# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Is the spike of drug overdoses in downtown St. Louis emblematic of a building problem?

Thirty-five people have overdosed from synthetic marijuana, known as K-2, in downtown St. Louis this week. About 23 cases happened in a 24-hour period.

Many of those who overdosed are homeless, so what's the connection between the two?

Executive director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (NCADA) Howard Weissman says synthetic marijuana is cheap and much easier to get than real marijuana or other drugs. For those who struggle with homelessness or substance abuse, synthetic marijuana is an accessible alternative.

However, it's unpredictable and unregulated.

"It doesn't come with a lot of quality control and the amount of active ingredient you're going to find and what that active ingredient is varies considerably from package to package, and the user never knows what they're going to get," Weissman says.
Related story: City Orders Homeless Shelter to Shut Down as Overdose Numbers Rise
One homeless man KMOX spoke with says he wants state lawmakers to make synthetic marijuana, often marketed in stores as bath salts, illegal.

"If they selling out of stores in Ziploc packages with the imprint on them and it says 'not for human consumption,' that alone makes it illegal," he says.

Lawmakers have outlawed it from time to time, but the manufacturers often change the formula to stay one step ahead of the legislation.

Weissman says it's hard for communities trying to help the homeless with their addictions without proper funds.

"I think it's fair to say those who wrestle with substance abuse disorder and those who wrestle with poverty and homelessness are two of the most stigmatized and marginalized groups that we have in society," he says. "And it's difficult to find financial support, funding and programs that serve the marginalized and the stigmatized."

The homeless man believes K-2's distribution is just another way to make downtown's homeless population problem disappear.

"K-2 is something that they putting out here as a genocidal. They want to get rid of whoever they can."
(TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Vicious Cycle of Drug Abuse and Homelessness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Is the spike of drug overdoses in downtown St. Louis emblematic of a building problem? Thirty-five people have overdosed from synthetic marijuana, known as K-2, in downtown St. Louis this week. About 23 cases happened in a 24-hour period. Many of those who overdosed are homeless, so what's the connection between the two?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After working two days straight in St. Louis University's Chaifetz Arena, teams of 1,200 developers from all over the world came up with their best ideas on how to use technology to tackle homelessness in the St. Louis area.

The competition ended Sunday with the top five teams in each division - youth, collegiate and professional - winning $1 million in prize money. But after two sleepless nights and lots of Red Bull, everyone involved received more than monetary awards.

The software developers, designers and entrepreneurs walked away inspired by how they can use their computer skills to hack a deep-rooted social problem such as homelessness.

Homeless service providers such as shelters and food pantries walked away with $1 million worth of ideas and the possibility of adopting a program that could serve as a prototype for homeless services across the country.

"We are always trying to get money for housing, shelter and meals. We don't have money to spend on technology," said Mary Kitley, chief development officer for St. Patrick Center, one of the largest homeless service providers in Missouri. "I know that whatever comes out of today will be much better than what exists, and it is technology that we never could've afforded to do on our own."

The annual software-writing competition, GlobalHack, was founded in 2013 by St. Louis entrepreneurs Gabe Lozano and Drew Winship. They wanted to use hackathons - as the short, intense competitions are called - to tackle real-world problems.

The first four annual competitions had corporate sponsors looking for business solutions. Last year's GlobalHack V tackled a civic problem for the first time: software that would make municipal courts more accessible.

Early GlobalHacks had $50,000 in prizes with about 150 competitors. This year's competition drew teams from 33 states and five countries and was sponsored by St. Louis University, St. Patrick Center, Monsanto and a variety of other organizations, making the $1 million prize one of the largest in the country.

"It's really putting St. Louis on the map from a tech standpoint," Kitley said.

More than 60 agencies make up the Continuum of Care umbrella that coordinates homeless services in the St. Louis area. Many of the ideas the teams came up with involved ways for the agencies to more efficiently share resources, advice and data; or for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to connect with services more quickly and easily.

While many techies entered the competition as teams, some were individuals who were placed in teams that worked together for the first time.

St. Louis University High School junior Eric Schnelker and a fellow classmate were paired with a student who specialized in coding from Clyde C. Miller Career Academy High School, as well as two adults who worked in public health.

Schnelker said he learned a lot about the challenges for those who are homeless, and for the first time, he learned how his computer code could make a difference in their lives.

"It broadened my horizons. It showed me technology can be used not just for mathematic purposes but to solve real-world, meaningful and complex problems," Schnelker said. "Just seeing everyone work together really changed our worldview."

The competition was also refreshing for Joe Kurtz, 24, who spends his days creating software that collects and analyzes data for electric cooperatives. "It felt really inspired to use my intelligence and creative ability to help people," Kurtz said.

GlobalHack Executive Director Matt Menietti said a homeless service agency could hire a technology firm to develop a software program, but that is expensive and only results in one solution. The hackathon produced ideas from 160 teams at little or no cost.

The ideas are community-owned, Menietti explained, kept in an online gallery for anyone to study and build on. And not all of the $1 million was prize money - $250,000 will go toward continuing and carrying out the top ideas.

"What happens on Monday," Menietti said, "is just as important as what happened over the weekend."

Michele Munz * 314-340-8263

@michelemunz on Twitter

mmunz@post-dispatch.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
Clyde C. Miller Career Academy High School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Techies work two days straight at St. Louis U to 'hack' homelessness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After working two days straight in St. Louis University's Chaifetz Arena, teams of 1,200 developers from all over the world came up with their best ideas on how to use technology to tackle homelessness in the St. Louis area.

# data[].attributes.body
Children can be homeless too

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people are looked down upon

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people suffer from depression

# data[].attributes.headline
Homelessness is usually associated with big cities, but it is in every area.

# data[].attributes.subject
Homelessness is usually associated with big cities, but it is in every area.

# data[].attributes.headline
Homeless people are often portrayed as crazy or addicts in the media.

# data[].attributes.subject
Homeless people are often portrayed as crazy or addicts in the media.

# data[].attributes.headline
There are organizations that will walk you through areas that are heavily populated with homeless people, and inform you on ways to help and volunteer. 

# data[].attributes.subject
There are organizations that will walk you through areas that are heavily populated with homeless people, and inform you on ways to help and volunteer. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(Reuters) - More than 500,000 people - a quarter of them children - were homeless in the United States this year amid scarce affordable housing across much of the nation, according to a study released on Thursday.

The report, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), said the number was down slightly from 2014. Many U.S. cities are confronting a sluggish economic recovery, stagnant or falling wages among the lowest-income earners and budget constraints for social welfare programs.

Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Oregon and Hawaii have all recently declared emergencies over the rise of homelessness, and on Thursday Seattle's mayor toured a new encampment for his city's dispossessed.

"Despite national estimates, New York City continues to experience near record homelessness," said Giselle Routhier, a spokeswoman for the Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy group.

According to HUD's latest tally, nearly 565,000 people were living on the streets in cars, in homeless shelters or in subsidized transitional housing during a one-night national survey in January. Nearly one-fourth were aged 18 or under.

That number was down 2 percent from the previous year's count and 11 percent from 2007, HUD said.

The actual U.S. homeless population is likely higher than HUD's snapshot suggests because many people living without the means to put a roof over their heads are beyond the reach of the survey, sleeping on a friend's couch or a relative's basement.

HUD reported separately this month that roughly 1.49 million individuals used a shelter in 2014, up 4.6 percent from 2013, agency spokeswoman Heather Fluit said.

Even as homelessness has waned nationally, 17 states posted increases, including the two most populous - New York and California, up nearly 10 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively, from last year.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia recorded declines, with the biggest drops found in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Michigan and New Jersey.

"I am glad it's trending downward, but a 2 percent change (nationally) is pretty much flat," said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, in Washington.

A lack of affordable housing, combined with slumping pay at the lower end of the U.S. wage scale, has been cited by analysts as a driver of homelessness in a number of U.S. cities.

"We are 7 million units short of affordable housing for low-income people - that's a big gap," Roman said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
More than 500,000 people homeless in the United States: report

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
(Reuters) - More than 500,000 people - a quarter of them children - were homeless in the United States this year amid scarce affordable housing across much of the nation, according to a study released on Thursday. The report, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), said the number was down slightly from 2014.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Later this month, The San Francisco Chronicle will lead an effort to flood the Bay Area with stories and news reports on the city's homelessness crisis. Working with local television, print, and online news outlets, this coordinated effort will create a wave of coverage about this pressing issue, hopefully forcing the public and area politicians to put some major energy and resources into finding real, lasting solutions.
Are you a homeless services organization? Our free Homeless Services eBook is full of expert advice that comes from years of helping human services organizations.
For many cities, solving homelessness is an ongoing challenge. So, what does homelessness look like in 2016? The following statistics are alarming:

1. 564,708 people in the U.S. are homeless. According to a recent report, over half a million people were living on the streets, in cars, in homeless shelters, or in subsidized transitional housing during a one-night national survey last January. Of that number, 206,286 were people in families, 358,422 were individuals, and a quarter of the entire group were children.

2. 83,170 individuals, or 15% of the homeless population, are considered "chronically homeless." Chronic homelessness is defined as an individual who has a disability and has experienced homelessness for a year or longer, or and individual who has a disability and has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the last three years (must be a cumulative of 12 months). Families with at least one adult member who meets that description are also considered chronically homeless.As the National Alliance to End Homelessness explains, "While people experiencing chronic homelessness make up a small number of the overall homeless population, they are among the most vulnerable. They tend to have high rates of behavioral health problems, including severe mental illness and substance use disorders; conditions that may be exacerbated by physical illness, injury, or trauma."

1. 47,725, or about 8% of the homeless population, are veterans. This represents a 35% decrease since 2009. Homeless veterans have served in several different conflicts from WWII to the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Washington, D.C., has the highest rate of veteran homelessness in the nation (145.8 homeless veterans per 10,000). 45% of homeless veterans are black or Hispanic. While less than 10% of homeless veterans are women, that number is rising.

2. 1.4 million veterans are at risk of homelessness. This may be due to poverty, overcrowding in government housing, and lack of support networks. Research indicates that those who served in the late Vietnam and post-Vietnam era are at greatest risk of homelessness. War-related disabilities or disorders often contribute to veteran homelessness, including physical disabilities, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, depression and anxiety, and addiction.

3. 550,000 unaccompanied, single youth and young adults under the age of 24 experience a homelessness episode of longer than one week. Approximately 380,000 of that total are under the age of 18. Accurately counting homeless children and youth is particularly difficult. The National Alliance to End Homelessness explains, "Homeless youth are less likely to spend time in the same places as homeless people who are in an older age range. They are often less willing to disclose that they're experiencing homelessness or may not even identify as homeless. They also may work harder to try to blend in with peers who aren't homeless."

4. 110,000 LGBTQ youth in the U.S. are homeless. This is one of the most vulnerable homeless populations. A substantial number of young people who identify as LGBTQ say that they live in a community that is not accepting of LGBTQ people. In fact, LGBTQ youths make up 20% of runaway kids across the country. Family rejection, abuse, and neglect are major reasons LGBTQ youth end up on the streets. Additionally, homeless LGBTQ youth are substantially more likely than heterosexual homeless youth to be victims of sexual assault and abuse. LGBTQ homeless youth are twice as likely to commit suicide compared to heterosexual homeless youth.

5. Fifty percent of the homeless population is over the age of 50. These individuals often face additional health and safety risks associated with age. They are more prone to injuries from falls, and may suffer from cognitive impairment, vision or hearing loss, major depression, and chronic conditions like diabetes and arthritis.

6. 830,120 year-round beds are available in a range of housing projects. About half of those beds are dedicated to people currently experiencing homelessness. This includes

Emergency Shelters that provide temporary or nightly shelter beds to people experiencing homelessness.

Transitional Housing that provides homeless people with up to 24 months of housing and supportive services.

Safe Havens that provide temporary shelter and services to hard-to-serve individuals.

The other half of these beds are targeted at recently homeless populations. Rapid Rehousing provides short-term and medium-term rental assistance, housing relocation, and stabilization services to formerly homeless people experiencing homelessness. Permanent Supportive Housing provides long-term housing with supportive services for formerly homeless people with disabilities. Other Permanent Housing provides housing with or without services, but does not require people to have a disability.

As shocking as these statistics are, there are so many great organizations working tirelessly to end homelessness in the U.S. and around the world. Get inspired by their work and success, continue reading some of the Social Solutions case studies that feature clients who work with the homeless population!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Later this month, The San Francisco Chronicle will lead an effort to flood the Bay Area with stories and news reports on the city's homelessness crisis. Working with local television, print, and online news outlets, this coordinated effort will create a wave of coverage about this pressing issue, hopefully forcing the public and area politicians to put some major energy and resources into finding real, lasting solutions.

# data[].attributes.body
There isnt just one type of homeless person, there are teens, LGBTQ, elderly, Veterans, etc.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people are not all addicts.

# data[].attributes.body
Millions of veterans are homeless.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Up until 18 months ago, Leamy, like many of us, held a certain perception of the homeless image. "The homeless are incredibly forgotten. No one talks to them, no one looks at them, and I was probably guilty of that, honestly," he says. "I was naïve and didn't realize how impactful just saying hello to someone can be."

But one day in early April 2015, he came upon a homeless woman on the subway who told him things would be much easier for her if she "had one of those" -- pointing at his guitar. "I never thought of it that way, but she said homeless and less fortunate people are much more likely to get tips if they have a talent," Leamy remembers.

The encounter gave birth to an idea, which Leamy has been acting on ever since. On a weekly basis, he tries his new songs on the city streets, as a testing platform for himself to help him get comfortable in the singer/songwriter realm, and as a means of earning more money for a homeless companion.

Leamy recalls being "absolutely blown away" the first time he sat down with a homeless stranger. "It was definitely a life changing event for me because I just really didn't count on all of the inspiring stories and all of the incredible words of wisdom that I've encountered."

With a BA in Economics and a sales and trading day job for a large financial firm, Leamy decided to take his by-night musical initiative a step further. He created an online campaign called #HePlaysForMe, which has thus far successfully helped Miguel Correa, one of his impoverished friends, find housing and a job. He ultimately raised over $4,000 in one 30-day donation challenge.

Through his music, Leamy says he is compelled to do good. "I don't know if I would have ever thought about #HePlaysForMe if I was counting on music for income," he says. "Being able to use music which I love so much for something that helps someone else -- I'm very grateful to have that opportunity to do that."

Almost a year into the project, the light Leamy decided to shed on the homeless population turned back to shine on him, with a big karma hug and a distribution deal with RED, Sony's distribution arm. RED's Tyler Blatchley confirmed Leamy's upcoming new music video, "American Man", will be released on September 2, and the full EP on September 16. The impact of his experience with the homeless is strongly reflected in his new song, with even a guest appearance by Correa in the music video.

Leamy doesn't see success stopping his homeless initiative, saying it keeps him grounded and focused on what really matters.

His biggest concern is that he doesn't want his work perceived as a gimmick. "The goal is to demonstrate credibility because the last thing I would ever want would be anyone to think I'm taking advantage of anyone. The goal is to shed light on these homeless people and humanize them," he says.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Helping the homeless, one song at a time

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Up until 18 months ago, Leamy, like many of us, held a certain perception of the homeless image. "The homeless are incredibly forgotten. No one talks to them, no one looks at them, and I was probably guilty of that, honestly," he says.

# data[].attributes.body
The homeless shouldn't be looked down on as they are human beings too.

# data[].attributes.body
It is hard to get a job when you are homeless.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people can go days without food

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Although estimating the homeless population is difficult, about 1.4 million students in the U.S. were homeless at the start of the 2013-14 school year. Children not enrolled in school, although their numbers are less easily measured, push the total number of homeless children and youth significantly higher.

Importance

Children who lack a stable home are vulnerable to a number of adverse outcomes. Some threats, such as poverty and hunger, may precede episodes of homelessness; others stem directly from living without a home. Homeless children are more likely than other children to have moderate to severe acute and chronic health problems, and less access to medical and dental care.[1] Symptoms of asthma, hyperactivity/inattention, and behavior problem are more prevalent among this group.[2],[3] Children without stable homes are more than twice as likely as others to repeat a school grade, be expelled or suspended, or drop out of high school. A quarter or more of homeless children have witnessed violence, and more than half have problems with anxiety and depression.[4] Family homelessness may result in children's separation from their parents-either because children are formally placed in foster care, or because parents leave children in the care of relatives and friends.

"Unaccompanied youth" are children and youth who are homeless and on their own-that is, not living with their families. This group includes "runaway" youth, youth whose parents encouraged them to leave or locked them out of their home, and independent youth from families where irreconcilable conflicts or loss of contact have made it impossible for them to return home. Many are victims of abuse; many spent time in foster care as children.[5] Due to the challenges in identifying them, unaccompanied youth are often excluded from estimates of the homeless population.

A number of factors contribute to homelessness among children and youth. In surveys of city officials, the most frequently cited reasons for family homelessness are a lack of affordable housing, poverty, and domestic violence; for unaccompanied youth, the chief factors cited are mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing.[6]

Almost by definition, homeless children and youth are difficult to count, as their living situations frequently change. Attempts are made to estimate the extent of the homeless problem in the United States, using various methods, but all have their limitations. For this report, we use data that count children who are homeless and enrolled in school, and also data on homeless children who are served by formal shelters (either short- or long-term) over the course of a year, some of whom are also in school. Because of the different methods used make the counts, the two measurements are not comparable.

Trends

Data reported here come from two primary sources: school districts, which are required to report on the number of homeless students they serve, and censuses of homeless shelters and temporary housing conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In school year 2013-14 there were 1.4 million students who were homeless at the beginning of the year. While this is more than twice as many as in school year 2004-05 (590,000), some of this increase may be due to improved reporting, as only 65 percent of school districts reported data in that year (compared to 99 percent in 2013-14[7]). However, there is good reason to believe that a least some of the increase reflects real growth in this population; in school year 2007-08, with 91 percent of school districts reporting, there were only 795,000 students who were homeless. ( Figure 1) A smaller peak in 2005 may be due to families displaced by the unusually destructive hurricane season in late summer/early fall of that year.[8]

Differences by Living Situation

In school year 2013-14, the majority (75 percent) of homeless students were "doubling up" with other families. One-seventh (15 percent) were staying in shelters, six percent were in hotels or motels, and three percent were "unsheltered," meaning that they were living outside, in abandoned buildings, in cars, or in other places not meant for human habitation. ( Appendix 1)

Most of the increase in homelessness since the 2006-07 school year has been in the number of students who are "doubled up". In that time the number increased by 143 percent, from 421,000 students to over a million students, and rising from 60 to 75 percent of all homeless students. In that same time, the number of those living in hotels or motels increased by 60 percent, and those living in shelters increased by 29 percent. The number of unsheltered homeless students actually fell, from 54 to 45 thousand students. However, the number of unsheltered homeless students peaked in 2006-07, more than doubling in two years. In 2013-14, the number was still twice as high as it was in 2004-05. ( Figure 1)

Differences by Race and Hispanic Origin[9]

Black families are disproportionately represented among homeless families with children. In 2013, approximately 48 percent of sheltered homeless families with children were black, although black families made up just 14 percent of U.S. families with children, and 29 percent of families with children in poverty. Conversely, white families with children were under-represented: while they comprised 54 percent of all families with children, whites accounted for 23 percent of sheltered homeless families. Similarly, while Hispanics comprised 23 percent of families with children, and 36 percent of those in poverty, they made up just 22 percent of the sheltered homeless population. American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and those with multiple races are overrepresented in the homeless population, while Asians are underrepresented. ( Figure 2)

Differences by Age

Sheltered homeless children are disproportionately young. In 2013, fully 10 percent of homeless children who spent time in shelters were under the age of one, 39 percent between one and five, 33 percent between six and twelve, and 18 percent between 13 and 17. Among unaccompanied youth, as one would expect, a large majority (87 percent) were between the ages of 13 and 17. However, seven percent were between the ages of 6 and 12, and another five percent were younger than 6. Younger unaccompanied children are likely staying with a parent or other relative who is younger than 18 years of age. ( Figure 3)

Differences by Sex

In 2013, among unaccompanied youth in shelters, 54 percent were female. While this is consistent with the pattern since 2009, males were the majority of unaccompanied youth before then. ( Appendix 2)

State and Local Estimates

The National Center on Family Homelessness at American Institutes for Research estimates the number of homeless children for school year 2012-13.

In addition, the National Alliance to End Homelessness publishes estimates for geographical units grouped as "urban," "mostly urban," "rural," "mostly rural," and "urban-rural mix." There are 457 such "continuum of care" (CoC) units in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, used to award federal homelessness funding. The highest rates of homelessness are in urban and mostly-urban CoCs.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors reports on the past-year percent-change in family homelessness for 25 task force cities.

International Estimates

None available.

National Goals

The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End
homelessness has set a goal to prevent and end homelessness for families,
youth, and children by the year 2020. More information is available here.

What Works to Make Progress on This Indicator

In New York City, housing subsidies have been shown to be effective in promoting housing stability among families previously using shelters. Intensive permanent supportive housing programs also have positive effects on housing stability and, to a lesser extent, on parental employment and participation in education programs. More information is available here.

Access to legal representation may also forestall eviction of low-income families. See this publication.

In Toronto, unaccompanied youth who had dropped out of school who were helped to attain a high school diploma equivalent were more likely to obtain legal employment.[10]

Specifically on providing trauma-sensitive environments, and trauma-specific care, for homeless families, see The National Child Traumatic Stress Network publications:

Related Indicators

Definition

Homeless students include
those who meet the definition contained in the HEARTH act of 2009:

Someone who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Someone who has as a primary nighttime residence a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus
or train station, airport, or camping ground.

Someone living in a supervised publicly or privately
operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements.

Someone who resided in a shelter or place not meant for
human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily
resided.

Someone who will imminently lose their housing, including
housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent, are sharing with
others, and rooms in hotels or motels, has no subsequent residence identified,
and lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing.

A family that has experienced a long-term period without
living independently in permanent housing, has experienced persistent
instability as measured by frequent moves over such period, and can be expected
to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic
disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance
addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a
child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment.

The sheltered homeless are those who have used a federally supported housing shelter in the past 12 months.

Data Sources

Data for Students, 2013-14: US Department of Education. (2015). ED Data Express (Datatool). Available at: http://eddataexpress.ed.gov/data-elements.cfm/cid/12/

Data for Students, 2010-11 to 2012-13: National Center for Homeless Education. (2014). Education for homeless children and youth: Consolidated state performance report data, school years 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data-comp-1011-1213.pdf.

Data for 2013 sheltered homeless: Solari, C. D., Cortes, A., Henry, M., Matthews, N, & Morris, S. (2015) The 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress: Volume II: Estimates of homelessness in the United States. Available at: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/4404/2013-ahar-part-2-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us/

Data for 2012 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2013) The 2012 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress: Volume II: Estimates of homelessness in the United States. Available at: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/3297/2012-ahar-volume-2-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us/

Data for 2011 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2012) The 2011 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2011AHAR_FinalReport.pdf

Data for students 2007-08 to 2009-10: National Center for Homeless Education. (2011). Education for homeless children and youth program: Data Collection Summary. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_0708-0910.pdf.

Data for 2010 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2011) The 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: http://www.hudhre.info/documents/2010HomelessAssessmentReport.pdf

Data for 2009 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2010) The 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: http://www.hudhre.info/documents/5thHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf.

Data for 2008 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2009) The 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/4thHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf.

Data for students, 2004-05 to 2006-07: National Center for Homeless Education. (2008). Education for homeless children and youth program: Analysis of data. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_03-06.pdf.

Data for 2007 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2008) The Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: http://www.hudhre.info/documents/3rdHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf.

Data for 2006 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2008) The Second Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: http://www.hudhre.info/documents/2ndHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf.

Data for 2005 sheltered homeless: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2007) The Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Available at: http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/ahar.pdf.

Raw Data Sources

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Title X,
of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg116.html

Homeless Management Information Systems.
http://www.hudhdx.info/VendorResources.aspx

Sources: 2004-05-2006-07: National Center for Homeless Education. (2008). Education for homeless children and youth program: Analysis of data. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_03-06.pdf. Data for 2007-08-2009-10: National Center for Homeless Education. (2011). Education for homeless children and youth program: Data Collection Summary. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_0708-0910.pdf. 2010-11 to 2012-13: National Center for Homeless Education. (2014). Education for homeless children and youth: Consolidated state performance report data, school years 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data-comp-1011-1213.pdf. 2013-14: 2013-14: US Department of Education. (2015). ED Data Express (Datatool). Available at: http://eddataexpress.ed.gov/data-elements.cfm/cid/12/

¹While data from 2007 onward reflect a full 12 months of reporting (starting in October of the previous year), 2005 and 2006 data reflect three and six months of reporting, respectively, so caution should be used in comparing percentages. For instance, regional differences in climate may skew data collected in winter only.

² Unaccompanied youth includes children under 18 living together.

3 Race/Hispanic origin of children in families reflects the race recorded for the family as a whole.

Sources: 2004-05-2006-07: National Center for Homeless Education. (2008). Education for homeless children and youth program: Analysis of data. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_03-06.pdf. data for 2007-08-2009-10: National Center for Homeless Education. (2011). Education for homeless children and youth program: Data Collection Summary. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_0708-0910.pdf. 2010-2011: National Center for Homeless Education. (2012). Education for homeless children and youth program: Data Collection Summary. Available at: http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_0909-1011.pdf. Data for 2011: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2012) The 2011 annual homeless assessment report to Congress. Available at: https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2011AHAR_FinalReport.pdf Data for 2012: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2013) The 2012 annual homeless assessment report (AHAR) to Congress: Volume II: Estimates of homelessness in the United States. Available at: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/3297/2012-ahar-volume-2-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us/. Data for 2013: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development. (2015) The 2013 annual homeless assessment report (AHAR) to Congress: Volume II: Estimates of homelessness in the United States. Available at: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/3297/2013-ahar-volume-2-estimates-of-homelessness-in-the-us/

Suggested Citation:

Child Trends Databank. (2015). Homeless children and youth. Available at: http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=homeless-children-and-youth

Last updated: October 2015

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
US Department of Housing and Urban Development , Office of Community Planning and Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Homeless Children and Youth - Child Trends

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Although estimating the homeless population is difficult, about 1.4 million students in the U.S. were homeless at the start of the 2013-14 school year. Children not enrolled in school, although their numbers are less easily measured, push the total number of homeless children and youth significantly higher.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Enlarge this image

Every day on NPR, listeners hear funding credits - or, in other words, very short, simple commercials.

A few weeks ago, a new one made it to air: "Support for NPR comes from the estate of Richard Leroy Walters, whose life was enriched by NPR, and whose bequest seeks to encourage others to discover public radio."

NPR's Robert Siegel wondered who Walters was. So Siegel Googled him.

An article in the online newsletter of a Catholic mission in Phoenix revealed that Walters died two years ago at the age of 76. He left an estate worth about $4 million. Along with the money he left for NPR, Walters also left money for the mission.

But something distinguished Walters from any number of solvent, well-to-do Americans with seven-figure estates: He was homeless.

Walters was a retired engineer from AlliedSignal Corp.; an honors graduate of Purdue with a master's degree; and a Marine. Walters never married, didn't have children and was estranged from his brother. But he wasn't friendless.

Rita Belle, a registered nurse, met Walters at a senior center 13 years ago.

"He always came in with a little backpack on and a cap on," Belle tells Siegel. "And always kind of looked at me, but [was] very reserved. And I'm very outgoing and outspoken. So I said to him, 'Hey, you got a minute can we sit down to visit?' And we'd have coffee there at the senior center."

Belle and Walters became friends. Belle stayed with Walters when he was ill. She became his nurse and ultimately the executor of his estate - as well as one of the beneficiaries - despite fundamental differences between them.

"He was an atheist and I'm a very profound practicing Catholic, and I'd never met an atheist," Belle says. "And that just blew my mind that somebody could not believe in the Lord."

He just gave up all of the material things that we think we have to have. You know, I don't know how we gauge happiness. What's happy for you might not be happy for me. I never heard him complain.

Belle volunteers at the mission in Phoenix, which like NPR and several other nonprofits got about $400,000 from Walters.

Belle knew him as a very well-informed man who could fix her air conditioning - someone she just assumed had a place to live. Then he told her that he had no home. She heard that he slept on the grounds of the senior center. He told her he ate at the hospital and used a telephone there or at the center.

"And I'm sure that's when he was making his trades and so on," Belle says. "He was involved in investing; we talked investments a lot." Belle says Walters even did his own income taxes.

When Walters retired, he evidently retired from the world of material comforts. He didn't have a car.

"He just gave up all of the material things that we think we have to have," Belle says. "You know, I don't know how we gauge happiness. What's happy for you might not be happy for me. I never heard him complain."

Evidently, among his few possessions was a radio. Hence those announcements listeners hear now and again on NPR stations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Homeless Man Leaves Behind Surprise: $4 Million

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Richard Leroy Walters, a homeless man who lived in Phoenix, died two years ago. What people didn't know was that he was a millionaire. In his will, he left money for nonprofits - including NPR - and a nurse who befriended him 13 years ago. Rita Belle talks about their unlikely friendship.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless shelters are the best accessible way for the impoverished to start again.

# data[].attributes.body
Often, homeless people are forced to abuse the system as their only hope out of poverty.

# data[].attributes.body
Homelessness is perpetuated by those who benefit the most from others' misfortune.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
North American Street Newspaper Association

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
Helping Homeless Youth Embrace Life | Kevin Ryan | TEDxNavesink

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Homelessness In America: The Journey Home | Israel Bayer | TEDxPortland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Simply put, homelessness is not normal. In Portland, OR, Israel fights to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. He is on the front line advocating and addressing this modern day humanity crisis. The City of Roses continues to grow and develop, there is a push and pull on our wonderland.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people often struggle fruitlessly to escape homelessness

# data[].attributes.body
Many homeless people have mental illnesses.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thousands of homeless people seek emergency overnight shelter across Chicago's suburbs each year

Simler, at DuPage Pads, said it is not uncommon for homeless people to have family members desperately trying to help. But relatives and shelters often have rules that some homeless people cannot or will not follow.

"I don't think it's about do they feel loved," Simler said. "It's more about what's going on with them personally."

In Lake County, 2,000 people receive assistance or shelter from PADS Lake County each year. Officials estimate that an additional 200 choose to sleep outdoors - a group that can be elusive, said Joel Williams, executive director of PADS Lake County.

"In the suburban areas, if somebody's on a park bench or on a corner or anything else, there's usually some sort of authority who will try to move them on," Williams said. "The people who experience homelessness in the suburbs usually do a pretty good job of staying hidden."

For that reason, DuPage Pads officials hope that dedicating staff to outreach will make a difference.

Officials from the organization have been tracking reports from police and the public about where homeless have been congregating. Staff will begin visiting those sites to build trust and a rapport that officials hope will lead to help.

"That's how it's going to start," Simler said. "This takes a long time."

In the weeks before Valez's death, relatives said they felt hopeful that she was turning her life around. She was regularly visiting the PADS Client Service Center, which helped her to land a job at McDonald's in Glen Ellyn, Simler said.

She told several relatives she planned to move into an apartment in Glendale Heights with a friend she had met on the streets.

Although she remained homeless, family members took comfort in knowing she was nearby, where they could check on her often. In some ways, they reasoned, Valez was the same loving woman they had always known. She remembered their birthdays each year. And when they brought her food, she asked for extra, so others in her homeless circle could have a meal too, Araujo said.

"My mom wasn't a horrible person. If you met her, you'd like her right away," said Valez's 13-year-old daughter, Imani.

Shanti Villarreal, Valez's oldest sister, said the family used to joke that Valez was an undercover social worker, helping others while living on the street herself. No matter what her circumstances, Valez always had perfect makeup and accessories, Villarreal said.

"We're funny, we're loving, we're a family, not the family that should have to go through this," Villarreal said. "I haven't been able to like really, really understand. I'm not going to probably ever have answers."

Valez's family members hope that in sharing her story, they can remind the public that suburban homelessness persists. And that other families going through it will know they're not alone.

"Never give up on them," Araujo said. "Always stay close, and as much as it hurts and as much as you don't like to see them on the street, be strong and stay involved."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Suburban homelessness continues around Chicago

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thousands of homeless people seek emergency overnight shelter across Chicago's suburbs each year Simler, at DuPage Pads, said it is not uncommon for homeless people to have family members desperately trying to help. But relatives and shelters often have rules that some homeless people cannot or will not follow.

# data[].attributes.body
Many homeless people take advantage of government welfare programs.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people don't really want to help themselves.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people are usually uneducated.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Homelessness is; in fact, caused by tragic life occurrences like the loss of loved ones, job loss, domestic violence, and divorce and family disputes. Many factors push people into living on the street. Acknowledging these can help end homelessness, one person at a time in our community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Homelessness is; in fact, caused by tragic life occurrences like the loss of loved ones, job loss, domestic violence, and divorce and family disputes. Many factors push people into living on the street. Acknowledging these can help end homelessness, one person at a time in our community.

# data[].attributes.body
Once you are homeless its hard to not be.

# data[].attributes.body
If you are a child living without your legal guardian you are homeless.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people are addicts.

# data[].attributes.body
Homelessness is mainly a big city problem.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless people do not have jobs.