State of Homelessness 2021 Edition

State of Homelessnes: 2021 Edition The current report is based on the nationwide Point-in-Time Count conducted in January 2020, a few weeks prior to the national emergency declaration of COVID-19. As a result, none of the changes brought about by the crisis are reflected in the data. This study instead depicts America's homelessness situation right before a once-in-a-lifetime event upended the established quo. The Basics The United States had 580,466 homeless people as of January 2020. Seventy percent were individuals, and the remaining persons were members of families with children. They represented the variety of our nation and resided in all states and territories. Particular populations. Historically, particular subpopulations have received particular attention from practitioners and politicians at all levels of government. Because of their vulnerability, decision-makers frequently worry about children and young people. Thirty percent of homeless people are part of households with children. Young people under 25 who are unaccompanied make up 6% of the whole group. Another category that is frequently singled out for attention is those who are "chronic homeless." In addition to having disabilities, these people have either 1) been homeless continuously for a year or 2) been homeless at least four times in the previous three years for a total duration of at least a year. Currently, 19 percent of the homeless population is chronically homeless. Lastly, veterans are frequently examined apart from the general population because of their service to our nation. Just 6% of those who are homeless are represented by them. Populations that are most vulnerable. Some subgroups are more prone to experience homelessness than others, despite the fact that the homeless community is diverse. Race, ethnicity, and gender all have a substantial impact on risk. Compared to women, men are much more likely to be homeless. There are 22 homeless males for every 10,000. 13 is the number for girls and women. Focusing exclusively on individual adults (the most important segment within homelessness) reveals gender differences even more. Seventy percent are men, the vast majority. A significant predictor is race. Historically marginalized populations are more likely to face disadvantages in the housing and homelessness domains, as is the case with so many other aspects of American society. greater rates of homelessness among persons of color are probably caused by a number of variables, including greater incarceration rates, poorer earnings, higher unemployment rates, and limited access to healthcare. More than a quarter of a million white people are homeless, making them the largest racial group in terms of numbers. Yet, due to a variety of factors, including discrimination in housing and employment and segregation, historically marginalized ethnic groups are much more likely to become homeless. The highest rate of homelessness is among Pacific Islanders, including Native Hawaiians (109 per 10,000). 1 Black or African American people (52 out of 10,000) and Native Americans (45 out of 10,000) also have higher rates. It's important to note that these rates are significantly higher than the national average of 18 out of 10,000 homeless people. Homeless without shelter. Numerous individuals in need are served by the country's network of makeshift shelters. Some people still sleep in places that aren't typically meant for it, such parks, sidewalks, subway trains, and cars. These individuals are seen especially susceptible because of their lack of safety and exposure to the weather, among other factors. Most homeless people (61 percent) get shelter through homelessness services and systems. Nonetheless, there is a great deal of variance among subgroups. For instance, systems of homeless services frequently prioritize children. Since only 10% of unsheltered persons live in households with children, families with children are therefore the least likely to be unsheltered. But access to resources is different for young people who do not live with their families—50% of unaccompanied homeless kids are not sheltered. Those who are homeless all by themselves are especially at risk. The majority (51 percent) reside in areas that are not intended for human habitation. Sixty-six percent of people who are homeless are chronically homeless, making them the most likely to be in these situations. COVID-19 Effects. The last time comprehensive national-level data on homelessness was gathered was in January 2020, before to the declaration of COVID-19 as a national emergency. Therefore, this analysis does not account for changes in homelessness that might have resulted from actions taken to combat COVID or from high unemployment rates associated with the recession or the pandemic. Likewise, information about resources for homeless individuals was gathered shortly before the crisis hit. Before the pandemic, however, this data gives an idea of how ready homeless agencies were to handle a possible surge of new homeless individuals. Unfortunately, the 2021 unsheltered population count was hampered by health issues related to COVID-19. There will therefore be a sizable gap in the knowledge now accessible on homelessness as data on this group won't be completely updated until late 2022 or early 2023. Trends in Homelessness The number of homeless people nationally rose by 2% between 2019 and 2020. This shift represents incremental population growth for the fourth consecutive year. Prior to the start of the current trend, homelessness had mostly been declining, down in eight of the nine years. There hasn't been much progress. Just 10% fewer persons were homeless in 2020 than in 2007 (the first year of national data gathering). Regretfully, the current recession and COVID-19 might be making things worse. COVID-19, high unemployment rates, and mass evictions could negate or erase the progress accomplished by people who are trying to end homelessness. Uneven advancement. Although there has been little general progress in eradicating homelessness, there is a great deal of variance within subgroups. There have been notable declines in the numbers of some. Veterans serve as a prime illustration of these cuts. As of right now, 82 municipalities and three states have declared that they have eradicated homelessness among veterans, demonstrating that systems are able to guarantee that homelessness is uncommon, temporary, and one-time. Since 2007, there has been a 39% decline in veteran homelessness nationwide. The number of homeless families with children has also declined, falling by 27% since 2007. Additionally, chronic individual homelessness has decreased by 35% prior to a recent reversal of the trend. Veterans, those with families, and those who are homeless for an extended period of time may have had larger declines in numbers than the total homeless population for a variety of reasons. Certain subpopulations have received more attention and/or funding because they have been given priority by stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels. However, outcomes are also influenced by circumstances outside the control of homeless treatment agencies. Ultimately, these segments demonstrate that large decreases in homelessness are both feasible and have happened. While some groups, including veterans, have seen significant advancements, others—mostly single adults—have not. Over the years, the number of homeless people has stayed constant, declining by just 1% between 2007 and 2020. While the majority of veterans and those experiencing chronic homelessness are classified as "individuals," most people do not fit into any of these divisions. Traditionally, resources and special attention have not been directed toward individual homeless people who are not veterans or who are experiencing chronic homelessness. Even more concerning is the rapid erosion of the substantial progress that those who are chronically homeless have made in recent years. As previously mentioned, this group's size had drastically shrunk prior to 2016. But their numbers have increased by 43 percent since that year. Homelessness Without Shelter Is Increasing. Unsheltered homelessness has generally been on the decline since data on homelessness began to be gathered. It fell by over a third by 2015. That trend has, however, reversed throughout the past five years. The number of people without shelter has increased by 30%, substantially erasing gains made in the last ten years. Today, there are almost as many individuals living without shelter as there were in 2007. Nearly every significant segment is impacted by the trend of rising unsheltered population, including individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, and most age categories. During the present spike, the only demographic to experience a general decline in unsheltered homelessness is children (those under the age of 18). Locating Homelessness In America, putting an end to homelessness is a continuous issue. However, each state and municipality faces a different level of difficulty. Homelessness might be significantly reduced by identifying the places that are facing the biggest obstacles and focusing more attention and perhaps more resources there. Counts and rates are the two methods used to assess geographic variances. It matters. It is instructive to look at the jurisdictions with the highest rates of homelessness. In general, many also have the largest populations. California, for instance, has the highest number of homeless individuals in the country despite having the greatest population. Likewise, the most densely populated big cities (such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle) and Balance of State CoCs (which include many towns and cities) have the highest rates of homelessness. Five states (California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Washington) account for 57% of the homeless population. The twenty-five CoCs contain half of them. Thus, a small number of locations with high rates of homelessness account for a sizable portion of this nationwide issue. In the meantime, the number of homeless people in most localities is quite modest. This ought to influence the way the issue is resolved. Prices. One method for figuring out what homelessness is is to look at the number of homeless people. Contextualizing them gives the narrative depth. For instance, if 100,000 people were homeless in California (a state with over 39 million residents), it would be a significantly less difficult situation than if 100,000 people were homeless in Wyoming (a state with about 575,000 residents). Therefore, comparing the homeless population to the overall population is useful. Homelessness rates differ greatly throughout the nation. For instance, with one homeless person per 10,000 residents, the northeast Oklahoma CoC has the lowest rate in the nation. In contrast, California's Humboldt County CoC has the highest rate of homelessness, with 126 homeless individuals per 10,000. The cost of housing is highest in many of the states and CoCs with the highest homelessness rates. For instance, San Francisco has the highest housing wage in the country (the amount of money required to rent an apartment) and the fourth-highest rate of homelessness in the nation. Homelessness is impacted in these jurisdictions because low-income individuals have a hard time finding and maintaining affordable homes. Poverty rates are significant in other jurisdictions with high homelessness rates. For instance, CoCs with the highest rates of homelessness in the nation, such as Imperial City and Humboldt in California, are at the top of the ranking list above. Additionally, more than 20% of their whole population lives in poverty. Although housing expenses are generally modest in these areas, many residents are struggling financially, with some becoming homeless as a result. Knowing Homelessness in a Certain Jurisdiction. Comparing their data to that of other jurisdictions can help them understand how serious their problems are. For example, the jurisdictions with the greatest rates of homelessness (the proportion of the population that is homeless) will be aware that they are actually facing more difficulties than other regions of the nation. Finding optimal practices that merit replication can also be facilitated by comparisons. Take the case of CoC A, which chooses to contrast itself with CoC B, a jurisdiction that shares similar traits. CoC A is likely to look for reasons for the disparity if it finds out that its rate of homelessness is much greater. CoC A might discover that CoC B's strategy for obtaining housing placements is especially successful. CoC A can make comparable gains by putting CoC B's best practices into practice. Homeless Assistance in America The resources available to the country's homeless services institutions are insufficient to adequately address the needs of all those who are homeless. Examining the tough choices individuals have to make, such as how much of their meager resources should go toward temporary vs permanent housing, is therefore beneficial. Short-term housing. CoCs expanded their total number of beds in year-round temporary housing (Emergency Shelter, Safe Haven, and Transitional Housing) for the first time in five years. There were 2% more of these beds in January 2020 than the year before. Additionally, the overall number of beds during the year was 11% fewer than the highest number ever recorded in 2013. An overview of the scope of homeless services systems at the national level is instructive. The conditions in each community are different. Over time, however, systems were able to provide a year-round bed to 100% of families (with a surplus of approximately 18,000 beds) but only 50% of individuals. Some municipalities periodically add seasonal beds to these year-round beds throughout the winter. As a result, they could be able to assist more clients during that time of year. Unfortunately, a large number of individuals lack shelter and sleep on streets, in buildings that have been abandoned, or in other places that are not intended for human habitation. Individual adults usually find it difficult to be unsheltered, but some families with children also face same challenges. January 2020 conditions are reflected in the current data. Access to temporary housing services was disrupted by the pandemic. The CDC's social distancing guidelines frequently resulted in more room between beds, which reduced the number of beds available in institutions that were already in place. People were able to separate themselves from others by creating new beds in noncongregate places, mostly hotels and motels. The pandemic's effects on offerings in 2021 and beyond, as well as the year's net bed gains and losses, are still uncertain. Long-term housing. There has been a decrease in the supply of temporary accommodation for CoCs in recent years. Nonetheless, they continuously raise funding for beds in permanent housing (Rapid Re-Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Others). These kinds of beds increased by 20% in the past five years. These figures show a change in the priorities of policy. Instead of letting individuals stay in shelters and unsheltered areas indefinitely, there has been a greater focus in recent years on finding them accommodation as soon as feasible. Over the previous five years, 46 states and the District of Columbia have added more permanent housing beds to this trend. Permanent housing currently accounts for 58% of all homeless system beds. Congress allocated billions of new dollars to initiatives through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the CARES Act of 2020 that should increase the number of individuals and families in permanent homes. Notably, they approved $5 billion for Emergency Housing Vouchers, $4 billion for the Emergency Solutions Grant program, and $5 billion for the HOME program, which provides affordable housing development, rental assistance, and other services. As a result, permanent housing assignments ought to keep increasing in 2020, 2021, and perhaps beyond. Typical types of support. Emergency shelters (32 percent of system beds) and permanent supportive housing (40 percent of system beds) are the most prevalent types of homeless assistance in the country. Rapid Re-Housing and "Other Permanent Housing" (permanent housing other than Rapid Re-Housing or Permanent Supportive Housing) have been the fastest-growing types of support during the past five years. The former grew by 104 percent and the latter by 105 percent throughout that time. Transitional housing is the only kind of intervention that has seen a decrease. Compared to 2007, there are 56% fewer beds in this category. Recent years have seen a decline in the total supply of temporary housing, which can be attributed to this change. It also represents the official objective of accelerating the number of persons placed in permanent homes. Indicators of Risk Approximately 34 million Americans, or 10.5% of the total population, are living in poverty. They consequently find it difficult to pay essential needs like housing. 6.3 million households in the United States spent more than half of their income on housing in 2019, indicating a substantial housing expense burden. This was the fifth consecutive year that the size of this group has declined. However, compared to 2007, when the country started tracking homelessness data, the number of severely cost-burdened American households is still 10% greater. Another indicator of housing stress is "doubling up," which refers to sharing someone else's residence for financial reasons. An estimated 3.7 million persons experienced these circumstances in 2019. Some families and individuals who are doubled up are at danger of homelessness because they have strained relationships with their hosts or deal with other difficulties at home. Although the number of doubled-up individuals has been declining over the past six years, it is still 3% greater than it was in 2007. The country has failed to make significant strides in lowering the number of Americans at danger of homelessness over a span of more than ten years. These difficulties are actually a little more difficult. The accompanying chart's trend lines indicate that home prices have skyrocketed and that numbers have doubled since 2007. The fact that the accessible data existed before the COVID19 health and economic crises is even more concerning. Housing costs may be rising and more people may be in double-up situations as a result of reduced work hours and high unemployment during the recession. States' data on those at risk of homelessness varied significantly, even prior to the epidemic. Data at the national level, which has been depressing, can conceal far more serious issues in particular regions of the nation. For instance, households in Connecticut and Hawaii that are severely burdened by housing costs have increased by 36% and 35%, respectively, since 2007— figures that are considerably higher than the national average. In the same time frame, the population of Florida increased by 65 percent and that of Idaho by 102 percent. The effects of the present recession and responsive policies have differed across the nation, which has made matters more complicated. Regional disparities in at-risk housing variables may therefore be evolving. Sources and Methodology Annual point-in-time (PIT) counts by Continuums of Care (CoCs) to determine the number of homeless individuals on a particular night serve as the basis for data on homelessness. January 2020 counts are the most recent. HUD Exchange offers point-in-time data from 2007 until 2020. Homelessness rates are calculated by comparing point-in-time counts with population estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program at the state, county, and municipal levels (Population and Housing Unit Estimates data tables, 2019 version). The American Community Survey 5-year Data (2019 edition) from the Census Bureau is used to calculate rates for racial, ethnic, and gender demographic categories. Every year, CoCs publish point-in-time counts and data on homeless assistance, or the number of beds available in homeless services programs on a specific night. The Housing Inventory Count (HIC), which is also accessible on HUD Exchange for the years 2007 through 2020, compiles these statistics. The National Alliance to End Homelessness analyzed the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates to determine which populations were at risk. families that pay 50% or more of their entire household income for housing rent and whose total income is below the appropriate poverty criterion are considered poor renter families with a significant housing cost burden. Poverty for individuals living in doubles is determined by the household's income and composition in relation to the poverty thresholds. If an adult child (18 years of age or older) is not enrolled in school, married, and/or has children, a sibling, a parent or parent-in-law, an adult grandchild who is not enrolled in school, a grandchild who belongs to a subfamily, a son or daughter-in-law, another relative, or any non-relative, they are all considered to be living doubled up.