A new report published by The Wall Street Journal on Monday states that there has been a significant increase in the number of homeless people in the streets and shelters across the United States this year.
The report showed “more sharp increases than in recent years, with the end of protection measures during the Corona epidemic, and the rise in housing costs.”
The newspaper reviewed data from 150 entities that count homeless people in areas ranging from cities to entire states.
More than 100 places reported increases in numbers in early 2023 compared to 2022. Large increases were recorded in cities including Chicago, Miami, Boston and Phoenix.
These increases point to what advocates for the homeless say is due to rising housing costs and the end of temporary protections during the pandemic, such as halting evictions.
“Homelessness has increased and there is more destabilization,” says Shannon Isom, CEO of the Community Shelter Board.
The council is a government-supported organization that has reported a 22% increase in the number of homeless people in the Columbus, Ohio area. The annual census conducted on January 25 found that there were 2,337 homeless people.
The data is normally collected by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, but it is considered preliminary and subject to change. The ministry said it would release more comprehensive findings in a detailed report later this year.
According to a federal agency called the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, many communities are experiencing a rise in homelessness when pandemic control programs and rent assistance end. The agency mentioned that since the start of this year, the Biden administration has taken several measures, including awarding $486 million in new vouchers and grants, to address the issue.
Annual statistics are carried out by about 400 organizations, but they are also preliminary and are affected by several factors, including weather, which affects the number of homeless people, the results are widely used to assess trends and mobilize resources.
Last year, the newspaper received data on 67 areas with the highest number of homeless people. Preliminary data this year shows that out of those 67 areas, 48 reported an increase in homelessness. The increase was at 9% over the ministry’s published numbers for those places in 2022 and 13% in 2020. The newspaper also received data on many other places.
Nationally, the department estimated that there were nearly 582,500 people experiencing homelessness last year, up less than a percentage point from 2020.
Last year, New York City and Los Angeles County had the largest number of homeless people, and the final US statistics will heavily depend on them. However, the latest numbers have not yet been reported.
According to the newspaper, the scarcity of affordable apartments and increasing housing costs are significant factors that lead to homelessness throughout the country.
In some places, the number of homeless people has increased due to the arrival of immigrants. For example, in Chicago, the count of homeless people has gone up by 58% from the previous year due to the inclusion of nearly 2,200 asylum seekers in shelters.
The newspaper reports that San Diego County saw the biggest increase in homeless people, with a 22% rise from last year, bringing the total count to 10,264.
