HUD Study Estimates 754,000 Homeless Persons in America
By Eugene T. Lowe
March 5, 2007
On any given night, there is likely to be 754,000 homeless persons in shelters and on the streets of America, according to the first-ever HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, released on February 28. The report’s estimate is an analysis of the persons in shelters and on the streets in more than 3,800 cities and counties during one night in January 2005. But in addition to looking at the number of homeless people at a particular “point in time” (the single night), the HUD’s study looked at homelessness over time.
Using an additional data source, a random sample of 80 geographically diverse communities that have implemented Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS), the HUD report was able to provide an accurate count on how many persons used emergency shelters and transitional housing from February to April 2005. The modern data collection HMIS was highly touted during the release of the report. (It is important to note, though, that HUD will continue to collect point-in-time data).
HUD found in the sample of 80 HMIS communities, that 704,000 persons used emergency housing and transitional housing during the 3-month period in 2005. On a daily average, 334,744 homeless persons were sheltered. Other findings include:
Gender — 65 percent of the adult population are men
Age- The largest segment, 41 percent, are 31-to-50 years old
Household Type — 66 percent are individuals — 34 percent are persons in families with children
Race — 59 percent are minority
Geographic — 75 percent are in central cities — 25 percent are in suburban and rural areas
Veteran Status — 19 percent of the adult homeless population are veterans
This is the benchmark study for what will be become annual assessments of
homelessness. There is an expectation that HMIS data will become more comprehensive by covering longer periods of time, and include persons living on the streets. Eventually, the assessments may also document trends in homelessness.
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