A new report examining homelessness between the years of 2009 and 2011 was released last week by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.  The State of Homelessness in American 2012 concentrates on a time period coinciding with the official end of the recession in 2009 and the slow recovery phase that followed.  Some significant findings include a slight decrease in the total homelessness population as well as a decrease in the homeless population who are veterans.  There was, however, an increase in the population of unsheltered homeless (e.g. those living on the streets, or in cars, abandoned buildings) who account for nearly four of every ten homeless persons.

While the nation as a whole experienced a decline in homelessness, place remains a significant predictor of distress.  Twenty four states and the District of Columbia experienced an increase in the homeless population.  The highest increase occurred in Wyoming where the population of homeless more than doubled during the time period.

The odds of experiencing homelessness vary depending on the circumstances of the population.  While the odds in the general population are about 1 in 194 according to the report, the odds are 1 in 29 for those with incomes below the poverty threshold.  For veterans below the poverty threshold, the odds jump to 1 in 10.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau the rate of poverty in the United States in 2010 was 15.1%, the highest rate since 1993 and the highest absolute number of poor people on record.

The odds of becoming homeless are also increased for households that pay a large percentage of their income towards housing costs.  In 2009, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that 63.7 million households paid more than 30% of their income towards housing costs; fully 20.8 million households (18.6% of all units) paid more than 50% of their income towards housing costs. 

The Project on Societal Distress tracks metrics of homelessness and precarious housing using data issued from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau.  Visit our website for more information.