HUD estimated that there were 650,000 homeless in the U.S. as of Jan 2023. A 12% increase from 2022. By the end of 2023 homelessness has likely has hit the highest number ever recorded in the U.S.

Since the beginning of 2020 homelessness has been increasing by about 10% per year. If 2024 holds to the same increase, there will be an estimated 715,000 homeless living and sleeping in the parks, streets, and abandoned buildings of this country’s cities.

Kevin Adler suggests in his new book on homelessness that poverty is not the main reason for people living on the streets but rather it is due to the loss of family and friends willing to help. The loss of family support falls into the all too familiar buckets of substance abuse and mental health conflicts.

Source: GAO Report to Congress: Homelessness 2024. HUD-AHAR – 2023. People Become Homeless by Courtney Martin, 2024. Graphic: HUD 2023.