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2009
Accomplishments
indianahousingnow.org
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:30 Radio Spot
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National Statistics & Research
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Approximately
744,313 people in the U.S. on any given night are homeless
(Data
Snapshot: Doubled Up in the United States, Homeless Research Institute,
National Alliance to End Homelessness, March 2008, as per the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development’s definition of homeless) ["The data shows
that expanding the definition to include people who are doubled up for economic
reasons would increase the current homeless population (744,313 on a given
night) by 3.8 million" or 4,544,313.]
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In 2005, between
2.4 million and 35 million people were living in doubled up housing
situations and approximately 2.4 million to 10.5 million of those who were
living in doubled up situations fell below the poverty level. (Data
Snapshot: Doubled Up in the United States, Homeless Research Institute,
National Alliance to End Homelessness, March 2008)
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Homeless persons
in families, in 2007, represented 37% of the homeless population
(down from 41% in 2005) (Homelessness
Counts: Changes in Homelessness from 2005 to 2007, National Alliance to
End Homelessness)
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Chronically
homeless persons represented 18% of the homeless population in 2007
(down from 23% in 2005). (Homelessness
Counts: Changes in Homelessness from 2005 to 2007, National Alliance to
End Homelessness)
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In 2007, the
unsheltered homeless made up 42% of the homeless population (down
from 44% in 2005). (Homelessness
Counts: Changes in Homelessness from 2005 to 2007, National Alliance to
End Homelessness)
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The lack of
affordable housing has been identified as the most common reason for
homelessness by the U.S. Conference of Mayors for at least the last four years.
(National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007
www.endhomelessness.org)
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The immediate cause
of homelessness for many women and children.
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In November 2006,
over 22,000 victims of domestic violence—12,000 children and 10,000
adults—received housing services from 1,243 domestic violence service providers.
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Victims are often
isolated from support networks and financial resources by their abusers, meaning
they may lack steady income, employment and credit histories, and landlord
references.
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Safe and stable
housing is the most immediate need for survivors of domestic violence to prevent
them from staying with their abuser or sleeping on the streets.
(National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007
www.endhomelessness.org)
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Youth homelessness is
disturbingly common. Although the prevalence of youth homelessness is difficult
to measure, researchers estimate that about 5 to 7.7 percent of youth experience
homelessness each year.
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Up to 40% of the
current homeless population has spent some time in foster care.
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The same factors that
contribute to adult homelessness, such as poverty, lack of affordable housing,
low education levels, unemployment, mental health, and substance abuse, can lead
to homelessness among youth. Beyond these factors, youth homelessness is largely
a reflection of family breakdown
(Vital
Mission: Ending Homelessness among Veterans, 2007)
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Nationwide, a total
of 194,254 homeless veterans slept on the street, in shelter, or in transitional
housing on any given night in 2006 and 495,400 were homeless over the course of
the year.
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In Indiana alone last
year, approximately 1200 veterans were homelessness on any given night.
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In Vanderburgh
County, of the approximate 400 individuals who homeless on any given night, at
least 10-11% are veterans.
(National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007
www.endhomelessness.org)
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According to HUD’s
definition: an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling
condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more,
or has at least four (4) episodes of homelessness in the past
three (3) years.
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In order to be
considered chronically homeless, a person must have been sleeping in a place not
meant for human habitation (e.g., living on the streets) and/or in an emergency
homeless shelter.
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A disabling condition
is defined as a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, serious mental illness,
developmental disability including the co-occurrence of two or more of these
conditions.
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There are
approximately 150,000 to 200,000 chronically homeless individuals nationwide.
Rural Homelessness
(National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2007
www.endhomelessness.org)
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The number of people
who experience rural homelessness is unknown, but the last national count of
homeless people found that 9% live in rural areas.
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The same structural
factors that contribute to urban homelessness—lack of affordable housing and
inadequate income—also lead to rural homelessness.
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One of the most
important strategies in ending rural homelessness is prevention.
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