Homeless crisis hits record high: Over 770,000 in USA
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 attributed to the lack of affordable housing available to average-earning Americans.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that the number of homeless people in the USA exceeded 770,000, which is the highest figure ever recorded. Data collected in January 2024 indicates an increase of over 18 percent. A year earlier, there were more than 650,000 homeless individuals.
Adrianne Todman, the head of HUD, identifies several factors contributing to the rise in homelessness. These include a lack of affordable housing, high inflation, wage stagnation, and increasing immigration. This issue particularly impacts families with children, where there has been a nearly 40 percent increase in homelessness.
Causes of the rise in homelessness in the USA. Cities attempt to combat this phenomenon
Despite the overall increase, some cities have successfully reduced 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, followed by New York, Washington, Florida, and Massachusetts.
It is common in many cities to see people lacking resources, living out in the open. Tent cities are often set up on sidewalks, in 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 represent 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.
