America's homeless crisis now reaching A startling record as rents
skyrocket and the pandemic aid ends.
There's been a 12% spike in the number of people
living on US streets this year.
Our homeless population is now the highest on record.
Brian Yenis is live with more on that John Good
evening.
This is the highest number of homeless people recorded since
the federal government started this particular survey in 2007.
The increase is primarily driven by people who became homeless
for the first time.
Over 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night
in 2023.
That is up 12% from last year.
Black Americans continue to disproportionately be impacted,
representing half of homeless families with children in America.
Notably, this is the first time in a decade that
family homelessness has increased in the US There are 186,000
people in families with children experiencing homelessness.
That is an increase of 16%.
The top five major cities with the homeless populations are
New York City,
Los Angeles, Seattle. San Diego and Denver.
New York City saw the largest increase.
More than half of the country's homelessness is in four
states,
California, with 28% of the nation's homeless population,
followed by New York, Florida and Washington.
California also has the largest population of unsheltered homeless people.
There are more than 123,000 people in California living on
the streets and on sidewalks in the Golden State.
That is nearly eight times higher than the next highest
state,
Florida. Experts say this is primarily due to extraordinary rent
increases over the last couple years.
I think it's a disturbing trend that's been going on
for a long time.
And you know, as I said,
the main, the main driver of this relevant to government
policy is that.
Rents for a modest department keep going up faster than
wages in a modest job.
That's what's driving it. The Department of Housing also blames
the winding down of COVID-19 protections like eviction moratoriums,
emergency rental assistance and the end of those stimulus payments.
John, Brian Yanis. Brian, thanks.
Yep.