The escalating crisis of homelessness in the U.S. has reached new heights, with an 18% increase this past year. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s recent report states that more than 771,000 individuals were found to be experiencing homelessness, as documented in a count conducted over a single night in January. These figures represent people living in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or without shelter, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Driving factors behind this surge include a national affordable housing crisis, inflation, and wage stagnation among middle- and lower-income households. The HUD report emphasizes that decades of systemic racism have compounded these issues, stretching homelessness service systems beyond their capacity. This situation has been exacerbated in places like Arizona, which has seen more than 14,000 of its residents without homes and a 3.5% increase in homelessness since 2023, as per Fox 10 Phoenix.
In terms of demographics, the problem is not partial to any single group. A significant number of families, more than a fifth of the homeless population in Arizona, are struggling with the instability of not having a place to call home. The situation mirrors the widespread economic dilemma where the cost of living routinely outpaces income, according to Fox 10 Phoenix. These families are not only battling the lack of housing but also the added complications of mental health problems, addiction, and generational trauma…