Homelessness Reaches Record High in 2024
By: Steven Molinari, Policy Analyst
On December 27, HUD released it’s 2024 Annual Homelessness
Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. The findings of the report show homelessness in the United States reaching a record high of 771,480 people. This is an 18% increase from 2023.
According to HUD, the report provides Point-in-Time (PIT) estimates, offering a snapshot of experiences of homelessness on a single night. The one-night PIT counts are typically conducted each year during the last 10 days of January with some taking place in February as well.
Of the various homeless population types nearly all populations including families with children; individuals; individuals with chronic patterns of homelessness; people staying in unsheltered locations; people staying in sheltered locations; and unaccompanied youth reached their highest recorded levels yet. Veterans were the only population type to see a decline with 2,692 fewer veterans experiencing homelessness (32,882 in total).
Two additional key findings from the report show that one in five people experiencing homelessness was age 55 or older and that people who identify as Black, African American, or African continue to be overrepresented among homeless populations.
For a more detailed overview of key findings from the report see the next edition of The NAHRO Monitor on January 15.