Study: 744,000 Homeless In U.S.

(CBS/AP)  There were 744,000 homeless people in the United States in 2005, according to the first national estimate in a decade.

A little more than half were living in shelters, and nearly a quarter were chronically homeless, according to the report Wednesday by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an advocacy group.

A majority of the homeless were single adults, but about 41 percent were in families, the report said. In total, 98,452 homeless families were counted.

The group compiled data collected by the Department of Housing and Urban Development from service providers throughout the country. It is the first national study on the number of homeless people since 1996.

That study came up with a wide range for America's homeless population: between 444,000 and 842,000.

Counting people without permanent addresses, especially those living on the street, is an inexact process. But the new study is expected to provide a baseline to help measure progress on the issue.

"Having this data brings all of us another step closer to understanding the scope and nature of homelessness in America, and establishing this baseline is an extremely challenging task," HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson said. "Understanding homelessness is a necessary step to addressing it successfully."

HUD is preparing to release its own report on homelessness in the coming weeks, Jackson said. In the future, the department plans to issue annual reports on the number of homeless people in the U.S.

Some cities and states have done their own counts of the homeless, providing a mix of trends, said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. For example, New York City and San Francisco have seen decreases, while the number of homeless in Washington, D.C., has increased, Roman said.

"In the last 12 to 18 months, the homeless population has essentially exploded in Philadelphia," said Marsha Cohen, executive director of the Homeless Advocacy Project, which provides free legal services to the homeless in Philadelphia. "We are seeing big increases in singles and families, both on the street and attempting to enter the homeless system."

"It's a whole influx of new people, and that's the really scary part," Cohen said.

In Columbus, Ohio, workers are scrambling to help an increasing number of people living under bridges and in wooded encampments near rivers and streams, said Barbara Poppe, executive director of the Community Shelter Board.

"We're very concerned about the health and well being of those people being out in the elements," Poppe said. "We had an encampment set on fire, and we had a woman struck by a train."

California was the state with most homeless people in 2005, about 170,000, followed by New York, Florida, Texas and Georgia, according to the report.

Nevada had the highest share of its population homeless, about 0.68 percent. It was followed by Rhode Island, Colorado, California and Hawaii.

Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Washington also reported high ratios of homeless people per capita.

Advocates for the homeless blame Nevada's high rate on a variety of factors, including drugs, gambling, mental health issues, low wages, high rents and a lack of insurance.

"They get a job. They get some money under their pocket. They gamble it away," said Rick Redding, executive director of the drop-in shelter managed by the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission.

Roman said a lack of affordable housing is the leading cause of homelessness, nationally. "If we don't do something to address the crisis in affordable housing we are not going to solve homelessness," Roman said.

She said many of the chronically homeless have mental health and substance abuse problems. Others, she said, simply cannot afford housing.

[grazinggoat]

pluto124,
You asked a great question:... 'We need that 5 billion dollars that has been sent over to iraq, the moneys not going to our troops over there its going to the people of iraq.If we can't even take care of our own country then why are we taking on another country that we can't handle?'...

-Actually the president Bush is not capable of saying a word or even taking a decision regarding the wealth ($$) of the USA. He is taken hostage by his counsellors and advisors who are not deciding for the good of the USA. He's just busy dismantling Iraq into peaces.

President Bush is unwillingly spending the money ($5 billion) on the army, not because he wants to. But because he's told to do so. Most probably if you ask (good luck) him he'd tell you that he's not deciding to sepnd this money on the army. Nobody in the USA can make president Bush change his mind but the people who needs to get out to the street and liberate the President from his hostage takers...

[bratbutt]

My brother and 2 college friends of mine are homeless.. and they prefer it that way.. they do complain but its more about not being given more rather than not finding work.. I have personally seen homeless faking injuries to scam more money from passing cars.. I give money to 3 agencies that feed, house and care for them.. for the street beggar I give nothing..

[Ras Keita]

The homeless population has been steadily increasing, there has never been a slow down no matter what political party is in office. Had you read the statement it states "It is the first national study on the number of homeless people since 1996." During the 1990 census the homeless living on the streets and those in shelters were not counted. The last census 2000 census workers with the assistance of "Homeless Service Providers" actually went to shelters and attempted to gather accurate numbers of street homeless. It is by no means partisan politics, simply the truth, as best as can be presented. The truth of the matter the actual numbers are higher. I personally have been involved as a homeless service provider for the past 13 years, in the poorest city in America, Cleveland

"Cleveland continued to slide into poverty, reaching a nadir in 2004 when it was named the poorest major city in the United States. Cleveland was again rated the poorest major city in the U.S. in 2006, with a poverty rate of 32.4%"

I have traveled to New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, there is a growing homeless problem in this nation. When we debate the actual numbers it inures us against the truth, it belittles the issue and allows the problem to exist. There are homeless men, women and children, here in America. One is too many...

[Ras Keita]

janem4, The homeless population has been steadily increasing, there has never been a slow down no matter what political party is in office. Had you read the statement it states "It is the first national study on the number of homeless people since 1996." During the 1990 census the homeless living on the streets and those in shelters were not counted. The last census 2000 census workers with the assistance of "Homeless Service Providers" actually went to shelters and attempted to gather accurate numbers of street homeless. It is by no means partisan politics, simply the truth, as best as can be presented. The truth of the matter the actual numbers are higher. I personally have been involved as a homeless service provider for the past 13 years, in the poorest city in America, Cleveland

"Cleveland continued to slide into poverty, reaching a nadir in 2004 when it was named the poorest major city in the United States. Cleveland was again rated the poorest major city in the U.S. in 2006, with a poverty rate of 32.4%"

I have traveled to New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, there is a growing homeless problem in this nation. When we debate the actual numbers it inures us against the truth, it belittles the issue and allows the problem to exist. There are homeless men, women and children, here in America. One is too many...

[bluestardad]

Bush is building jobs in Iraq! What is wrong with this picture?

[samthetvcat]

"This report is rubbish. There are that many homeless in California alone."
Posted by xfredmenzies at 08:17 PM : Jan 10, 2007

lol - there are that many in San Francisco alone. Seriously though, the sad thing is that supposedly a lot of the homeless are veterans. The social assistance programs in urban areas seem to be pretty good at helping people obtain the benefits to which their entitled - but I do agree with young pluto124 about the fact that more ought to be done to help the homeless to find housing, and job training, etc.

PS pluto124 - it'd be interesting to see what kind of a response if any you'd receive from President Bush's office . . . even if he doesn't respond, at least you'd have a cool story to tell your friends :)

PPS I hear he even accepts emails these days...

[pluto124]

Hi im 14 years old and in my school we discuss about whats going on in our country. What i think of what bush is doing is dumb! why is he sending 5 billion dollars to iraq to help rebuild there government when we have people starving to death on our own streets? Thats a question i have for president Bush.doeshe even no whats happening to america or is he just being blinded by money. And why is it that on the news we only hear of the bad things that our troops are doing over there. If we are only making things worse then why are we over there? What is the point. I bet if i would write a letter to Pres.Bush, he would never see it does he care about what the voices of America half to say? These are questions i wonder about in my daily life. And isn't America a democracy? For those who don't no democracy is; a government by the PEOPLE.
When the study that there is 744,000 homeless people in America was taken it was 2005. What makes you think it hasn't gone up? We need that 5 billion dollars that has been sent over to iraq, the moneys not going to our troops over there its going to the people of iraq.If we can't even take care of our own country then why are we taking on another country that we can't handle? There are some many problems that need to be taken care of here, before we take on anything else. Bush should be trying to help his country first. This is my opinion on the 744000 homeless people in America, and on the 5 billion dollars that got sent to iraq.

[xfredmenzies]

This report is rubbish. There are that many homeless in California alone.

[Syndicate]

I have looked at the homeless with Envy. They are truly free. No credit card bills. No morgage payments. No $3 a gallon gas to worry about. No rules to follow. True freedom. All you need is a little creativity.

[Syndicate]

Thats all? Thats like %0.25 Of the population. Thats like 1 in 400.