top of page
Homelessness in America
Homelessness in America is an ever-growing problem that needs help and attention. On a single night in January 2019, seventeen out of every 10,000 people were experiencing homelessness in America, according to the count of The Department of Housing and Urban Development (Endhomelessness.org). And according to the National Association to End Homelessness, “Homelessness is significantly defined by gender. Sixty percent of all people experiencing homelessness are male. Amongst individuals, the numbers are starker—70 percent are men and unaccompanied male youth.”
A lot of homeless people are living without shelter to protect them. They are sleeping in locations that are not meant for human habitation.
A man extending help to a homeless person who is lying in the middle of a busy walk way
While we look at homelessness as a whole, it is easy to break it down into subpopulations. Endhomelessness.org breaks these subpopulations down and gives the statistics of it.
There could be many reasons for someone to become homeless. The National Association to End Homelessness gives us the main reasons being:
-
Housing – having a lack of housing that low income people can afford.
-
Income – people don’t make enough income to afford food, clothing, transportation, and a home.
-
Health problems – can cause a person’s homelessness as well as be worsened by the experience of living in unsafe or unsanitary conditions.
-
Domestic violence – people can become homeless when leaving an abusive relationship.
-
Racial inequality – most minorities experience higher rates of homelessness than Whites.
However, people are beginning to become more aware of these problems and are starting to help in more ways. “Overall homelessness has decreased by 12 percent since 2007, the year nation-wide data collection began. The current COVID-19 crisis has the potential to diminish or completely wipe out these modest gains” (Endhomelessness.org). Hopefully, people stay aware of the problem and continue to provide lasting help. There are people who desperately need food, shelter, and to know somebody cares. To learn more about how people are helping, and how you can help, check out the tap “How to Help.”
A cardboard sign that reads, "Together we can end homelessness."
bottom of page