On a given night in 2015, there were 2,380 unaccompanied homeless children without shelter in the United States and not enough shelter beds to give them shelter in each Continuum of Care (CoC). To have enough shelter for each unaccompanied homeless child in each Continuum of Care, an additional 1,758 to 1,896 shelter beds are needed in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.
Continue reading Not Enough Shelters for Unaccompanied Homeless Children in 21 to 23 States
HUD’s New “Chronically Homeless” Definition is Inconsistent with Its Long-Standing Definition and is Unreasonable
In addition to HUD’s new definition for the term “chronically homeless” being inconsistent with the text and purpose of Congress’s definition in the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act(HEARTH Act), the new regulatory definition is also not reasonable. HUD’s new definition is not consistent with its long-standing definition
that has been published in the Federal Register, the change will reduce the safety of homeless individuals who may be forced to spend more time on the streets and the basis for the change is to target limited resources to a subset of chronically homeless individuals and families, a facet not allowed in the HEARTH Act. Continue reading HUD’s New “Chronically Homeless” Definition is Inconsistent with Its Long-Standing Definition and is Unreasonable
HUD’s “Chronically Homeless” Definition Does Not Affect Permanent Housing Eligibility Nor Can It Add Extra Time Requirements
On December 4, 2015, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published its final rule to define the term “chronically homeless” for use in HUD’s Continuum of Care Program and in the Consolidated Submissions for Community Planning and Development Programs. HUD defines “chronically homeless” as a homeless individual with a disability who lives in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter and has been homeless and living in such a place continuously for at least 12 months or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years, as long as the combined occasions equal at least 12 months and each break in homelessness separating the occasions included at least 7 consecutive nights of not living in such a place. Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing: Defining “Chronically Homeless”, 80 Fed. Reg. 75791, 75804 (Dec. 4, 2015). A family with an adult head of household (or a minor head of household in families with no adult) who meets this criteria is also classified as chronically homeless. Id. The rule also states that stays in institutional care facilities for fewer than 90 days are included in the 12-month total and do not constitute a break. Id.
Continue reading HUD’s “Chronically Homeless” Definition Does Not Affect Permanent Housing Eligibility Nor Can It Add Extra Time Requirements
Health Care of Homeless Persons: Many Homeless Persons Lacking Diagnosis and Treatment
In 2014, an estimated 1.49 million people used a shelter program at some point during the year and on a given night 30 percent of homeless people were without shelter. During the same year, 1.15 million homeless people were seen at Federally Qualified Health Centers (Health Centers) for medical care, dental care, and other health care, including 813,331 at Health Care for the Homeless Program Grantee (HCH) Health Centers.
Continue reading Health Care of Homeless Persons: Many Homeless Persons Lacking Diagnosis and Treatment
No Safety or Shelter for 9,200 to 11,600 People Fleeing Domestic Violence on a Given Night
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness should set a goal to prevent and end homelessness for individuals and families experiencing domestic violence and Congress should provide the resources to ensure that every adult or child who is escaping domestic violence has access to shelter. Continue reading No Safety or Shelter for 9,200 to 11,600 People Fleeing Domestic Violence on a Given Night
The Continuing Resolution Should Provide Funding for the 29,000 to 35,000 Chronically Homeless Individuals and Families Without Shelter
Despite the long-lasting nature of chronic homelessness, the goal to end chronic homelessness has been delayed and chronic homelessness still exists because enough resources have not been provided. Continue reading The Continuing Resolution Should Provide Funding for the 29,000 to 35,000 Chronically Homeless Individuals and Families Without Shelter
Congress Should Provide Assistance to the 10,000 to 15,000 Adults and Children in Families Who Have No Shelter
Congress should provide the funding requested in the fiscal year 2016 budget to support the goal to prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children in 2020 because it would be able to keep families off of the streets on any given night. Continue reading Congress Should Provide Assistance to the 10,000 to 15,000 Adults and Children in Families Who Have No Shelter
On Any Given Night, 84,000 to 95,000 Homeless Adult Individuals Can Find No Shelter
In addition to establishing the goal of preventing and ending homelessness for families, youth, and children in 2020, Opening Doors: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness describes goals to prevent and end homelessness among Veterans in 2015 and end chronic homelessness in 2017 and to set a path to end all types of homelessness. Specific goals to end all types of homelessness are needed and shelter is needed for all persons that experience homelessness to save lives, reduce injuries and health-related complications, and provide a place of respite to sleep and restore the sense of stability needed to obtain housing, jobs, or other support. Continue reading On Any Given Night, 84,000 to 95,000 Homeless Adult Individuals Can Find No Shelter
Without Shelter: 20,000 Homeless Youth are Left on the Street
The nation’s comprehensive strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, has a goal to prevent and end homelessness for youth and children in 2020. Opening Doors was amended in June in part to define the end to homelessness as when every community will have the capacity to quickly identify and engage people at risk of and experiencing homelessness, prevent the loss of housing, provide immediate access to shelter, and quickly connect people to housing assistance and services to help them achieve and maintain stable housing. Continue reading Without Shelter: 20,000 Homeless Youth are Left on the Street
Homelessness Without Shelter in America
Each January, the number of homeless people in sheltered and unsheltered locations across America are counted. Despite efforts to reduce homelessness, more than a million people are homeless each year. The 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress reported that 578,424 people were homeless on a given night in January 2014. Continue reading Homelessness Without Shelter in America