Facts about homelessness in the U.S. 

Homeless Veterans:

· “The VA estimates that 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness.”  (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2011).

· “Roughly 56 % of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8 % and 15.4 % of the U.S. population respectively.”
(http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm)

· 33% of the total male homeless US population are veterans (US Dept of Veteran Affairs).

· Less than one-tenth of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans (US Dept of Veteran Affairs).

Individuals with Disabilities and Mental Illness

· On any given night in 2010, 26.2% of all sheltered persons who were homeless had a severe mental illness. (The 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Washington, DC.)

· On a typical night in 2010, 34.7% of all sheltered adults who were homeless had chronic substance use issues. (2010 AHARC)

· An average 13% of homeless individuals are physically disabled (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2008).

Women and Children

· 38% of the homeless population are female. (2010 AHARC)

· 21.8% of the homeless population are under age 18. (2010 AHARC)

· Nationally, approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence (Zorza, 1991; National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2001).

Economically challenged

· The median state a minimum-wage worker would have to work 89 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at 30% of his or her income, which is the federal definition of affordable housing (National Low Income Housing Coalition 2001). Thus, inadequate income leaves many people homeless.

· In 2006, on a national average, monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment rose to $715 per month which is a 113.1% of a person’s on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly income (Priced Out in 2006). For the first time, the national average rent for a studio apartment rose above the income of a person who relies only on SSI income. Recently, only nine percent of non-institutionalized people receiving SSI receive housing assistance (Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, 2005).

Elderly

· “4.2% of sheltered individuals and 2.8% of the total sheltered homeless population are ages 62 or older in 2010, as compared with 10.3% of individuals living in poverty in 2009.” (2010 AHARC)