Homeless people in the US hit a record high

Washington [US], December 28: An annual report released by the US government on December 27 showed that the number of homeless people in the country reached a new record in 2024.
In the above report, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimated that there were 771,480 homeless people on a single night in January 2024, an increase of 18% compared to 2023. This number can be understood as 23 out of 10,000 people in the US experiencing homelessness, according to AFP.
According to a report released by HUD in December 2023, the US has more than 653,100 homeless people, an increase of 70,650 people - or 12% - compared to 2022. That is also the highest level since data began being collected in the US in 2007, according to AFP.
The surge in homelessness in the US comes as households feel the pressure of housing costs, with median rents in January 2024 20% higher than in January 2021, according to the National Low Income Housing Association.
In addition to housing costs, the HUD report highlighted "stagnant wages among low- and moderate-income households, and the persistent impacts of systemic racism" as other factors contributing to the increase in homelessness.
Other issues that have contributed to the increase in homelessness in the US include natural disasters that displace people, increased immigration and the end of homelessness prevention programs introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic .
"While this data is nearly a year old and no longer accurately reflects the situation we are seeing, it is important that we focus on evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness," acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman stressed in a statement.
According to the new report, nearly 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, a 33% increase compared to 2023. Of these, people under 18 years old are the age group that saw the sharpest increase in homelessness in the period 2023-2024.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper