In 2015, compared to 2009, the nation had more people and lower incomes, but higher rents. All things being equal, the number of people who are homeless should have gone up. But it did not. It went down. What changed, and what's next?
Between 2009 and 2015 (our most recent numbers) we have:
- Reduced homelessness by 10 percent
- Reduced homelessness among individual adults by 9 percent
- Reduced family homelessness by 13 percent
- Reduce chronic homelessness by 22 percent
- Reduced the number of people who are unsheltered by 24 percent
- Reduced veteran homelessness by 35 percent
During this same period:
- The population went up 5 percent
- The rental vacancy rates fell to 7.1 percent
- Average rents have gone up
- Median household income went down 3 percent
So there were more people, lower incomes, but higher rents. All things being equal, the number of people who are homeless should have gone up. But it did not. It went down. Why? Because of your work. And . . .
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