Record homelessness levels highlight housing crisis in US
The number of homeless people in the USA has risen to over 770,000 individuals, marking the highest level in history. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the increase in these grim statistics is due to the lack of affordable housing available to average-earning Americans.
The American Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that the number of homeless people in the USA exceeded 770,000, the highest figure in history. Data collected in January 2024 indicates an increase of over 18 percent. A year earlier, there were more than 650,000 homeless individuals.
The head of HUD, Adrianne Todman, points to several factors contributing to the rise in homelessness. These include a lack of affordable housing, high inflation, wage stagnation, and increasing immigration. This problem particularly affects families with children, where a nearly 40 percent increase in homelessness has been recorded.
Causes of the rise in homelessness in the USA. Cities attempt to combat this phenomenon
Despite the overall increase, some cities have achieved success in reducing the number of homeless individuals. Dallas and Los Angeles managed to decrease the number of people without shelter by 16 and 5 percent, respectively.
California remains the state with the largest homeless population. It is followed by New York, Washington, Florida, and Massachusetts.
It is common in many cities to see people lacking means, living out in the open. Tent cities are often set up on city sidewalks and squares, under bridges, and in parks.
According to data published by HUD on Friday, a total of 771,480 people (about 23 per 10,000 people in the USA) experienced homelessness. Black individuals, who made up 12 percent of the total U.S. population and 21 percent of the U.S. population living in poverty, comprise 32 percent of all individuals experiencing homelessness.
"Our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits," wrote the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
