According to government officials, the U.S. has seen a more than 18% rise in its homelessness population over the past year, attributed to high housing costs, natural disasters, and increased migration to major cities.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported on Friday that a survey conducted one night in January 2024 revealed over 770,000 people were either in shelters, temporary housing, or without any shelter at all.
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This marks a 12% increase from the prior year and represents the highest count since the federal government initiated an annual assessment of homelessness in 2007.
However, this number may underestimate the true situation, as it excludes those temporarily residing with family and friends.
Authorities emphasized that the data is nearly a year old, and both rental prices and the situation at the U.S. border have evolved since the survey was conducted.
Overall, family homelessness increased by 39% from the previous year, with a more than twofold rise in 13 locations impacted by migration.
This contrasts with over 370 other local areas that did not report being affected by migration, where family homelessness increased by less than 8% on average.
Children under 18 saw the most significant rise, with nearly 150,000 experiencing homelessness on the night of the survey, while the homeless population aged 65 or older grew by 6%.
The report also highlighted some positive trends. Homelessness among military veterans decreased by 8%, continuing a long-term downward trend, and some cities managed to move homeless residents off the streets.
Los Angeles, known for its high housing costs, experienced a 5% reduction in homelessness, marking its first decrease in seven years, according to HUD officials.
In Dallas, the number of homeless individuals dropped by 16% over two years, while Chester County, near Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, saw a 60% decrease over five years due to legal and educational programs, increased affordable housing, and homelessness prevention efforts targeting migrant workers, officials reported.
Some local authorities reported that an influx of asylum seekers contributed to the higher figures.
In recent years, record numbers have attempted to enter the U.S., and starting in late 2022, Republican governors in Texas and Florida transported tens of thousands of migrants to Democrat-controlled cities like New York, Chicago, and Denver, where many were housed in temporary shelters.
The report noted that illegal border crossings have declined by over 60% since the January homelessness count, with encounters at the border at their lowest level since July 2020. Authorities in several major cities have started closing migrant shelters.
Additionally, the survey was taken after a period of rent increases, but rents have stabilized or even decreased in many cities since January.
Natural disasters also contributed to the high numbers.
The count included over 5,200 people staying in emergency shelters in Hawaii, following the devastating wildfires in Maui in August 2023.
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