Still, she was unable to cover the four months of rent payments that accumulated while searching for work and caring for her family. Latisha lost her job during the pandemic and managed to secure a new remote position. The California-based nonprofit has helped more than 150 families on the verge of eviction stay in their rented homes through temporary subsidies. “One unexpected financial emergency outside of their control can put them at risk of eviction and becoming homeless,” the team at Resident Relief Foundation said. With 63% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, many local leaders have seen firsthand how a setback can spiral into a crisis. Since the 1980s, housing costs in metro areas have skyrocketed as wages stayed largely stagnant-even as workers’ productivity increased.Īs a result, a full-time minimum-wage worker cannot afford a fair market rate two-bedroom apartment anywhere in America without clocking 97 hours per week. The lack of affordable housing and insufficient incomes are widely cited as the leading causes of homelessness. Lack of affordable housing and insufficient incomes Here’s what national and local experts have to say about some of the most common causes of homelessness: 1. “We know there are many more people in our community who are not experiencing literal homelessness but who are unstably housed and unable to pay rent,” Renee Cavazos, Development Manager of Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, said. Many say it’s difficult to account for every person experiencing homelessness because some are hidden, sleeping in a car or motel. The COVID-19 pandemic’s safety regulations made it more challenging to count dispersed unhoused populations. The 2% increase in 2020 was actually less than the 3% uptick reported between 20, but many homelessness advocates argue that these numbers fail to account for the true scope of the homelessness crisis in the US. And for the fourth year in a row, America’s homeless population grew. How many people are experiencing homelessness in America?Īt least 580,000 people experienced homelessness on a given day in January 2020. But more on the solutions to end homelessness later. Permanent supportive housing costs $12,800 per person per year on average. Popular alternative solutions to end homelessness, such as permanent supportive housing, focus on helping people access permanent housing and coordinated services like mental health treatment and financial assistance. Much of this money goes toward publicly funded crisis services, including jails, hospitalizations, and emergency departments. The government spends an average of $35,578 per year for every person who must endure chronic homelessness.
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