Hunter
12/29/24
A federal report issued Friday says The United States saw an 18.1 percent increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country.
Especially concerning was a nearly 40 percent rise in family homelessness, most affected by the arrival of migrants in big cities. Family homelessness more than doubled in 13 communities impacted by migrants including Denver, Chicago and New York City.
The report pointed to the crisis of unhoused children. Nearly 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, a 33 percent jump from last year.
Local homelessness is starting to increase as well. Linn County estimates that the number of unsheltered residents has more than tripled from 33 in 2019 to 107 in 2022.
Officials in Johnson County surveyed immigrants in the county and found more than half of Latino respondents were living doubled-up, tripled-up, or quadrupled-up in housing, meeting the technical definition of homelessness. Most of the group pay more than $800 a month for housing and earn less than $20 an hour.
Local advocates continue to push for an increase of affordable housing and transitional housing with intensive case management to better assist those who have been chronically homeless.
Double-click on the image below for the full press release from HUD.