Every year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development releases its Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, a point-in-time count for people experiencing homelessness. The year-on-year numbers continue to show concerning upward trends, increasing by 18 percent in 2024, the second consecutive record-breaking year since the report began in 2007. Many of our churches and community partners work diligently to provide services for those in need, but these efforts cannot meet demand. The combination of low availability of affordable housing, high rents, and significant changes to critical safety net programs risks driving these numbers higher.
More than 10 million people rely on federal housing assistance programs, with the vast majority being children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. One in every five people experiencing homelessness is over the age of 55, and over 1 million school-aged children were reported to be unsheltered or inadequately sheltered last year. In the recently passed H.R. 1, Medicaid and SNAP work requirements for unhoused people were reinstated, jeopardizing their access to those programs and risking further increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness.
Additionally, the administration has put new restrictions on the Continuum of Care Program, which has existed for more than 30 years and enabled service providers to assist with housing, childcare, job training, and more. These changes could push almost 200,000 people into homelessness.
The need for increased funding for homelessness assistance and affordable housing programs is greater than ever. Call on Congress to prioritize those in need and work to end homelessness.
Additional Resources:
Episcopal Church Resolutions:
- 2024-D057: Advocate for Housing Solutions
- 2022-D046: Support a Just Child Welfare and Foster Care System
- 2022-D070: Advocate for Policies Addressing Inequities in the Lives of Native Peoples
- 2018-C041: Advocate for Policies Supporting Nutrition, Healthcare, and Housing as Human Rights
- 2015-A182: Address Systemic Racial Injustice
- 2003-D040: Reaffirm Commitment to Provide Affordable Housing for the Poor
- 1991-D078: Affirm Commitment to Housing for Low and Moderate Income Residents
- 1991-D088: Encourage Understanding of Mental Illness and the Needs of the Mentally Ill
- 1988-D166: Urge Concern for Various Housing Issues