Homelessness reaches a new high nationally. How does the rate compare to California?
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HOMELESSNESS REACHES NEW HIGH NATIONALLY, CALIFORNIA’S GROWTH SLOWS
America’s homeless population swelled to its highest level in recorded history in 2024 according to an annual count of individuals living in emergency shelters, transitional housing or on the streets. The increase was driven by an ongoing affordable housing crisis, more migrants coming to the U.S. and the expiration of pandemic-era housing benefits.
California continues to have the largest homeless population of any state — 187,084 in 2024 — and the highest rate of unsheltered people, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s point-in-time estimate released Friday.
The Golden State’s homelessness rate was more than double the national rate with 48 people per 10,000 in California living without access to a regular residence. The homeless population has increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia in the last year.
Still, California’s increase of 3.1% from 2023 was smaller relative to other states. Nationally, the population of people experiencing homelessness increased 18% over the last year.
One bright spot in the otherwise grim snapshot was the decrease in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness — 8% fewer veterans experienced homelessness in 2024 compared to the previous year. California saw the largest decrease in homeless veterans in the last year of any state, though California is home to 28% of homeless veterans in the country, according to the federal tally.
Margot Kushel, a UC San Francisco professor of medicine and director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, said fewer veterans are experiencing homelessness because targeted, housing-first services are effective. Veterans receive housing vouchers through their health services, Kushel said this model could be expanded to other populations like families experience homelessness.
Housing first approaches prioritize getting people into permanent housing without conditions such as sobriety requirements.
“If we did that for every population then we would be in a better place,” Kushel said.
While the state has devoted a significant amount of resources to homelessness, Kushel said, more affordable housing needs to be built.
Families were particularly hard hit in the last year. The number of people in families with children experiencing homelessness increased 39% last year, according to the homelessness count, which occurred one night in the last week of January.
Of California’s homeless population, 36% experienced chronic homelessness, meaning they were without regular shelter for at least a year in the last three years. The rate of chronically homeless people in the state mirrored the national number. Across the U.S., 65% of people experiencing chronic homelessness were living on the streets.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed local authorities to take more aggressive measures to clear temporary shelters erected on the streets since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to ban homeless encampments.
On Friday at a press conference in Oakland, Newsom reiterated that the state has provided local governments with unprecedented support and flexibility to get people off the streets.
“Time to step up: address issues of encampments, address the issue of tents, address what’s happening on the streets and sidewalks,” Newsom said. “It’s about quality of life. It’s about public safety.”
The governor’s office reported that the state has created more than 71,000 year-round shelter beds under Newsom’s administration.
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, criticized Newsom’s approach to the homelessness crisis in a Friday statement. He said the state has spent billions on addressing homelessness but failed to track the success of those efforts.
“Today’s HUD report makes it clear that instead of solving the problem, Newsom’s endless spending ‘solution’ has only made it worse,” Jones said.
New York and Hawaii were two of the states with the highest increases in the rates of homelessness. New York saw a 53% increase in homelessness in the last year due to the expiration of an eviction moratorium and a significant influx of asylum seekers. Hawaii’s 87% increase could largely be attributed to the Maui wildfires that left thousands without homes.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“This is a spectacular city and it remains a spectacular city, but it’s lost its way a little bit.”
- Gov. Gavin Newsom, during a press conference on Friday in Oakland touting the results of a California Highway Patrol surge operation in the Bay Area where he also reiterated his opposition to Proposition 36.
Best of the Bee:
- Gov. Gavin Newsom doubles down on opposition to Prop. 36, via Lia Russell
- Senate passes bill that could give thousands in California bigger Social Security benefits, via David Lightman
- California state auditor urges departments to tighten accounting controls, via William Melhado
This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 4:55 AM.
