Homelessness Facts & Information....
How many people experience homelessness? According to the National Coalition for the Homeless (Fact Sheet #2, June 2006) it is not an easy answer to provide and in fact the question itself is misleading. The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (2004), states the approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience any given year.
In 2003, children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of homeless population; 42% of these children were under the age of 5 (National Center on Homelessness & Poverty -2004). According to the Dept. of Education FY2000 stated that only 35% lived in shelters, 34% lived doubled-up with family or friends and 23% lived in motels and other locations. Yet, these children and youth may not immmediately be recognized as homeless and are sometimes denied access to shelter or the protections and services of the McKinney-Vento Act (US Dept. of Education)
A recent study of 24 U.S Cities found that in 2005, 14% of all request for emergency shelter went unanswered due to lacks of resources.
Across the nation there is a lack of affordable housing. What is considered affordable housing? HUD's definition of affordable housing is to spend no more than 30% of income on housing. In the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News area the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $844. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn about $2,814 montly or $33,760 annually. Assuming the 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $16.23.
Minimum wage workers earns an hourly wage of $5.15. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 126 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or a household must include 3.2 minimum wage earners working 40 hours per week, year round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable. (National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)- Out of Reach 2006)
On average most renters pay more than 30% of their income on housing, some families pay up to 60% of their income on housing. There are many challenges to endure when attempting to locate "affordable housing", like income requirements, credit checks, etc.
Challenging life situations also cause people to become homeless. People get evicted from their homes because they cannot afford steep rent increases. People become unemployed and end up on the streets. Single mothers show up in shelters with their children because they cannot afford to work and pay for daycare. Other people become homeless because they have an illness that prevents them from working or they flee from an abusive home. Some who are runaways or who were forced to leave their homes as teenages cannot afford to live on their own. While everyone's story is different, but they all have one thing in common: They have no stable, permanent place to call home.