COVID-19 and the State of Homelessness

COVID-19 and the State of Homelessness The global COVID-19 pandemic struck when the Homeless Research Institute (HRI) was preparing The State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition. The report's progress was affected, just like in countless other minor parts of the planet. More importantly, though, its topic gained new significance: the statistics under consideration call for heightened awareness of the homeless services systems in the present. The State of Homelessness monitors the country's efforts to eradicate homelessness. It draws attention to local, state-wide, and national trends. The ability of agencies to aid everyone in need is examined, as well as populations and subpopulations. According to the Alliance's analysis, the country already had a sizable homeless population prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, and its systems were underfunded to serve them all. These conditions make it difficult to handle not only a health crisis but also an economic catastrophe that may lead to significant new rises in homelessness. Homelessness on the Rise According to the country-wide Point-in-Time (PiT) Count, homelessness has increased for three consecutive years. This rise means that there are more people to manage during a health crisis —567,715 homeless persons to screen, test, track, socially remove, and quarantine. Even in an era of low unemployment, recent yearly population growth indicates that eradicating homelessness in America will continue to be difficult. COVID-19 makes things much more complicated. Predictions for homelessness are rising at a quick pace in tandem with unemployment; according to one expert, throughout the course of the year, around 250,000 new people might join this already expanding community. Too Many People Left Out in the Cold Systems could not provide for all homeless people before the current crisis. Permanent housing options have been helping more people, yet over 200,000 people—mostly adults living alone—remain homeless. According to the State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition, in 2019, providers could only give an emergency shelter bed to one out of every two homeless people. The health effects of COVID-19 are instantly apparent. Shelters may be overcrowded due to a lack of resources. Distancing oneself from others can be challenging, if not impossible. People without shelter don't always have access to hand sanitizers, soap, and water, which can stop the infection from spreading. Additionally, it is more difficult to find work and leave homelessness as a result of the worsening economic situation. Emergency services, which were already failing to fulfill the requirements of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness years before the crisis started, will be further burdened by anticipated increases in the number of homeless persons. Racial and Ethnic Disparities Data on homelessness from 2019 and previous years shows that there are inequalities in society as a whole. Over the course of the previous year, 17 out of every 10,000 Americans were homeless. For groups like Latinx people (22 out of 10,000) and Black Americans (55 out of 10,000), the numbers were higher. These populations are at risk financially. In addition to being less prepared to withstand the storms of the recession, Black and Latinx individuals are generally more likely to be among the working poor, near poor, and unemployed. Compared to the national average of 37%, 58% of Black and Latinx individuals are liquid asset poor, meaning they do not have enough money or savings to live at the poverty level for three months. Such vulnerabilities raise concerns that a major economic crisis could worsen alreadyexisting racial and ethnic inequities among those experiencing homelessness, even though the exact relationship between these vulnerabilities and eventual homelessness is unclear. Large Populations of People Vulnerable to COVID-19 People with health issues and older persons are also covered in The State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition. Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the former group was predicted to continue growing, and it has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Meanwhile, among the country's already substantial unsheltered population, health issues have been overwhelmingly prevalent. The health issues for homeless assistance systems are substantial since the CDC has determined that individuals with pre-existing medical disorders and the elderly are especially susceptible to developing severe COVID-19-related illnesses. Service providers across the nation have the burden of keeping an eye on the health of these vulnerable groups as well as finding and preserving healthy housing placements for them. Looking to the Future HRI will continue to analyze available data in the upcoming weeks, months, and maybe years to ascertain the true impact of these COVID-19-related issues on people and systems. In 2021, the state of homelessness might seem very different. Nonetheless, the Alliance is optimistic that information such as those found in the State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition will keep shedding light on issues and guiding the path to solutions that aim to lessen group inequities, unhealthy living conditions, and homelessness.