HOUSING AND HOMELESS

Housing represents the fundamental base-solution to the problem of homelessness, with the lack of affordable housing and the limited scale of housing assistance programs contributing to the current housing crisis and to homelessness. The lack of affordable housing has led to high rent burdens, overcrowding, and substandard housing, which has not only forced many people to become homeless but has also put a growing number of people at risk of becoming homeless.

Why is this an issue in American?

While this is an issue that has an extensive history, since 2000 the incomes of low-income households have declined as rents continue to rise. However, the demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply.

The National Coalition for the Homeless and others urge Congress to include money for homelessness prevention and re-housing in any legislative response to the foreclosure crisis, and are also seeking to pass legislation that would help renters living in foreclosed properties to remain in their homes or transition smoothly to new housing. This is in response to:

• One-third of poor renter households receiving a housing subsidy from the federal, state, or a local government. 
• A majority of local and state homeless coalitions witnessing an increase in homelessness in the wake of the 2007 foreclosure crisis 
• Research conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition showed that renters make up as many as 40% of the households facing foreclosure and rental properties constituting an estimated 20% of all foreclosures 
• A survey of 24 cities which showed that people remain homeless an average of seven months with 87% of cities reporting that the length of time people are homeless increased in recent years 
• Workers needing to earn $14.97 to afford a one-bedroom apartment and $17.84 to afford a two-bedroom apartment. There has been an increase of 41% from 2000 to 2009 in fair market rent for a two-bedroom unit, according to HUD 
• Five states, California (22%), New York (13%), Florida (8%), Texas (5%), and Massachusetts (3%), accounted for more than half of the homeless population in the United States in 2013. 

Source:
National coalition for the homeless (N.D) Housing and Homeless, Research on June 1, 2015. Link: http://nationalhomeless.org/issues/housing/

Written by:  
Maria José Gomez