New federal data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reveals that the number of homeless people in the United States has reached an all-time high, with over 653,000 recorded cases this year.
According to HUD, the data marks a 12 percent increase since 2022, posting both the biggest increase and the highest tally since the U.S. first recorded comparable data in 2007.
New York City alone witnessed a 42 percent increase, reaching the highest number of recorded cases of homelessness in one local jurisdiction with over 88,000. Los Angeles County came in at a close second with 71,320 reported cases, a nearly 10 percent increase. These two major metropolitan areas alone accounted for nearly one-fourth of the homeless population recorded early this year.
The data also reveals a 12 percent increase in individuals classified as chronically homeless, with two-thirds of them being unsheltered. The number of homeless adults aged 54 and older also rose, reflecting a growing "silver tsunami" as the youngest baby boomers reach retirement age. Meanwhile, unaccompanied youth and families with children facing homelessness both rose by 15 percent in the latest count.
Moreover, the influx of migrants into shelters, particularly in New York City, Massachusetts and Chicago, further compounded the cases of homelessness among Hispanic or Latino populations, which contributed to the 55 percent increase between 2022 and 2023.
Homelessness among veterans, which had seen progress in recent years, only posted a seven percent increase between the 2022 and 2023 counts. Some regions, including Sonoma County, California, Dallas, Texas and and Newark, New Jersey, even reported a drop in homelessness.
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Rising home prices, cost of living crisis contributing to homelessness
Federal officials associate the surge in homelessness with soaring housing costs, a shortage of affordable housing units, the opioid epidemic and the expiration of pandemic-era aid programs.
Marion McFadden, the principal deputy assistant secretary for community planning and development at HUD, highlighted the confluence of a challenging rental market, historically low vacancy rates and the conclusion of pandemic-related housing programs as primary contributors to the homelessness crisis.
Stephanie Southworth and Sara Brallier of Coastal Carolina University have delved deep into the homelessness crisis through their book titled "Homelessness in the 21st Century." The two professors interviewed approximately 200 homeless people in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to underscore a series of contributing factors to homelessness.
"The rising cost of housing, coupled with escalating expenses like insurance and taxes, is causing more people to experience homelessness. The 'American Dream,' once attainable, is slipping further out of reach," Southworth explained.
The researchers highlighted how the problem of not having affordable housing is connected to other issues such as insufficient access to healthcare, a dearth of living-wage jobs and inadequate public transportation.
They also talked about how homeless people are sometimes treated like criminals for small things, like sleeping in public places. This can lead to them having a criminal record, which makes it harder for them to find a job and makes the cycle of homelessness continue.
Meanwhile, Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness pointed out the cyclical nature of the problem.
"The problem is that for every person who exits homelessness, another becomes homeless," Olivet said.
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Watch this episode of the "Health Ranger Report" from last year wherein Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, correctly predicts how giant homeless encampments are set to explode across the United States.
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