HUD Releases Homeless Count Numbers

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) presented the 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress late last year, which found that nationwide there were an estimated 582,500 people who experienced homelessness on a single night. Of the total, 60% were sheltered.

The report found that between 2020 and 2022:

• There was a slight uptick in the total number of homeless residents, though the number who were unsheltered increased by 3%.
• The number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 11%.
• The number of beds available increased by 11%, with almost 95,000 new rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, and voucher-based beds coming online.

Although California’s has 12% of the nation’s population it accounts for more than 30% of the nation’s homeless, with 171,521 people experiencing homelessness on any given day. The number of homeless individuals who are unsheltered far exceeded national numbers, with 67.3% of the State’s homeless residents living in places not meant for human habitation, including on the street, along waterways, and in parks, cars, and abandoned buildings. Almost a third of those experiencing homelessness were considered chronically homeless, and nearly 30% of all people experiencing homelessness were part of a family with children. Data showed:

• California’s homeless count increased 6.2% between 2020 and 2022 and 23.4% between 2007 and 2022.
• California is home to half of the unsheltered homeless residents in the nation.
• The State has the highest rate of homelessness, with 44 out of every 10,000 people experiencing homelessness.

Check out more, including data from California’s cities and counties, here.