Homeless in America
Homeless is a broad term that encompasses a range of situations, from people sleeping in public places such as parks and transit stations to those living on the streets or in their cars. It also includes those staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing and other supportive services. Those who are homeless often have limited or no access to permanent affordable housing and may be without steady income, employment, or a social support system.
People can slip into homelessness for many reasons, including natural disasters and wars, and loss of job, income or health. It can also be triggered by a set of circumstances such as domestic abuse, addiction and mental illness. Homelessness can affect families, children, women and men of all ages and races, with different experiences and needs.
Many people in the United States who are homeless are “chronically houseless,” meaning that they have been without a home for at least a year or longer. Some individuals experience episodic or seasonal homelessness, staying in shelters for a few days or weeks at a time and moving between other types of accommodations like family or friends’ homes, motels and transitional housing programs. A small number of individuals and families are considered “severely rent burdened” or “cash-flow poor,” which means that they spend more than half their monthly income on rent, including utilities. A change in income or expenses—reduced hours at work, an unexpected medical or repair bill, or higher rent—can cause a household to lose its roof and become homeless.
The homelessness problem became more visible in the late 20th century due to a confluence of events such as gentrification, deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, high unemployment, the emergence of HIV/AIDS and severe budget cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other social service agencies. During this period, the typical person experiencing homelessness was disproportionately older and male, and resided in cheap hotels and flophouses in urban areas such as Skid Row. By the 1980s, however, many shelters began to serve women and families with children, a group that would continue to grow as forces such as recession, AIDS, and the disintegration of family structures continued to change the face of homelessness in America.
Today, individuals and families are experiencing a record level of homelessness in the United States. While some communities have achieved significant housing stability gains, the majority of local homeless systems are at or above capacity and struggling to serve their communities. To improve upon past efforts, new solutions are needed to address the underlying issues that drive homelessness and help people quickly move to stable housing, when possible. This requires community leadership, a deep understanding of the barriers and obstacles that prevent housing stability, and innovative strategies to bring people into permanent housing as quickly as possible.