Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Homelessness In US Keeps Ruining Lives
This is from a pdf on homelessness. Now that Bush has cut taxes for the rich, again, and it turns out that almost 40% of housing sales are for 2nd homes, it's important we remind ourselves of the reality in this country:
2005-2006 Homeless Fact
Statistics on Homelessness and Families
• Families with children make up approximately 40% of the homeless population.
• More than 1.3 million children are homeless at some time each year.
• The average age of a person who is homeless in the United States is nine years old.
• It is estimated that almost half of the children living in homeless shelters are under
the age of five.
• Homeless children go hungry twice as often as non-homeless children.
• Homeless children have twice the rate of learning disabilities and three times the rate
of emotional and behavioral problems of non-homeless children.
• More than 90 percent of sheltered and low-income mothers have experienced
physical and sexual assault over their life span.
Statistics on Homelessness
• Nationally, there are more than 750,000 homeless people on any given night and
only 250,000 spaces available in shelters.
• Between 25% and 40% of the homeless population are employed.
• The primary causes of homelessness are domestic violence, lack of affordable
housing, and poverty.
• Minimum wage earnings no longer lift families above the poverty line.
• Homeless people are twice as likely as the general population to have chronic health
problems but are less likely to have access to adequate health care.
Statistics on Housing
• A minimum-wage worker would have to work 87 hours each week to afford a two-
bedroom apartment at 30 percent of his or her income, which is the federal definition
of affordable housing.
• The gap between the number of affordable housing units and the number of people
needing them is currently the largest on record, estimated at 4.4 million units.
• The Low Income Housing Information Service estimates that there are twice as
many low-income families searching for housing as there are units available.
For more information about The Road Homes involvement in targeting the issues above
please visit our web site at www.theroadhome.org or call 359-4142
210 South Rio Grande St.
Salt Lake City,UT 84102
*All statistics taken from the following resources: National Coalition for the Homeless, Homes for the
Homeless’ Institute for Children and Poverty, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, National
Child Traumatic Stress Network.
2005-2006 Homeless Fact
Statistics on Homelessness and Families
• Families with children make up approximately 40% of the homeless population.
• More than 1.3 million children are homeless at some time each year.
• The average age of a person who is homeless in the United States is nine years old.
• It is estimated that almost half of the children living in homeless shelters are under
the age of five.
• Homeless children go hungry twice as often as non-homeless children.
• Homeless children have twice the rate of learning disabilities and three times the rate
of emotional and behavioral problems of non-homeless children.
• More than 90 percent of sheltered and low-income mothers have experienced
physical and sexual assault over their life span.
Statistics on Homelessness
• Nationally, there are more than 750,000 homeless people on any given night and
only 250,000 spaces available in shelters.
• Between 25% and 40% of the homeless population are employed.
• The primary causes of homelessness are domestic violence, lack of affordable
housing, and poverty.
• Minimum wage earnings no longer lift families above the poverty line.
• Homeless people are twice as likely as the general population to have chronic health
problems but are less likely to have access to adequate health care.
Statistics on Housing
• A minimum-wage worker would have to work 87 hours each week to afford a two-
bedroom apartment at 30 percent of his or her income, which is the federal definition
of affordable housing.
• The gap between the number of affordable housing units and the number of people
needing them is currently the largest on record, estimated at 4.4 million units.
• The Low Income Housing Information Service estimates that there are twice as
many low-income families searching for housing as there are units available.
For more information about The Road Homes involvement in targeting the issues above
please visit our web site at www.theroadhome.org or call 359-4142
210 South Rio Grande St.
Salt Lake City,UT 84102
*All statistics taken from the following resources: National Coalition for the Homeless, Homes for the
Homeless’ Institute for Children and Poverty, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, National
Child Traumatic Stress Network.
