INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE UNITED STATES
Description of Population
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Homelessness has become a public health issue in the United States, affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals and families across the lifespan each year. Those experiencing homelessness have higher rates of chronic mental and physical health conditions, barriers to health care and lack of affordable housing (American Public Health Association, 2017). While homelessness is experienced in all states, rates are significantly higher in California, New York, and Florida. Homelessness is prevalent in every US region and is associated with family status, gender, racial, and ethnic groups (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2020). Significant contributors to high rates of homelessness include a lack of affordable housing, substance abuse, unemployment, domestic violence, and marginalization of groups (APHA, 2017). Homeless assistance systems support temporary housing, including emergency shelters, safe havens and transitional housing. However, these systems lack sufficient funding and resources to serve the current needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in the US.
Key Terms
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Chronic Homelessness - "refers to an individual with a disability who has been continuously homeless for one year or more or has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the last three years where the combined length of time homeless on those occasions is at least 12 months" (HUD, 2020, p. 2)
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Culture - shared beliefs, norms, behaviors, and social structures in response to a common economic and living situation; however, homelessness is complex and those who are homeless still have individual differences (Flaskerud & Strehlow, 2008; Philipps, 2012)
Cultural Imperialism - Universalization of the dominant groups experience and culture, and its establishment as the norm (Young, 1990)
Emergency Shelter - “is a facility with the primary purpose of providing temporary shelter for homeless people.” (HUD, 2020, p. 2)
Exploitation - Treating people unfairly to benefit from their labor (Young, 1990)
Homeless - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines a person as homeless if he or she "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" (HUD 2018b, p. 2)
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Marginalization - Treating people or groups as insignificant; a population of people expelled from participating in a social life (Young, 1990)
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Powerlessness - Having a lack of authority, status and sense of self (Young, 1990)
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Safe Havens - “provide temporary shelter and services to hard-to-serve individuals” (HUD, 2020, p. 2)
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Sheltered Homelessness - ”refers to people who are staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens” (HUD, 2020, p. 2)
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Transitional Housing Programs - “provide people experiencing homelessness a place to stay combined with supportive services for up to 24 months” (HUD, 2020, p. 2)
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Unsheltered Homelessness - "refers to people whose primary nighttime location is a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people (for example, the streets, vehicles, or parks)" (HUD, 2020, p. 3)
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Violence - Random unprovoked attacks on people or property in efforts to damage, humiliate or destroy the person (Young, 1990)
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Demographics ​
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Single adults make up 70% of the homeless population, while families with children make up 30%.
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200,000+ homeless people experience unsheltered homelessness (37% of the overall population; 1 in 2 people)
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37,085 veterans experienced homelessness in January of 2019, 90.3% were male and 8.9% were female. This is a 45.4% decrease since 2011 due to the prioritization of policy and practice for this group.
(Demographic Data Retrieved from National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2020)​
(Retrieved from National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2020)
(Retrieved from National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2020)
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While white people make up a greater percentage of all homelessness, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans are most at risk when compared to other race/ethnic groups, followed by Black Americans, multiracial Americans, and Hispanics.
(Retrieved from National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2020)
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Males account for 60% of the homeless population, while females make up 40%.
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Amongst individuals, adult males and unaccompanied male youth constitute 70% of the homeless population.