The United States is facing a growing homelessness crisis, and the numbers are higher than ever before. According to early data collected by The Wall Street Journal, the country could hit a new record for the number of people without homes by the end of 2023.
Big cities like Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, and Miami have all reported an increase in their homeless populations. In fact, Chicago has seen the sharpest rise so far, with many of the homeless people being recent migrants seeking shelter. A huge wave of migrants, particularly from Texas, has been arriving in cities like Chicago, Denver, and New York, which has added to the growing problem.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed data from more than 250 organizations that help homeless people across cities, suburbs, and rural areas. So far, they counted about 550,000 homeless people in just one night earlier this year—a number that’s up 10% compared to last year. If this trend continues, the US might surpass its previous record of 653,000 homeless individuals, which was the highest ever since the government started sharing homelessness data in 2007.
However, these numbers aren’t final yet. The Journal hasn’t gotten data from all places, including New York City, which had the highest number of homeless people last year. This means the actual total could end up being even higher once all the information is in.
But what’s behind this surge in homelessness? A lot of it comes down to skyrocketing housing costs. Home prices in the US have increased much faster than inflation since the 1960s. If they had risen at the same rate as inflation, the average house would cost about $177,000. But in reality, the average home today costs over $430,000. These prices make it nearly impossible for many people to afford a place to live.
The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role in this housing crisis. Many people moved during the pandemic, trying to adjust to new lifestyles, which drove up demand for housing. But once pandemic aid ended, the struggle to keep up with rent became even harder. Add to this mental health crises and the widespread use of drugs like fentanyl, and the result is that more and more people are finding themselves without homes.
In Massachusetts, for example, nearly half of the families in homeless shelters are migrants. The state is expected to spend over $1 billion on shelters this year just to keep up with the demand.
It’s a complicated problem, with rising rent, economic hardship, and an increasing migrant population all contributing to the situation. And unless something changes soon, the US could be heading toward its worst homelessness crisis in history.
