US Homeless Population May Break Record High... Surge in Immigrants and Rising Housing Costs

653,000 Homeless People Experienced in the US Last Year... Approximately 10% Increase This Year

The number of homeless people in the United States is expected to reach an all-time high due to a surge in people hoping to immigrate and rising housing costs.

Homeless person sleeping in a subway station in New York, USA [Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 22nd (local time) that preliminary data collected nationwide indicates the number of homeless people is likely to surpass last year's record high. It is estimated that 653,000 people in the U.S. experienced homelessness for at least one day last year. This is the highest number since the government began compiling homelessness statistics in 2007.

According to WSJ's analysis of data from over 250 homeless shelters nationwide, excluding New York, the number of homeless people increased by about 10% compared to last year. Since the homelessness statistics released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in December include data that WSJ could not collect, the actual scale of homelessness may be much larger.

The surge in homelessness is attributed to the sharp increase in people hoping to immigrate. After the Texas state government, located at the border, transported immigration hopefuls by bus to major cities, the number of homeless people in those areas surged.

In Massachusetts, located in the Northeast and one of the preferred settlement areas for immigration hopefuls, the number of homeless people increased by 11%. Massachusetts has a refugee protection law stating that the state government must provide shelter if requested by families including pregnant women or children. Massachusetts is reported to have spent $1 billion (approximately 1.336 trillion won) this year alone in response to the surge in support requests from immigration hopefuls arriving at the southern U.S. border.

Rising housing costs are also a factor behind the increase in homelessness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal and local governments provided various subsidies and implemented policies to restrict evictions even if tenants could not pay rent. However, with the end of these protections, economically vulnerable individuals have been pushed onto the streets. Additionally, the increase in drug addiction, including fentanyl, is cited as another factor contributing to the rise in homelessness.