Homelessness in the United States: An Undefined Crisis

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Nobody knows how many homeless people there are in the United States. Estimates vary, in part because there is no uniform definition of homelessness, either in law or in social science research. Many homeless people are transient, moving from one jurisdiction to another in short time periods (Forst 1997). Some are hard to find, others are living under freeway overpasses, in cars, or in squats. Homeless people may also want to become invisible for several reasons: some have pending arrest warrants, some fear enforced psychiatric treatment, and some homeless women fear that their children will be taken away. In 1994, the Clinton administration set the number of homeless people at closer to 600,000 nationally. Homeless advocacy groups often …show more content…

population will be homeless at some point in their lives (Brubaker, Amatea, Torres-Rivera, Miller and Nabors 2012). Recent data suggests that there are approximately 750,000 people living in shelters, on the streets, or in other places unsuitable for living every day (McNamara, Crawford, and Burns 2013). On an average January night in 2013, an estimated 610,042 people were homeless in the United States (Henry, Cortes, and Morris 2013). More than one-third of all homeless people were living in unsheltered locations such as under bridges, in cars, or in abandoned buildings. There has been a significant growth in the number of families and individuals who attempt to access shelter services and other programs. Between 2007 and 2010, the suburban or rural share of the family shelter populations rose from 26.9 to 41.4 percent (McNamara, Crawford, and Burns 2013). The number of people accessing services for the homeless grew nearly 57 percent during that time. Many homeless individuals suffer from the effects of substance abuse and mental health problems along with other health and life concerns. Many find refuge on the streets and in shelters after surviving personal crises such as interpersonal violence, losing a job, or being overwhelmed by medical bills. Others resist shelters due to negative experiences they have had with shelters and other homeless agencies (Donely and Wright

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