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State by State Count of Homeless Veterans

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State by State Count of Homeless Veterans

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Point-in-Time (PIT) Count - Homeless Veterans

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Improve your students' reading comprehension with ReadWorks. Access thousands of high-quality, free K-12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students.

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When Housing is Out of Reach

More than at any other time, there is a lack of housing that low income people can afford. Without housing options, people face eviction, instability and homelessness.

Housing

Income and Housing Affordability

Low income households often do not earn enough to pay for food, clothing, transportation and a place they can call home.

Income

Connecting Homelessness and Health

Health and homelessness are inextricably linked. Health problems can cause a person's homelessness as well as be exacerbated by the experience. Housing is key to addressing the health needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Health

Escaping Violence

Many survivors of domestic violence become homeless when leaving an abusive relationship.

Domestic Violence

Impact of Racial Disparities

Most minority groups in the United States experience homelessness at higher rates than Whites, and therefore make up a disproportionate share of the homeless population.

Racial Inequality

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More than at any other time, there is a lack of housing that low income people can afford. Without housing options, people face eviction, instability and homelessness. Housing Low income households often do not earn enough to pay for food, clothing, transportation and a place they can call home.

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The past, present and future of veteran homelessness

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Fiscal Tiger | Better Information. Better Finances. Better You.

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Homelessness is a serious problem in America. People are living on the streets, without a secure place to lay their head down at night, and it's a hard problem to solve.

The first barrier to solving homelessness in America is getting a firm number of how many people are currently homeless. Studies have numbers ranging from 1.56 million people being homeless long term to 3.5 million having to use emergency housing at least once a year.

It's estimated that 2.5 million children will experience homelessness in some form or another each year. That's around 1 in every 50 U.S. children who will either have a single night of homelessness or a long stretch of time without a home. Many of these children are runaways from parents, guardians, foster families, or unsafe environments.

Homelessness isn't just sleeping on the street or spending each night at a shelter; there are others who live perpetually in hotels, temporary housing solutions, or stay in homes they don't own.

How Do People Become Homeless? The Top Causes of Homelessness in the USA

There are different reasons for homelessness, but nearly all of them stem from issues surrounding money. Either the person has no money, doesn't earn enough money to afford housing, or loses their housing because they can't make regular payments.

Money isn't the only reason, though. Other factors can lead to becoming homeless, like getting kicked out of your home, running away from a dangerous environment, or having your home destroyed.

It makes sense that if you have no money, you can't afford to pay for a place to live. Many people, who either can't find a job or whose job (or combinations of jobs) don't pay enough, live in a situation where they can't pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a place to stay.

Some, though, do have a job, but because of other expenses, such as medical bills, crippling debt, or a financial crisis, can't afford to pay for housing. In some cities, housing is so expensive that those who can only get low/minimum wage jobs can't afford a place to stay.

Unemployment and Job Loss

Losing your job, or going a long period without a job, can be a major contributing factor to becoming homeless. Even if you have savings enough to cover your rent for a while, many apartments or landlords won't rent to somebody without proof of employment. Many people can claim unemployment after losing a job, but after a certain time, those benefits run out.

Emergencies or Personal Crises

Alongside nearly every emergency, crisis, or major life change comes a pretty big bill. This can include medical bills, a car breaking down, losing a loved one, or anything else that could put you in the way of a personal crisis. When it comes to dealing with massive debts you aren't prepared for, losing your home is a pretty common result.

Other emergencies might require time to solve, which could result in not bringing in a paycheck, or losing a job completely.

Lack of Affordable Housing

The United States clearly has a housing problems, with some states asking for ridiculous prices for even the most basic of living situations. Many major cities in the U.S. have studio apartments charging over a thousand dollars a month in rent.

Even people with full time jobs sometimes can't afford a place to live in cities with higher cost of living. This might mean staying in a temporary solution, like a hotel, or simply survive living out of a car or literally on the streets.

Physical and Mental Health

Sometimes, our health can get in the way of being able to earn an income. Disabilities, drug addiction, mental illnesses, and more can be major barriers to having a job. Sometimes, people with long term disabilities can survive by utilizing social security and Medicaid, but not always.

Disabilities also mean higher medical bills and insurance rates, extra expenses that have to be paid alongside other costs of living. This might mean not enough to pay for a place to stay.

Family Issues

Things like divorce, domestic abuse, the death of a household's main earner, or needing to care for a hurt or disabled family member can all contribute to become homeless. Family issues not only contribute to adults becoming homeless, but children too. Many flee when forced to confront their parents about something, especially about their gender or sexuality. Research shows that a large number of runaway youth are LGBT and fleeing hostile home environments.

Natural Disasters

If your home is destroyed in a fire, earthquake, tornado, tsunami, volcanic eruption, or any other natural disaster, you are consequently homeless. There is no place to call home, or if there is, it's in such a terrible state that it's unsafe to live in.

After a major natural disaster, there are some people who never fully recover financially from the loss of their home. Often, they are forced to relocated to a new town or city and start over from scratch.

Identity and Demographics

Your race, gender, sexual orientation, and identity as a whole can play a role in your housing situation. Discrimination and abuse are more common for many marginalized groups, both in public and in their homes. They are more likely to run away from home or be forbidden from living at home as children. At all ages, minorities of all varieties have a hard time finding housing and are more likely to become homeless, both at a single point in time and for long stretches of life. Minorities also have a harder time gaining employment, another factor contributing to homelessness.

Lack of a Support Network

Many people have a fall back plan if they do lose their home. They can stay with family, friends, a coworker, or somebody else within their support network. For some, that isn't an option. Either they don't have a support network, or they've exhausted their options without managing to find a permanent solution to their housing or underlying challenges.

Homelessness is a serious problem, both in the United States and around the world. Often, it's not just one reason that contributes to becoming homeless, it's multiple factors. Most times, those that are homeless are just having really bad luck, or a string of misfortunes. Try to help out where you can, including volunteering at shelters or soup kitchens, making donations to homeless charities, or advocate for their rights.
Image Source: https://depositphotos.com/
Ben Allen is a freelance content creator and digital marketer who believes in helping small businesses succeed. He spends his free time bragging about his two daughters, eating stuffed crust pizza, and playing video games.

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Why Are People Homeless | Causes of Homelessness | Fiscal Tiger

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Homelessness is a serious problem in America. People are living on the streets, without a secure place to lay their head down at night, and it's a hard problem to solve. The first barrier to solving homelessness in America is getting a firm number of how many people are currently homeless.

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Number of homeless veterans, by state U.S. 2020 | Statista

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This statistic shows the estimated number of homeless veterans in the United States in 2020, by state.

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After Elvis Summers built a tiny house on wheels for a woman who had been sleeping on the streets, he launched a crowdfunding campaign on the internet. The idea was to get money to construct similar shelters for other homeless people in his neighborhood. He lives in South Los Angeles.

He had no grand ambitions. He just wanted to lend a helping hand. In Los Angeles, thousands of residents are without roofs over their heads.

"Honestly I thought I'd raise enough money to help a dozen people, call it a day. And then go back to stressing about my job," said the 38-year-old. He runs an online apparel store.

Summers never thought more than 5.6 million people would watch a YouTube video of him constructing the 8-foot-long house. He built it for "Smokie." She is a grandmother who's been homeless for more than a decade. He estimates he spent less than $500 on plywood, shingles, a window and a door. The video ends with Smokie doing a little jig. She hangs up a "Home Sweet Home" sign.

The GoFundMe campaign is called Tiny House, Huge Purpose. It has brought in nearly $60,000. That's in less than a month. And Summers' inbox is overflowing. He has received offers for help from carpenters, homeless advocates and retirees. And even children as young as 6.

Now Summers, who sports a blue mohawk and wraparound shades, suddenly considers himself a man with a mission. He has started a nonprofit. He also has reached out to Los Angeles officials. He wants to get the city involved in his plan to build more tiny homes for transients.

"People are calling it a movement," he said. "I'm humbled. But now I can't turn my back on it."

Builders said they would donate materials. Contractors offered to help in the design of the small wheeled structures. And chefs said they would to bring food to the construction sites.

Summers said he wants to hire homeless people to help with the construction. Smokie said she would be the first person to sign up.

"I'm ready to start building," she said. "Give people a good night's rest. Someplace warm."

It is unclear if the city would enforce rules for these homes. Smokie said police have told her she won't be bothered as long as she regularly moves the home. It is small enough to fit in a parking space. It could be moved about every three days.

The structure is so small that it wouldn't require permits if built on private property, said Luke Zamperini. He is the spokesman for the city Building and Safety department.

"We do not consider it a dwelling or a building as it does not meet the definition of either," Zamperini said.
Critical thinking challenge: How can a tiny house have a huge purpose?

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After Elvis Summers built a tiny house on wheels for a woman who had been sleeping on the streets, he launched a crowdfunding campaign on the internet. The idea was to get money to construct similar shelters for other homeless people in his neighborhood. He lives in South Los Angeles.

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Richard is a homeless veteran. When I handed him new socks, I was not prepared for his reaction.

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California Man Builds "TINY HOUSE" For HOMELESS Woman SLEEPING In the DIRT!!

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Most artists aspire to create masterpieces that can be admired and collected by the elite few, who can afford them - not Gregory Kloehn. He focuses on art that can be lived in, by people who have no homes to call their own. The best part is, that each structure is built from recycled materials that the artist finds inside dumpsters.

Gregory began his life as a sculptor. But he often felt that his sculptures that stayed in one place for years on end, lacked a meaningful purpose. Hence, after successfully constructing a five-unit live-work condominium complex from the ground up, he decided to channel his artistic energies into creating homes. However, they were not ordinary homes, but small structures built entirely from recycled materials - An idea he got by observing the innovative shelters created by the homeless in his neighborhood.

Over the years, he built numerous small, houses, bars and restaurants from recycled shipping containers and even transformed a dumpster into a luxurious 'home away from home' for his personal use in Red Hook, Brooklyn. But the thought of doing the same for the homeless, never occurred to him. That epiphany hit last year, when a homeless couple in search of a tarp, knocked at his door. While Gregory did not have a tarp, he did have a small wooden structure complete with a water tank, built-in kitchen, and even a small trap for waste disposal that he offered them. They were so grateful for his generosity that Gregory decided to build more for other people in similar situations.

Since embarking on the ' Homeless Homes Project' in 2013, the 43-year-old Denver, Colorado native who now lives in Oakland, California, has donated ten homes to the city's most needy. The brightly colored abodes that are the size of a regular sofa, are not fancy, but they do provide a safe pace for the homeless to sleep in. While they lack basic amenities like water and electricity, Gregory tries to make them as cozy as possible, by incorporating little luxuries like mirrors, cup holders, a small grill and even, a space for a pet carrier!

Prior to starting a new home, Gregory goes hunting for raw materials by digging through dumpsters in an industrial area of Oakland. Everything he finds is usable - Cargo pallets transform into foundations, refrigerator doors become house doors, while pizza delivery bags turn into insulators. Recycled washing machine doors often serve as windows, and the tops of minivans become sturdy roofs. Wheels at the bottom allow the homes to move around with their owners, while pitched roofs help make the shelters rain-proof. Gregory estimates that each mobile shelter which is built with a team of volunteers, costs between $30-$50 in screws, nails, glue, and the gas that he uses to search for materials.

Like any other project, Gregory has seen his fair share of challenges. The original house which inspired the whole movement was firebombed, while another, was stolen. One enterprising homeless recipient sold his home, which has since been converted to a dog house, for $80 USD. But those incidents are few and far between. Most are thrilled with their humble abodes. A woman named Wonder calls her new home, which is made from a discarded picnic table, the best one she has had in five years.

Gregory, who is currently experimenting with new designs - a chuck wagon and a geodesic home, hopes that others will join him in the effort and is even planning to hold weekend workshops to teach those that are interested, how to build the recycled structures.

Resources : odditycentral.com, mercurynews.com

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Artist Creates Mobile Homes Made From Recycled Materials For Oakland's Homeless

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Most artists aspire to create masterpieces that can be admired and collected by the elite few, who can afford them - not Gregory Kloehn. He focuses on art that can be lived in, by people who have no homes to call their own.

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Prized gift: A birthday party for homeless children on skid row

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One man's kindness.

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While most of us want to help those in need, we are often constrained by our own finances. Now a Philadelphia man is demonstrating that sometimes it takes as little as a slice of pizza, to make a big difference in a person's life.

27-year-old Mason Wartman quit his corporate job on Wall Street in 2013, and returned to his home city of Philadelphia to pursue his entrepreneurial dream. When he opened Rosa's Fresh Pizza, his only intention was to replicate New York's $1 a slice concept that he had grown to love during his three years there. However, today the no-frills pizzeria is not just known for its delicious thin crust pizza, but also for its unique business model in giving forward.

Customers that come in to grab a slice are asked if they would like to contribute an extra dollar to buy a slice for a homeless person. Those that agree are invited to write a little message on a sticky note and add it to the wall. Whenever someone in need walks in, they simply remove one of the colorful and encouraging messages and give it to Wartman in exchange for a hot slice.

The 27-year-old says that he had always given away free slices to those in need. However, in March 2014, a customer asked if he could prepay for the next homeless person that walked in and the simple but ingenious system of giving back, was born.

Since then, Wartman, who estimates that he feeds about 40 homeless people daily, has distributed over 8,400 slices of free pizza. The young entrepreneur says that the demand for giving back is so large that his sticky note system of keeping count does not work anymore. He now keeps track of all the donated dollars by placing them in a separate compartment in his cash register.

While a slice of pizza may not seem much, it is a lifeline for those that are down on their luck. Their gratitude is very apparent in the poignant notes that are scattered all across the pizza parlor's walls, alongside the colorful donation notes. What's even more gratifying is that many homeless people have told Wartman that in addition to saving money, the free pizza also prevents them from committing petty crimes for food.

Wartman who has received national recognition and even a $10,000 USD donation from Shutterfly, says that the donations account for about 10% of his business - a number that can only grow as more people find out about it. His hopes that his story will encourage other businesses to adopt similar pay-it-forward initiatives.

Resources: huffingtonpost.com, odditycentral.com, NPR.com, NBCphiladelphia.com

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Philadelphia Pizza Parlor Demonstrates It Doesn't Take Much To Make A Difference

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While most of us want to help those in need, we are often constrained by our own finances. Now a Philadelphia man is demonstrating that sometimes it takes as little as a slice of pizza, to make a big difference in a person's life.