Experts blame the alarming rise in the number of unhoused people on high housing costs and the end of pandemic-era protections.
The number of unhoused Americans reached over 770,000 this year, a sharp increase from 2023, writes Jason DeParle in The New York Times. This is the largest annual increase since the national homeless count began in 2007.
According to DeParle, “Nearly every category of unhoused people grew, with the rise especially steep among children and people in families.” And while the government does not keep track of the migration status of unhoused people, some federal officials blame the rise on the surge of asylum-seeking migrants.
There is one bright spot: “Veterans were the lone group among whom homelessness declined last year, the report found. That continues a long-term trend driven by bipartisan support for services and housing that is at odds with the rancor of the broader homelessness debate.” The number of homeless veterans fell by 8 percent from 2023.
FULL STORY: Migrants and End of Covid Restrictions Fuel Jump in U.S. Homelessness
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Indianapolis Falls Short of 2018 Goal to End Long-Term Homelessness
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
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