Homeless in America: How bad is the crisis right now?

 More than 650K people left homeless in a single night in 2023, up 12% from 2022

Homelessness in the US reached an all-time high in 2023, leading many across the country to fear what 2024 will bring and what is being done to address the country's growing homelessness crisis.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an estimated 653,104 people experienced homelessness in a single night in 2023, a 12% increase from 2022, making it the highest number of cases of homelessness in the country since they began using the annual point. The highest number of people has become. In-Time Survey in 2007.

One factor in the increase in homelessness was the end of pandemic programs like the eviction moratorium, as well as a surge in rental costs, the report noted.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed the US was making steady progress in reducing the homeless population as the government focused on increasing investments to get veterans into housing. The number of homeless people declined from approximately 637,000 in 2010 to approximately 554,000 in 2017.

The number of people experiencing homelessness has increased by 25% between the 2021 and 2022 federal fiscal years, HUD reported. The 2022 fiscal year ends in September 2022.

As HUD's annual report shows, the number of veteran homeless increased by 7.4% last year, the largest increase in 12 years.

On a single night in January 2023, there were 35,574 homeless soldiers in the US, the report revealed. Unsheltered veterans represent approximately 80% of the total increase in homelessness seen in 2023.

Compared to 2022, overall homelessness has increased by 12%, or about 70,650 people, HUD reported. according to the report:

• 13.7% increase in shelter homelessness
• Unsheltered homelessness increased by 9.7%.
• Homelessness among individuals increased by 10.8%.
• Homelessness increased by 15.5% among people in families with children.
• Homelessness among unaccompanied youth increased by 15.3%.
• Homelessness among veterans increased 7.4%.
• Long-term homelessness among individuals increased by 12%

Congress also adopted the appropriation amount for homeless assistance of $3.633 billion in last year's fiscal year 2023 funding bill. The National Alliance to End Homelessness is advocating for an increase of $200 million for fiscal year 2024, $84 million more than the Biden administration's proposal.

In response to the growing need for shelter, communities also expanded the number of shelters, transitional housing, and safe haven beds. The number of shelter and temporary accommodation beds increased by 7% in 2023 compared to 2022.

The data shows California leads the nation in cities with the most homelessness, with Los Angeles having more than 71,000 people who have no place to call home, followed by cities with more than 10,000. San Diego is; about 10,000 in San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento; And San Francisco rounded out the top 10 with more than 7,500.

New York City, the nation's most populous city, has the largest population of homeless people, at more than 88,000. New York's homelessness increased at more than three times the national rate, HUD reports.

1. New York City: 88,025

2. Los Angeles: 71,320

3. Seattle: 14,149

4. San Diego: 10,264

5. Denver: 10,054

6. San Jose, California: 9,903

7. Oakland, California: 9,759

8. Phoenix: 9,642

9. Sacramento, California: 9,281

10. San Francisco: 7,582

The Supreme Court is now set to decide on a case that could help clean up crisis-hit cities.

On January 12, the high court agreed to hear the case Grant Pass v. Johnson, involving whether cities can ban homeless people from sleeping in public areas.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled against anti-camping ordinances in Grants Pass, Oregon, saying it was unconstitutional because it violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishment."

However, according to The Hill, Grant's Pass argued that allowing homeless people to live in camps could lead to increased crime, fires, "the re-emergence of medieval diseases" and environmental damage.

Jason Rantz, host of the "Jason Rantz Show" on KTTH Radio Seattle/Tacoma and author of "What's Killing America," told Fox News Digital that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision is incredibly harmful for cities when dealing with the homelessness crisis. Used to be.

“The truth is that if we don't use a 'stick and stick' approach, nothing will get better. Homeless people know they can't be easily removed, so they refuse offers of shelter. Let's give in. When we make it easy to say 'no' to shelter, or any other resource, guess what happens? They say no. Municipalities should be able to make a policy that doesn't come down to something generous on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. will work in their communities, without being hindered by judges,” Rantz said.

Rantz said the left is avoiding the truth when they claim homelessness is caused by rents being too high. Rather, he said, the influx of drugs is to blame.

"We have a porous border with drugs flooding the streets of cities, counties, and states that have adopted a liberal approach to drug use. At the same time, guess what has increased? Homelessness, and crime. who are associated with it. If you want to tackle the homelessness crisis in a meaningful way, you will reject harm reduction policies that essentially enable drug use. Stop pretending that Will recognize that this is a housing issue, and will fund treatment on demand,'' Rantz said.

If passed, the decision would apply to nine Western states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

In 2018, the 9th Circuit's decision in a Boise, Idaho case also found that punishing the homeless for sleeping on the street when shelter is not available violates the 8th Amendment.

The city of San Francisco came under criticism in November after removing homeless people to beautify the city ahead of President Biden's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"I know people are saying, 'Oh, they're just cleaning out this place because all those fancy leaders are coming to town.' That's true, because it's true — but it's also true for months and months before APEC [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit], we've been having conversations," California Governor Gavin Newsom said.

Newsom's 10-year plan to end homelessness in San Francisco marked the 20th anniversary of the failed effort in December, as San Francisco, along with the rest of California, remains far from solving the problem.

"Twenty years ago, then-Mayor Newsom laid out his 10-year plan to end homelessness in San Francisco," California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millen Patterson told Fox News Digital. “Not only does the problem remain unresolved today, but since then, they have taken their failures statewide, where communities across California are grappling with a devastating homelessness crisis.”

Newsom's office did not respond to Fox News Digital.

The number of people without a place to live is also increasing because housing prices are rising and the cost of essentials like food and transportation is increasing.

The federal government sent $817 billion in stimulus payments to Americans, according to New York Times estimates, a pandemic-era program that ended in March 2021.