Homelessness

Counting the homeless population is extremely important and notoriously difficult. The Census Bureau works with local communities to identify where to conduct their counts: emergency and transitional shelters, soup kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food vans, targeted outdoor locations and transitory locations such as RV parks, motels and campgrounds. Many cities and counties also conduct their own local homeless counts.

The Census Bureau works with local communities to identify where homeless people might be found. Over a period of several days and nights, census takers gather information from places such as emergency and transitional shelters, soup kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food vans, targeted outdoor locations, RV parks, motels and campgrounds. Many cities and counties also conduct their own point-in-time counts to supplement the Decennial Census.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty currently estimates that each year at least 2.5 to 3.5 million Americans sleep in shelters, transitional housing, and public places not meant for human habitation. At least an additional 7.4 million have lost their own homes and are doubled-up with others due to economic necessity.

The top four causes of homelessness among unaccompanied individuals were (1) lack of affordable housing, (2) unemployment, (3) poverty, (4) mental illness and the lack of needed services, and (5) substance abuse and the lack of needed services.