Homeless is Up

Families crowding together into single homes because of the bad economy helped increase the number of homeless families last year, even as the total number of homeless individuals dropped, federal housing officials reported Wednesday.

Roughly 190,000 families spent at least one night in a shelter in 2009, up from 169,000 families in 2008 and 131,000 in 2007, according to the Housing and Urban Development Department's annual report to Congress released Wednesday. That increase, the report said, "is almost certainly related to the recession."

"It may be that many families already at risk of becoming homeless lacked sufficient support networks and became homeless almost immediately after the economy turned down," the report said. "A much larger group turned to family and friends and may be doubled up and still at great risk of becoming homeless."

HUD attributed the 2009 increase in family homelessness to the use of emergency shelters, rather than transitional housing. Homeless families stayed in shelters an average of 36 nights in 2009, up from 30 nights the year before, the report said.

"Not only did family homelessness continue to increase ... it also seems to have become more severe in the sense that it took the typical family longer to leave shelter," the report said.

HUD defined a family as a household with at least one adult and one child.

HUD Assistant Secretary Mercedes Marquez said the trend of families crowding together is expected to continue.

The Obama administration plans to unveil at the White House next week a national strategy to combat homelessness, with a goal of ending the problem, Marquez told reporters in a conference call.

"We are closer than ever to that," Marquez said.

Overall, 1.56 million people spent at least one night in emergency shelters or transitional housing, the report said. One-third of those individuals were part of a homeless family.

Volunteers counted 643,000 homeless people, sheltered and on the streets, during one given night in January 2009, the report said.

Chronic homelessness dropped 30 percent since 2006, which the report said may be due to an increase in resources.

The number for homeless families jumps in the summer as the school year ends. More individuals seek shelter during the winter.

Next year's report will show the impact of the $1.5 billion in homelessness assistance allocated under the economic stimulus, Marquez said.

Viewpoint: A plea for the homeless.

By Jade McDowell- Wed, 06/23/2010 - 20:56
Luckily, he was homeless. That’s what I told my family.

I was e-mailing home after a particularly rough week at my internship with the New York Daily News. Almost all of my assignments that week had involved death or serious injury, and the emotional toll of interviewing traumatized witnesses and grieving family members had gotten to me.

That’s why, when I arrived at a fresh and rather gruesome accident scene, I was relieved to hear witnesses say the man killed by the taxi was homeless. The story was suddenly downgraded to a couple of factual paragraphs on a back page. No “family and friends” interviews necessary.

I hope that bothers you.

Unless you grew up riding public transportation in a big city, I’m guessing you don’t have much experience with the homeless. Sure, there were homeless people in the town you grew up in, but what were they to you? Scenery to peer at from the safety of your car? A scary nuisance to be avoided at all costs when you visited the big city? The subject of a Laurel class service project?

Whatever way you look at it, there’s one thing they probably weren’t: human beings with feelings, a past and a future.

Homelessness became a lot more real to me when I moved to New York. Now my morning commute often brings me face to face with it. The plea may include a musical performance or a touch of humor, but it usually sounds something like this: “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? I’m homeless and I’m hungry, and if you could spare any change it will help me get something to eat today.”

I am always impressed and humbled by the response. For every person who looks awkwardly away, there is always another who begins rifling through their pockets for loose change or dollar bills. They do it with an air of someone who has given out hundreds of dollars over the years, even though they don’t look like they have that many dollars to spare.

I’m not suggesting you go out and invite the first homeless person you see to sleep on your couch. There are plenty of transient people out there who have serious mental illnesses, who are dangerous or who will spend any money you give them on drugs.

But we can’t lose sight of the fact that not all of them are that way. In the last couple of months, I’ve met plenty of very nice, normal people who happen to be between homes at the moment. Times are tough, and not everyone can afford to make rent.

My advice? Go with your gut.

I certainly don’t get swindled by every “Vietnam Vet” sign I pass, but I don’t automatically rush past with eyes averted anymore. If I like a street performer’s music, I give them a dollar and a smile because I respect their art. I gave money to a panhandler with no arms the other day. I figured, “Maybe he really has a nice house and makes plenty of money. But hey, no matter how much money he has, he still doesn’t have any arms.”

You don’t have to give out money on the streets, or even give out food. Do what you feel comfortable with, whether it’s donating to a respectable charity, volunteering in a soup kitchen or just changing your attitude. Whatever you do, stop listening to society and start talking back.

Homeless people are people, too.

Another Loss For The Homeless.

Six months ago, in an unprecedented move, the Bloomberg administration revoked 2,600 federal housing vouchers they had previously issued to low-income families across the city. Already, 27 of these families have had to return to homeless shelters -- a number that will only increase as time goes on.

Please sign the online letter and call on New York City to prevent 2,600 more families from being forced back into shelter.

Take Marissa and her two daughters. In May, they became homeless again after the City cancelled their voucher. Since then, they've been living out of suitcases -- temporarily sharing one bedroom of her sister's apartment.

Last week, Marissa told WCBS's Marcia Kramer that she prayed every day to stay out of shelter: "I don't want to go back there. If that's one place I can avoid, I will avoid it for the rest of my life." After the story ran, the City offered Marissa rental assistance. But for most families, the nightmare continues.

The Bloomberg administration says they simply can't afford to rehouse these families, but it just isn't true. According to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, reinstating rental assistance would cost just $25 million a year -- compared to the $47 to $77 million price tag of housing these families in homeless shelters.

The fact is the Bloomberg administration has options to get these families back into affordable housing: (1) they can use federal stimulus dollars to give short-term assistance until next year's batch of federal housing vouchers; and (2) they can move families who have already lost their homes -- like Marissa's -- to the top of the list for available public housing.

Take action today, and sign the letter asking the City to implement these common sense solutions. Go to: http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/Save2600Families.

Thanks for everything you do to support the neediest New Yorkers. Together we can win this fight and prevent more families from becoming homeless.


Sincerely,

Mary Brosnahan
Executive Director

PS - Watch Marissa's story on WCBS News with Marcia Kramer here: http://wcbstv.com/topstories/housing.subsidies.cut.2.1747080.html

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Why are people homeless?

Specific reasons vary, but research shows people are homeless because they can’t find housing they can afford. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households now pay more then 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing, and a family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.

HUD also notes that the generally accepted definition of housing affordability is no more than 30 percent of monthly income going toward housing costs. Families or individuals who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered “cost-burdened” and can have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.

The lack of affordable housing is a significant hardship for low-income households and can prevent them from meeting their other basic needs, such as nutrition and health care, or saving for their future.

You can learn more about why some specific groups experience homelessness – families, youth, and veterans, for instance – on our blog.

How can I get help if I am homeless or about to be homeless?
The Alliance is a research- and policy-based organization, and as such is not a direct-service provider with the capacity to directly assist people in need of immediate assistance.

However, we do know of some places that may be more helpful. Immediate sources of aid in your community can be found by consulting your local department of social services or your local branch of the Salvation Army or United Way. You may also find it helpful to consult directories of homeless service providers by the the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Coalition for the Homeless.

An organization called Neighborworks also has a hotline, 888-995-HOPE, and a website to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. For assistance specifically with default/foreclosure or rental needs, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has provided a list of approved housing counseling agencies.

What do the demographics of homelessness look like?
Data indicates that the average homeless person is a middle-aged African American man, but the chart below provides more insight into the demographics of the homeless population in the U.S. Below is a chart with common demographics from the 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, published in July 2009.