Housing Crisis Deepens as Homelessness Hits Record High in 2024
As 2024 comes to a close, the U.S. is grappling with a troubling surge in homelessness, with the number of people without permanent housing rising by a staggering 18.1 percent, according to a recent report from the Associated Press (AP).
This sharp increase, as revealed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has been driven by a variety of factors, including a severe shortage of affordable housing, the lasting effects of natural disasters and a significant rise in illegal immigration to major cities.
More than 770,000 Americans are now officially homeless, though experts warn the true number could be much higher, as many individuals living in temporary or precarious housing situations aren’t included in the count. This uptick follows a 12 percent rise in homelessness in 2023, which HUD attributed to soaring rents and the expiration of pandemic-era financial assistance programs.
While the statistics are alarming, HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman reassured the public, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to tackling homelessness. “No American should face homelessness,” Todman said, per the AP, advocating for a continued focus on evidence-based approaches to addressing the crisis.
The most concerning trends in the report include a nearly 40 percent increase in family homelessness, largely attributed to the arrival of illegal immigrants in liberal cities such as New York, Chicago and Denver. The number of homeless children also rose dramatically, with nearly 150,000 children reported as homeless on a single night, marking a 33 percent increase from the previous year.
Natural disasters, particularly the devastating Maui wildfire in 2023, further compounded the crisis. More than 5,000 individuals in Hawaii sought emergency shelter following the disaster, contributing to the rising homelessness figures.
Renee Willis, the incoming interim CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, pointed to “underinvesting in the resources and protections that help people find and maintain safe, affordable housing” as a key factor in the worsening situation.
The rise in homelessness has sparked a wave of backlash from several communities, particularly in the West, where cities are increasingly enforcing bans on outdoor camping. A landmark 6-3 Supreme Court ruling last year upheld such bans, affirming that they do not violate the Eighth Amendment. However, homeless advocates argue that criminalizing homelessness only deepens the issue, making it harder for individuals to escape their dire circumstances.
Despite the grim overall numbers, there were some positive developments in the latest report. Notably, homelessness among veterans saw a decline, with a reduction of 8 percent in the overall homeless veteran population, bringing the total to 32,882 this year. The number of unsheltered veterans also dropped by 11 percent, to 13,851.
Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, praised this reduction as a model for addressing homelessness more broadly, stressing the importance of bipartisan support and increased federal investment in housing affordability.
While some major cities, such as New York and Chicago, have struggled with rising homelessness, others have managed to achieve success. Dallas, which overhauled its homeless services, reported a 16 percent decrease in homelessness between 2022 and 2024.
Los Angeles, which increased housing availability for the homeless, saw a 5 percent drop in unsheltered homelessness since 2023. However, California continues to have the largest homeless population in the country, followed by New York, Washington, Massachusetts and Florida.
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