Homelessness

Homelessness occurs when individuals and families lack adequate or permanent housing. People faced with homelessness may seek out temporary residence in a public shelter, live in their vehicle, or sleep outdoors or in public spaces. Others find shelter with friends or family, join homeless camps, or live in motels.

In 2020 the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recorded a 12 percent increase in homelessness compared to the previous year, representing the fourth consecutive year of rising homelessness in the United States. According to HUD's 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), 580,466 people were homeless in the United States on any given day that year. Of this population, about 18 percent were children under age eighteen. Additionally, over...