Homelessness increased 2.7 percent in 2019, HUD says

Homelessness increased by 2.7 percent since 2018, driven by major increases in California, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Significant increases in homelessness on the West Coast, especially in California and Oregon offset decreases in homelessness in other parts of the country, the department said in a statement Friday. Homelessness in California increased 16.4 percent. 

HUD’s national estimate found that on a single night in 2019, 567,715 people were homeless. Homelessness decreased in 29 states and Washington, D.C. since 2018 and increased in 21 states. 

Homelessness among veterans fell 2.1 percent and homelessness among children fell 4.8 percent. 

“As we look across our nation, we see great progress, but we’re also seeing a continued increase in street homelessness along our West Coast where the cost of housing is extremely high,”  HUD Secretary Ben Carson said in the statement.

He said that homelessness in California was at a “crisis level” and called on local and state leaders to act. 

Although homelessness increased over the past year, overall homelessness is down almost 11 percent since 2010.