A record increase in the number of homeless people in the US. The problem of homelessness in the US is getting worse. In many cities in the US, the world's largest economy, poor people setting up tents on the sidewalks and living on the streets can be seen. The federal and state governments are seeking solutions to the growing homeless problem.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that the number of homeless people has increased by 18 percent compared to last year due to factors such as expensive housing prices, high inflation, racism, natural disasters and rising migration.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has released its annual homelessness assessment report, which provides a snapshot of the homeless problem in the US, which is a survey conducted each year on the number of individuals living in shelters, temporary housing and on the streets. According to the report, the number of homeless detected in a single night in January 2024 exceeded 770,000, an 18 percent increase compared to the previous year.
The increase in the number of homeless was recorded as 12 percent the previous year. This year's 18 percent increase was the largest annual increase on record since the ministry began collecting data on the homeless in 2007.
The report stated that approximately 23 out of every 10,000 citizens in the US have experience of living in shelters, temporary housing or on the streets under various programs. The age group with the highest increase in the number of homeless this year was children under the age of 18, with 33 percent. According to the data, it was determined that there are approximately 150,000 homeless children in the US. African Americans, who make up 12 percent of the US population, constituted 32 percent of the homeless population.
In a statement made by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, it was stated that “The affordable housing crisis experienced nationwide, stagnating wages in middle- and low-income households, and the persistent effects of systemic racism have strained homeless service practices to their limits.”
Arguing that the data was from a year ago and that the current situation was better, Minister of Housing and Urban Development Adrianne Todman said, “No American should be homeless. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to ensuring that every family has access to the affordable, safe, and quality housing they deserve.”
