New Report: Homelessness increased in last year

Posted by on August 31, 2009

HUD: 22% increase in number of homeless families in US

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced in its 4th Annual Homeless Assessment Report that there has been a huge increase in the number of homeless families served by shelters in the US.

http://www.hudhre.info/documents/4thHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf

In the report, HUD shows 159,142 families, up from 130,968 families in the prior year, spent at least one night in a shelter, an increase of 30,000.

An summary of the HUD report prepared by the People’s Emergency Center says, however, that the data gives an incomplete picture.

PEC says that the survey does not count individuals and families temporarily staying with others, or living at their own expense in motels. Individuals and families in these dire circumstances are viewed by HUD as housed, to be considered homeless only when they enter emergency housing.

Also, because the new data is nearly a year old, it does not appear to fully reflect the impact of the economic and foreclosure crises from October 2008 to the present. Nonetheless, PEC says, the data is important as it indicates trends that are expected to inform future public policy and budgeting decisions.

To read PEC’s summary, click here.

http://www.pec-cares.org/clientfolders/pdf/4th_annual_homeless_assesment_report_to_congress_bg_08_2009.pdf