1 in 10 young adults experience homelessness in a given year, with LGBTQ+, Black, Latino, and Native youth experiencing much higher rates.
- **Families:** Individuals in families comprise nearly 30% of the homeless, highlighted by a 39% increase in family homelessness between 2023 and 2024.
- **Single individuals:** Remain the largest group, nearly two-thirds of the total.
- **Older adults (55+):** Account for nearly 20% of the total homeless; this cohort is the fastest-growing and is expected to triple between 2017 and 2030, due to rising costs and fixed incomes.

### Gender and Intersectionality

- **Men:** Make up approximately 60% of the population experiencing homelessness.
- **Women:** Their share is rising more quickly, up 19% since 2023.
- **Gender-expansive people (transgender, nonbinary, questioning):** Face even greater challenges accessing shelter and permanent housing, experiencing increases in homelessness several times higher than cisgender peers. Recent surveys indicate that 34% of transgender people are currently in poverty, and 30% report lifetime homelessness.

### Table: Demographic Snapshot (2024 PIT)

| Demographic | % of U.S. pop. | % of Homeless Pop. |
|------------------------|----------------|---------------------|
| Black or African Am. | 12 | 32 |
| White | 57 | 45 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 19 | 28 |
| Native Am./Alaska Nat. | 1 | 3.5 |
| Native Hawaiian/PI | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| Youth (<25) | 31 | 27 |
| Children (<18) | 22 | 19 |
| Men | 49 | 60 |
| Women | 51 | 40 |
| Chronically homeless | 1+ | 19.8 |

*Sources: HUD, NAEH, CBPP, 2024 PIT Count, U.S. Census*

This table illustrates the disproportionate vulnerability of communities of color, women (with children), and gender minorities, as well as the overrepresentation of children and young adults in the homeless system.

---

## Causes and Risk Factors of Homelessness

### The Housing Affordability Crisis

The **singular, overwhelming driver** of modern homelessness is the acute shortage—and cost—of **affordable, available housing**. Research consistently demonstrates a direct, causal link between increasing rent and spikes in homelessness: for every $100 rise in median rent, homelessness rises up to **9%**.

- **As of 2024, there are only 35 deeply affordable homes for every 100 extremely low-income renters**. The number has changed little for years, as affordable housing production fails to match demand.
- **Median rent has increased 23% (inflation-adjusted) since 2001**, while renters’ median income has risen just 5% over the same period.
- More than **7.1 million households** pay half or more of their monthly income on rent (‘severe cost burden’), making them highly vulnerable to eviction or economic shock.

The **pandemic exacerbated but did not create** these dynamics. Emergency rental assistance, eviction protections, and other COVID-era relief slowed homelessness temporarily; as these measures expired, homelessness surged again.

### Employment, Income, and the Social Safety Net

- **Low wages and insufficient benefits** leave millions unable to afford housing. Over 40% of homeless individuals are employed—many at low or minimum-wage jobs that do not cover rent in any U.S. county.
- **Public benefits (TANF, SSI, SNAP) are underfunded**, with rental assistance reaching only 1 in 4 eligible households. Severely inadequate income support and stringent eligibility rules for cash or housing assistance cause high rates of instability.
- The **expiration** of enhanced unemployment payments, tax credits, and rental support in 2022–2023 left households at heightened risk.

### Systemic and Structural Factors

- **Discrimination** in housing, lending, and employment pushes marginalized communities exponentially closer to homelessness.
- **Histories of incarceration, foster care, or institutional exit:** Every year, 29% of shelter entrants come directly from these settings. Policies prohibiting tenancy for those with criminal records or recent evictions further obstruct re-entry.
- **"Doubled up" households**—those living with friends, family, or nonrelatives out of financial need—are not captured in PIT counts but represent nearly 3.2 million Americans, many of whom devolve into literal homelessness.
- **Uninsurance and health access barriers**, especially for behavioral health and substance use, contribute to instability and make it hard to exit homelessness.

### Table: Leading Causes and Risk Factors

| Factor | Description/Impact |
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Housing cost burden | Primary driver, linked to local homelessness spikes |
| Employment/income disparities | Minimum wage insufficient everywhere; stagnant incomes |
| Structural racism | Discriminatory housing, lending, and criminal justice systems |
| Exit from institutions | Discharge from jail/foster care strongly predicts first-time homelessness |
| Underfunded safety net | Housing, income, and healthcare benefits unable to meet needs |
| Health and Mental Health issues | Can precipitate loss of housing, impede reentry |
| Family/domestic violence | Leading cause for women and families |
| Immigration/asylum constraints | Work restrictions, limited resettlement or legal status |

*Sources: HUD, NAEH, USICH, CDC, National Homelessness Law Center, CBPP*

Each risk factor interacts with others, producing compounding vulnerabilities and frequently trapping individuals (and their children) in cycles of instability and marginalization.

---

## Regional Differences in Homelessness

### State-by-State Variations

Homelessness is **not distributed evenly** across the U.S.—it reflects regional housing markets, cost of living, demographic composition, and policy/funding differences.

#### Table: Top 15 States by Homeless Rate (per 10,000 population, 2024)

| Rank | State | Rate (per 10K) | Total Homeless | % Unsheltered |
|------|------------------|----------------|----------------|---------------|
| 1 | Hawaii | 80.5 | 11,637 | ~56 |
| 2 | DC | 80.0 | 5,616 | ~30 |
| 3 | New York | 79.5 | 158,019 | 3.6 |
| 4 | Oregon | 53.5 | 22,875 | 63 |
| 5 | Vermont | 53.3 | 3,458 | 19 |
| 6 | California | 47.4 | 187,084 | 66.3 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 41.1 | 29,360 | 20 |
| 8 | Washington | 39.6 | 31,554 | 55 |
| 9 | Alaska | 36.3 | 2,686 | 35 |
| 10 | Colorado | 31.4 | 18,715 | 54 |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

*Source: USAFacts, HUD 2024 PIT, World Population Review*

**California** has the highest total population experiencing homelessness (187,084 or 24% of the national total), but Hawaii and New York have the highest rates per capita. The West Coast states (CA, OR, WA), New England (MA, VT), and DC face some of the largest rates and numbers due to extremely high housing costs and strained systems.

### Urban, Suburban, and Rural Patterns

- **Urban areas** account for the bulk of the homeless population, often clustered around major city centers with severe housing shortages and high rents.
- **Suburban regions** are experiencing the fastest-growing rates, especially as housing becomes unaffordable in cities and people are displaced outward.
- **Rural areas**, while representing a smaller absolute share, have seen the largest proportional increases in chronic homelessness and are extremely reliant on federal funding and less likely to have adequate shelter beds.

### Notable Trends:

- **Fastest-growing states**: Hawaii, New York, Vermont, Oregon, Massachusetts, Colorado, Alabama, and West Virginia saw the quickest spikes in homelessness, driven by surging rent and waves of new arrivals.
- **States with decreases**: Only four states—Wyoming, Maryland, Mississippi, and Texas—saw a decrease, primarily due to policy or funding shifts, rather than underlying affordability changes.

### Regional Shelter Practices

New York and Massachusetts maintain **right-to-shelter** policies, resulting in extraordinarily high rates of sheltered homelessness and very low unsheltered rates (e.g., only 3.6% of New York’s homeless population is unsheltered), whereas California has over 66% living unsheltered. Geographic and climate factors, as well as city/state funding choices, play a significant role in these patterns.

---

## Policy Responses: Federal, State, and Local Strategies

### Federal Policy Overview

**U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH)** and HUD set national strategy via the *Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness* (2022–2025, “All In” plan), anchored in six pillars:

- Equity
- Evidence
- Collaboration
- Housing and Supports
- Homelessness Response
- Prevention

The 2022–2025 strategy aimed to **reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025**; however, recent record increases underline the gap between ambition and appropriations.

#### Key Federal Investments (FY2023–2025):

- **Homeless Assistance Grants (HUD):** Increased to $4 billion for 2025 (from $3.6B in 2023).
- **HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH):** Funding up 40%, with continued reductions in veteran homelessness (down 7.6% from 2023 to 2024, 55% decrease since 2010).
- **Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA):** Over $46 billion distributed since 2021, supporting 10 million rent/utility payments and preventing millions of evictions.
- **Emphasis on “Housing First”:** Proven approach that rapidly rehouses people without preconditions and then delivers voluntary wraparound services.

However, current funding only reaches **16% of those needing permanent housing** from shelters annually, and proposed 2026 budget changes would scale back or eliminate large programs (notably the Continuum of Care, ESG, and PSH funding), potentially returning more than a quarter-million people to homelessness.

### Housing First and Supportive Housing

**Housing First** is grounded in delivering immediate permanent housing with no sobriety or service participation requirements, paired with voluntary supports (health, behavioral health, job training). Its efficacy is well established:

- Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicate **Housing First increases long-term housing retention by 40% over treatment-first models**.
- Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) retains over 90% of residents in stable housing; cost savings accrue from reduced use of emergency and criminal justice systems.
- Notably, Housing First efforts for veterans (HUD-VASH) resulted in a 55% reduction in veteran homelessness since 2009.
- Housing First is endorsed by HUD, CDC, VA, and major researchers as “the only evidence-based approach shown to scale” for most chronic and unsheltered homelessness.

Despite strong evidence, political headwinds and recent administrative proposals threaten to shift funding away from Housing First in favor of punitive or “treatment-first” approaches—despite their lack of demonstrated effectiveness.

### Prevention, Diversion, and Upstream Strategies

Newer federal and local efforts increasingly focus on **preventing homelessness before it starts** via:

- **Eviction prevention and legal support:** Programs that fund rental arrears, provide legal counsel, and mediate landlord-tenant disputes have been highly successful.
- **Flexible cash assistance** and direct financial interventions show promise—Denver's Basic Income Project found monthly stipends reduced homelessness among recipients.
- **Cross-system discharge planning** (e.g., from jail, foster care, hospitals) helps disrupt the entry into homelessness cycles.
- **Coordinated entry and diversion programs** prioritize low-barrier, rapid placement into housing or family reunification whenever possible.

However, funding for these measures remains inconsistent and often limited by local capacity or restrictive eligibility.

### Encampments, Criminalization, and Harm Reduction

As unsheltered homelessness swells, local governments have increasingly turned to **encampment sweeps, criminalization, and exclusionary laws**:

- Dozens of states and cities have enacted or considered bans on urban camping, panhandling, or food sharing, often accompanied by fines, arrest, and forced removal of encampments.
- Studies and CDC guidance agree: criminalizing homelessness **exacerbates trauma, increases barriers to housing, and diverts vast resources away from evidence-based solutions**.
- **Encampment closures** without providing adequate alternative housing have been linked to increased hospitalizations, loss of medication/ID, worsened health, and further inefficacy.
- Some city-level alternatives (e.g., Atlanta’s PAD, Denver’s managed encampments, and SF’s navigation centers) employ “housing command” models, outreach, and clear housing pathways.

Federal and public health agencies, including USICH and CDC, emphasize dismantling encampments *only when* low-barrier, supportive housing is immediately available—and call for an end to criminalization except in cases of immediate health or environmental hazard.

---

## Nonprofit and Advocacy Initiatives

Nonprofit organizations, advocacy coalitions, and philanthropic funders play a *critical role* in both direct service and policy innovation nationwide:

- The **National Alliance to End Homelessness** provides technical assistance, research, and policy advocacy for evidence-based strategies.
- **Local Continuums of Care (CoCs)**, numbering over 400, coordinate funding, outreach, and placement in every region, often integrating housing, health, and employment services.
- Specialized providers serve veterans (e.g., VA-assisted programs), youth (Chapin Hall, True Colors United), families (Family Promise), formerly incarcerated people, and the chronically ill—often leveraging private donations and targeted grants.
- **Lawsuits and policy campaigns**: Organizations like the National Homelessness Law Center litigate for the rights of unhoused people, challenge discriminatory or criminalizing policies, and promote tenant protections.

Best practice demonstrators, such as the VA/HUD veteran model and scaled PSH in cities like Houston or Salt Lake City, reveal the power—and the imperative—of consistent investment coupled with system-wide coordination.

---

## Health, Behavioral Health, and Integration

The intersection of **homelessness and health** is acute and bi-directional: people experiencing homelessness are far likelier to suffer from chronic disease, mental health disorders, and substance use, but these conditions are *exacerbated* by—rather than driving—homelessness as a structural issue.

**Key integration strategies:**

- **Medicaid expansion and waivers:** Some states leverage Medicaid to fund case management, tenancy support, and behavioral health for homeless populations, but coverage remains inconsistent.
- **Health Care for the Homeless (HCH), Social Services Block Grant, and targeted grants** fund primary, urgent, and behavioral health care; but the scale remains far below demand, and most clinics report significant shortages.

Studies consistently find that integrating behavioral health, addiction treatment, and care navigation into housing interventions produces markedly higher retention, better health, and lower system costs. However, barriers such as workforce shortages, stigma, ineligibility, and funding gaps persist.

---

## Youth, Family, and Marginalized Populations

Special attention is warranted for groups experiencing unique vulnerabilities:

- **Youth:** Black, Latino, LGBTQ+, gender-expansive, and foster youth experience much higher rates. Up to 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+. Aging out of foster care remains highly correlated with first-time homelessness.
- **Families:** Family homelessness is rising quickly after pandemic-era gains; women (especially single mothers), survivors of domestic violence, and children of color carry disproportionate risk.
- **Veterans:** By contrast, targeted programs have sharply reduced veteran homelessness; this demonstrates the success of sustained, population-specific investment and Housing First commitments.

**Intersectionality**—the overlapping effects of racism, sexism, transphobia, ableism, and poverty—greatly compound risk, and current system structures are only beginning to track and address these complicated realities.

---

## COVID-19 Impact and Emerging Trends

COVID-19 revealed both **system gaps and system resilience**:

- **Eviction moratoriums, Emergency Rental Assistance, and expanded tax credits** held homelessness largely in check through 2021–22. Once these efforts lapsed in 2023, PIT counts and first-time homelessness spiked.
- **Shelter capacity temporarily fell** due to infection control requirements, but now lags far behind demand; in some cities, only a fraction of those seeking beds are accommodated.
- **Health risks and care gaps** were amplified; homeless populations are older, sicker, and faced above-average rates of COVID-19 infection and adverse outcomes.
- The *compounding effects* of disasters—heat waves, wildfires, hurricanes—are disproportionally hard on unsheltered people.

**Recent Supreme Court decisions** (Grants Pass v. Johnson, 2024) now allow stricter enforcement against encampments even if no shelter is available, intensifying the ethical and practical dilemma for communities.

---

## Funding and Cost Analysis

### Cost-Efficiency of Solutions

- **Housing First and permanent supportive housing save public money**, primarily by reducing ER, jail, and shelter system use. For example, providing permanent housing is estimated to be less costly than emergency responses over time, with studies finding annual savings of up to $10,000 per person.
- **Current spending**: The U.S. spends less than $4 billion per year in homeless assistance grants, compared to the estimated $9.6 billion needed to provide permanent housing to every shelter user annually.
- **Preventive investment** (cash assistance, rental support, eviction legal aid) is the most cost-effective approach, yet remains the least funded area.
- **Criminalization and encampment sweeps** are estimated to cost 2–3 times more than providing housing and voluntary services.

### Funding Crisis

Proposed federal cuts would eliminate or restructure the principal funding sources (Continuums of Care, ESG, PSH, HOPWA, Emergency Housing Vouchers), risking the effective collapse of the existing emergency and long-term response system and returning hundreds of thousands to homelessness.

---

## Policy Debates, Barriers, and Ways Forward

### Ongoing Challenges

- **Funding instability**—Federal and state support is inconsistent and increasingly politicized, with proposed FY2026 cuts threatening to unravel years of progress.
- **Criminalization vs. evidence-based response**—Despite broad consensus, criminalization is growing. Legal and health authorities confirm its ineffectiveness and harm.
- **Service and shelter capacity cannot keep up**—Each year, hundreds of thousands newly experience homelessness; current systems only rehouse or shelter a fraction.
- **Data and measurement gaps**—Undercounting, lack of intersectional data, and limited tracking for doubled-up, rural, or hidden homeless populations obscure the true scope.

### Strategies for Improvement

- **Scale up investment**: Expand deep rental assistance and invest in affordable housing stock; move toward universal rental assistance for extremely low-income households.
- **Sustain and expand Housing First**: Maintain evidence-based approaches, resisting punitive or mandatory-treatment models unless backed by strong evidence.
- **Remove regulatory and eligibility barriers**: Streamline documentation, eligibility, and voucher use; ban source-of-income discrimination.
- **Integrate prevention and diversion**: Fund eviction prevention, targeted cash programs, legal aid, and upstream identification of at-risk households.
- **Leverage Medicaid and health funding**: Support tenancy, behavioral health, and case management—especially in states that expand Medicaid and cover supportive services.
- **Advance racial justice and equity**: Tailor interventions to overrepresented communities, enforce anti-discrimination provisions, and collect data on intersectional impacts.
- **Emphasize service navigation and workforce investment**: Train and pay front-line staff at sustainable levels, integrate peer navigation and community partnership.
- **Respond to encampments humanely**: Offer shelter and permanent housing as alternatives, involve people with lived experience in response and design.

---

## Conclusion

The American homelessness crisis is not intractable, but its resolution demands **political will, sustained investment, and unwavering commitment to evidence-based solutions**, particularly Housing First and comprehensive prevention strategies. Past progress—such as the dramatic reduction of veteran homelessness and pandemic-era eviction protections—demonstrates what is possible with meaningful resources and coordination. Yet, recent trends emphasize that systemic failings and funding shortfalls continue to push the crisis out of reach.

To truly end homelessness, the U.S. must close the housing affordability gap, dramatically expand rental assistance and permanent housing, dismantle structural and racial barriers, and ensure fully funded, coordinated response systems at every level. The research is clear: *America knows how to end homelessness—it is a question of choosing to do so*.

---

**Key Takeaways**

- Homelessness has reached **record levels (771,480)**, with the crisis driven by the shortage and cost of affordable housing.
- **Systemic inequities**, especially racial and economic, profoundly shape who experiences homelessness.
- **Housing First and supportive housing** are proven, cost-effective solutions; criminalization and punitive responses are damaging and ineffective.
- **Federal funding remains woefully insufficient**; proposed cuts would devastate the safety net and service system.
- Scaling targeted, evidence-based interventions and prevention, especially for the most marginalized, is both urgent and feasible if political and policy priorities realign.

---

**For ongoing statistics, state-level dashboards, and emerging research, visit:**

- National Alliance to End Homelessness: [https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/](https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/)
- HUD Exchange Homelessness Data: [https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/hdx/pit-hic/](https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/hdx/pit-hic/)
- USICH Federal Strategic Plan: [https://www.usich.gov/federal-strategic-plan/prevent-homelessness]()
- CDC Homelessness and Health: [https://www.cdc.gov/homelessness-and-health/about/index.html]()
- CBPP: [https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/policymakers-can-solve-homelessness-by-scaling-up-proven-solutions-rental](https://www.cbpp.org/research/housi...ss-by-scaling-up-proven-solutions-rental)

---

**This report integrates analysis from HUD reports, NAEH data, USICH strategy documents, peer-reviewed research, CDC health publications, and advocates such as the National Homelessness Law Center and major universities, ensuring the broadest and most credible coverage possible of the U.S. homelessness crisis as it stands in October 2025.**

What sort of dumb ass response is this?

A response that only people with the ability to engage their brain can understand.

Not a reply to you in general, but that "report" PS posted is useless.

Who the heck is going to read all of that?

To the question, there probably isn't a singular solution, if any at all. Maybe identify what causes homelessness, then try to address those issues.

Drugs and addiction are a big part of it. Maybe we should start sinking drug boats flooding our shores....wait...hmmmm.

All of two short paragraphs? That must make reading an entire article a monumental task. Point being I know many people may not agree with it but it's easy to understand. I will say when you dismantle the department of education and start teaching "selective history" it does nothing to keep standard education on a national level. Even when I went to school, depending on which state you moved to my area from you would be set back a grade when moving to my school district.

In relations to "drug boats" I understand the rule of law no longer applies in the minds of some people but let's visit that for just a moment. First there has been no actual evidence provided that these are "drug boats". Only one of them seemed fairly obvious it probably was. All of the others are based on "because I said so".

Secondly trump is basing his authority to blow them up as an "armed conflict". The problem with that is they aren't firing at us. To have an armed conflict requires someone engaging with you by using arms. Drug dealing is a crime that is handled in a court. Not an armed conflict where it's legal to just blow people out of the water. I know, just minor details, right?