10/22/2024
In 2023, rural areas experienced a notable rise in homelessness. According to the HUD's 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR), over half of the rural and suburban communities reported an increase in homelessness. Specifically, 64% of Continuums of Care (CoCs) observed a surge in unsheltered homelessness, primarily among individuals, including those chronically homeless.
This trend underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions in these areas.
Homelessness is a multifaceted issue, encompassing social, economic, and psychological dimensions.
Rural communities face distinct challenges regarding homelessness:
1. They often have limited resources, reduced access to social services, and scarce public transportation, complicating the delivery of necessary assistance.
2. Homelessness in rural areas may also be less visible, with individuals living in vehicles, deserted buildings, or temporarily with relatives or acquaintances.
The statistics shed light on the magnitude of the problem. For instance, rural Continuums of Care witnessed a 27% escalation in homelessness from 2021 to 2022. Although the total number of homeless individuals in the U.S. increased by less than 1% during that time, rural areas experienced a nearly 6% rise.
In 2023, the United States saw homelessness reach an unprecedented peak. On a single night in January 2023, 653,104 individuals were homeless, marking a 12% increase from the prior year and the highest count since records began in 2007, according to HUD.GOV.
Key findings from the 2023 AHAR include:
A significant increase in unsheltered homelessness, with 39.3% of all homeless individuals living without shelter.
There was also a rise in first-time homelessness, with more individuals seeking emergency shelter than before.
Severe affordable housing shortage for people making less $25p/h and less. (Expected shortage will rises to 74% in 2024) increasing people of all ages and backgrounds struggling to find housing.
In 2020, 46% of American renters spent 30% or more of their income on housing, including 23% who spent at least 50% of their income this way, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau. This meets the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of being “cost burdened.” Although spending 30% of income on housing has long been considered the most a household should spend in order to have money left over for essentials, some researchers have argued this housing affordability measure should be adjusted to reflect changes in the cost of other necessities, types of households and other factors.
