Report Finds Declines in the Nation's Homeless Population

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of people who experienced chronic or long-term homelessness declined by 30 percent between 2007 and 2014, according to The 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR), a two-part report produced annually by Abt Associates in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The report, which uses counts of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2014, found that more than 578,000 people were homeless in the United States—an 11 percent decline since 2007. Most of those counted on a single night were adults who experienced homelessness alone or as part of a family, but nearly one-quarter of all homeless people were children.  

"The report shows significant progress toward the goal of ending homelessness, especially among veterans and those experiencing chronic homelessness, but it also shows that many Americans have no place to call home," said Abt Principal Associate Dr. Alvaro Cortes, who led the study on behalf of Abt Associates.

Other findings in the report include:

• On a single night in January 2014, there were 216,261 homeless people in families, accounting for 37 percent of all homeless people. Homelessness among families declined by 8 percent (or 19,284) between 2007 and 2014.

• In January 2014, 84,291 individuals and 15,143 people in families were chronically homeless. Chronic homelessness among individuals declined by 3 percent (or 2,164) over the past year, and by 30 percent (or 36,197) between 2007 and 2014.

• On a single night in January 2014, 49,933 veterans were homeless, representing 11 percent of all homeless adults. Homelessness among veterans declined by 11 percent (or 5,846) during the past year and by 33 percent (or 24,117) between 2009 and 2014.

• There were more than 45,000 unaccompanied homeless children and youth on a single night in January 2014, which remained relatively unchanged from the previous year.

Part two of The 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR) will be released shortly and will provide one-year estimates of people who use the nation's shelter system.

About Abt Associates
Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates is regularly ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms and one of the top 40 international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in more than 40 countries. www.abtassociates.com

SOURCE Abt Associates

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