Just the Facts

There are many myths about homelessness…here is the reality:

Economic issues are the primary drivers of homelessness

While a small percentage of homelessness can be attributed to noneconomic issues like systemic and / or personal trauma, study after study has confirmed that it is economic inequality and a lack of affordable housing that are primarily responsible for homelessness in America. Of course, because marginalized communities are more vulnerable to economic issues…

Homelessness disproportionately impacts People of Color

Homelessness and racism are intimately intertwined. Generations of institutionalized oppression specifically targeting Black Americans, including Jim Crow, redlining, mass incarceration, segregation, and of course slavery, have created deep economic and social vulnerabilities within the Black community that has led to African Americans being disproportionately represented among the unhoused. While representing only 13% of the population at large, Black Americans make up 40% of the unhoused population. Other marginalized communities, including Native Americans and members of the LGBTQ+ community, are also disproportionately represented amongst the unhoused.

We don’t need to be protected from the unhoused…they need to be protected from us

Despite the stereotype that homeless people are violent, the reality is that they are 10 -20 times more likely to be the victims of violent crime as compared to the housed, and 25 times more likely to be murdered.

Addiction doesn’t cause homelessness, homelessness causes addiction

While addiction rates are higher amongst the homeless, there is significant evidence that addiction is actually triggered by the trauma of winding up on the streets, where drugs are used to manage the terror and hopelessness associated with being unhoused.

The homeless aren’t all lazy and unemployed

Actually, nearly 50% of the unhoused either have jobs, or were employed when they wound up on the streets. Given that 23% of the homeless are elderly, 11% are veterans, and 8% are youth, only a very small portion of the unhoused population who are employment eligible are actually unemployed.