Homelessness Facts and Statistics
Detroit's Homelessness in an Economic Meltdown (Simmer, NP)
* In Detroit, there are over 18,000 homeless people in need of shelter on any given night.
* 30% of them are chronically homeless. 25% of them are children.
* Over 15,000 people live on the streets each night in abandoned buildings, or "doubled up" with family or friends.
* Over 10, 000 families in Wayne County will become homeless at least once during the next year [2009].
* Families now constitute 49% of the number of homeless persons per. year.
* A year earlier [2007], 3,700 people in need of shelter on any given night. That is an increase of over 480%.
How Many People are Homeless? ("How Many People are Homeless?", NP)
* AGE> Children under 18 make up 27% of the homeless population; People between the ages of 3 and 50 make up 51% of the homeless population; Between the ages of 55 and 60 make up 2.5-19.4% of the homeless population.
* GENDER> Single Adults, who are the most likely to be men, account for 45% of the single adults who are homeless; single women make up 14%.
* Families with children are now the fastest growing group of the homeless population, they account for about 40% of the people who become homeless each year. 38% of all the people already homeless are families with children.
* ETHNICITY> African Americans= 57%; Caucasians= 30%; Hispanics= 10%; Native Americans= 2%; Asians= 1%.
Facts About Homelessness ("Facts About Homlessness", NP)
* 2% are unaccompanied minors.
* 71% of homeless families are held by a single parent.
* 13% are unemployed.
* 9% are veterans of war.
* 26% are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.
* 16% suffer from a mental illness.
* 37% of adults requesting emergency food assistance are employed, and homeless.
* People are usually homeless for an average of about eight months.
* Request for assisted housing by low-income families increased by 86% in one year.
Factors Contributing to Homelessness ("Factors Contributing to Homelessness" NP)
* Automobile related - broken down car, no insurance, etc.
* Divorce - often leaves one of the spouces homeless.
* Job loss - no income to pay rent.
* Lack of Child Support - in families where child support is ordered but not payed, the decrease in income can lead to an inability to pay rent, utilities, or both.
* Roommates - when one or more roommates falls through with there end of the bargain, they can be the reason for others being homeless.
* In Detroit, there are over 18,000 homeless people in need of shelter on any given night.
* 30% of them are chronically homeless. 25% of them are children.
* Over 15,000 people live on the streets each night in abandoned buildings, or "doubled up" with family or friends.
* Over 10, 000 families in Wayne County will become homeless at least once during the next year [2009].
* Families now constitute 49% of the number of homeless persons per. year.
* A year earlier [2007], 3,700 people in need of shelter on any given night. That is an increase of over 480%.
How Many People are Homeless? ("How Many People are Homeless?", NP)
* AGE> Children under 18 make up 27% of the homeless population; People between the ages of 3 and 50 make up 51% of the homeless population; Between the ages of 55 and 60 make up 2.5-19.4% of the homeless population.
* GENDER> Single Adults, who are the most likely to be men, account for 45% of the single adults who are homeless; single women make up 14%.
* Families with children are now the fastest growing group of the homeless population, they account for about 40% of the people who become homeless each year. 38% of all the people already homeless are families with children.
* ETHNICITY> African Americans= 57%; Caucasians= 30%; Hispanics= 10%; Native Americans= 2%; Asians= 1%.
Facts About Homelessness ("Facts About Homlessness", NP)
* 2% are unaccompanied minors.
* 71% of homeless families are held by a single parent.
* 13% are unemployed.
* 9% are veterans of war.
* 26% are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.
* 16% suffer from a mental illness.
* 37% of adults requesting emergency food assistance are employed, and homeless.
* People are usually homeless for an average of about eight months.
* Request for assisted housing by low-income families increased by 86% in one year.
Factors Contributing to Homelessness ("Factors Contributing to Homelessness" NP)
* Automobile related - broken down car, no insurance, etc.
* Divorce - often leaves one of the spouces homeless.
* Job loss - no income to pay rent.
* Lack of Child Support - in families where child support is ordered but not payed, the decrease in income can lead to an inability to pay rent, utilities, or both.
* Roommates - when one or more roommates falls through with there end of the bargain, they can be the reason for others being homeless.
