Homelessness in the United States is now at a record high, according to a new report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The data show that 771,480 people were homeless in 2024 — 18 percent more than in 2023 and a staggering 33 percent jump since 2020. Even in a country that has normalized rampant homelessness, this isn’t normal. HUD attributes this to many factors, including: a lack of affordable housing, inflation, stagnating wages, systemic racism, public health crises, natural disasters, immigration, and the end of pandemic welfare programs. But the report makes clear that ending pandemic welfare during an inflationary bout and affordable housing crisis was a particularly devastating combination.
Testimony from several Continuums of Care (CoC) — local or regional planning bodies that coordinate shelter and other services for people experiencing homelessness (example here) — suggests that this combination is primarily what launched homelessness into the stratosphere since 2022. Here are a few examples:
Northeast CoC: “In response to COVID-19, our CoC saw an influx of rapid rehousing and prevention resources, as well as an effective statewide eviction moratorium. These efforts were effective in keeping households from entering into homelessness and moving households out of homelessness quickly. Since the sunsetting of these resources and the ending of the eviction moratorium, our CoC has seen a large influx of new families and individuals seeking emergency shelter assistance.”
Midwest CoC: “Due to the economic impacts of inflation in combination with the lack of affordable housing, there has been an increase in folks experiencing homelessness, and that has resulted in seeing an increase in folks experiencing unsheltered homelessness as well.”
Southeast CoC: “The rise in unsheltered numbers can be attributed to several pivotal developments. The end of the eviction moratorium played a…
Auteur: Stephen Semler
