The United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic increase driven largely by a lack of affordable housing, devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, federal officials said Friday.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said federally mandated counts done across the country in January showed more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless — a number that misses some people and does not include those living with friends or family stay because they don’t have their own place.
That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed for rising rents and the end of pandemic aid. The increase in 2023 was also driven by people becoming homeless for the first time. The numbers represent a total of 23 out of every 10,000 people in the US, with Black people being overrepresented among the homeless population.
“No American should be left homeless, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that every family has access to the affordable, safe and quality housing they deserve,” HUD agency chief Adrianne Todman said in a statement. a statement, adding that the focus must remain on “evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness.”
One of the most worrying trends was an almost 40% increase in family homelessness – one of the areas most affected by the arrival of migrants in major cities. According to HUD, family homelessness more than doubled in 13 migrant-affected communities, including Denver, Chicago and New York City, while it rose less than 8% in the remaining 373 communities. Nearly 150,000 children became homeless in one night in 2024, reflecting a 33% increase from last year.
Disasters also played a role in the increase, especially last year’s catastrophic Maui wildfire, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. More than 5,200 people stayed in emergency shelters in Hawaii on the night of the count.
“Increased homelessness is the tragic but predictable consequence of underinvesting in the resources and protections that help people find and maintain safe, affordable housing,” said Renee Willis, incoming interim CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in a statement. “As advocates, researchers and those with lived experience have warned, the number of people experiencing homelessness continues to rise as more people struggle to afford skyrocketing housing costs.”
These figures also come as more and more communities are taking a tough stance against homelessness.
Angered by the often dangerous and dirty tent camps, communities – especially in western states – have imposed a camping ban. That follows a 6-3 ruling last year by the Supreme Court, which found that outdoor sleeping bans do not violate the Eighth Amendment. Homeless advocates argued that punishing people who need a place to sleep criminalizes homelessness.
There was some positive news in the count as homelessness among veterans continued to decline. Homelessness among veterans fell 8% to 32,882 in 2024. For veterans without shelter, the decline was even greater, with an 11% drop to 13,851 in 2024.
“Reducing homelessness among veterans gives us a clear roadmap for addressing homelessness on a larger scale,” Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said in a statement. “With bipartisan support, adequate funding and smart policy solutions, we can replicate this success and reduce homelessness nationwide. Federal investments are critical in addressing the nation’s affordability crisis and ensuring every American has access to safe, stable housing.”
Several major cities managed to reduce the number of homeless people. Dallas, which worked to overhaul its homeless system, saw its homeless population drop by 16% between 2022 and 2024. Los Angeles, which increased housing for the homeless, saw a 5% drop in unsheltered homelessness since 2023. California, the most populous state in the US, still had the largest homeless population in the country, followed by New York, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts.
The sharp increase in the number of homeless people over the past two years is in stark contrast to the success the US has had for more than a decade.
Looking back at the initial 2007 survey, the U.S. has made steady progress in reducing the homeless population for about a decade, while the government focused on increasing investments to help veterans find housing. The number of homeless people fell from about 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017.
The number rose to about 580,000 in the 2020 census and remained relatively stable over the next two years as Congress responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency rental assistance, stimulus payments, aid to states and local governments, and a temporary eviction moratorium.
