2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congree

Posted by on July 13, 2009

Federal report emphasizes family homelessness

New research published by the US Dept. of Housing & Urban Development indicates the need for greater emphasis on family homelessness in federal funding for homeless services.

The 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report finds that, between 2007 and 2008, the number of sheltered homeless individuals remained virtually the same while the number of homeless families seeking shelter increased by 9% overall, and by nearly 56% in suburban and rural areas.

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

To get a better sense of the homelessness picture, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan has announced the Homeless Pulse Project, a new program that will begin measuring homelessness on a quarterly basis to gain a better sense of the impact of the current economic crisis on homelessness.

http://www.hudhre.info/documents/HomelessnessPulseProjectJul09.pdf

“The annual report tells us a great deal but it also begs many questions about how today’s housing crisis and job losses are playing out in our shelters and on our streets,” says Secretary Donovan.

“The administration’s aggressive approach to economic recovery recognizes that during these difficult times, families in certain areas of the country are at extreme risk of falling into homelessness. With our new Quarterly Homeless Pulse Report, we will be able to better understand the impact of the current economic crisis on homelessness across the country.”