US Homeless Population Surges by 70,000 Last Year to Record High of 653,000
by Kim Eunha
Published 17 Dec.2023 11:28(KST)
"Increased Housing Costs and Immigrants Are the Causes"
The number of homeless people in the United States increased by 70,000 within a year. This is the fastest increase on record. The sharp rise in housing costs and immigrants after COVID-19 were cited as the main reasons.
On the 15th (local time), according to the American daily newspapers The New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that as of January this year, the homeless population was 653,104, a 12% increase (about 70,000 people) compared to the previous year. This is the highest figure and the largest increase since HUD began compiling related statistics in 2007.
Jeff Olivet, chairman of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, analyzed, "The biggest cause is the lack of affordable housing and high housing costs."
Officials from the Biden administration and academic experts viewed the surge in rent after the end of special measures such as emergency rental assistance and eviction moratoriums implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic as the cause.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, basic housing costs, known as fair market rent, have increased by more than 20%. Research results have also been emerging that rising rents lead to an increase in homelessness.
The increase in immigrants was also a significant cause. In fact, homelessness surged in places with high immigrant inflows such as New York, Denver, and Chicago. Among them, New York had the highest number nationwide, with homelessness increasing by 42% to 88,000 people.
Donald Trump, the former president seeking re-election as the Republican candidate in next year’s presidential election, has said he will forcibly house homeless people in related facilities.
Six of the Top 10 Most Expensive Cities to Live in the World Are in the U.S.
Insurance company Budget Direct announced a ranking of cities worldwide with the highest living costs, and six U.S. cities made it into the top 10.
The city with the highest living cost burden in the world was Seattle, followed by San Francisco, Geneva (Switzerland), Houston, Los Angeles, Toronto (Canada), Canberra (Australia), Chicago, New York, and Melbourne (Australia), all ranking within the top 10. Six U.S. cities were included in the top 10, indicating relatively high living costs in the United States.
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