The Astonishing Decline of Homelessness in America

[Capt Worley PE]

Despite a housing crisis, a great recession, rising income inequality, and elevated poverty, there is some good news among the most vulnerable segment of American society. America’s homeless population – an estimated 633,000 people – has declined in the last decade.

This seems incredible – perhaps literally, so. The National Alliance to End Homelessness, a leader in homelessness service and research, estimates a 17 percent decrease in total homelessness from 2005 to 2012. As a refresher: this covers a period when unemploymentdoubled (2007-2010) and foreclosure proceedings quadrupled (2005-2009).

It’s equally shocking that politicians haven’t trumpeted this achievement. Nor have many journalists. Yes, there’s a veritable media carnival attending every Bureau of Labor Statistics "Jobs Report" on the first Friday of the month. We track the unemployment rate obsessively. But the decline in homelessness hasn’t attracted much cheerleading.

Much more: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/08/astonishing-decline-homelessness-america/6674/

I've been hearing is the exact opposite from the local homeless advocates, who are making a stink about local plans to get the homeless out of the downtown area. Either this article is wrong or the homeless advocates are playing fast and loose with their facts. I highly suspect the latter.

 

[Judowolf PE]

Capt, if you notice the article was written by a recent graduate from the Univ of Chicago...

 

[snickerd3]

we have a gentleman that frequents the food pantry i volunteer at. he lives in his van which is parked in the walmart parking lot. he rides his bike to and from and around town.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^Walmart? Not down by the river?

 

[snickerd3]

nope, not the river...in fact we don't have a river, we only have a lake which has quarter to multimillion $ homes on it. Or very primitive camp grounds that requires to the use of a boat to get to, of which the occupants must maintain a certain grass height. Hilarous seeing a lawn mower on a little canoe on its way out to the camp sites

 

[csb]

Our homeless numbers are done via a census every couple of years. There's a fair bit of estimating, since the local shelters don't account for those that never seek services. Those folks are counted by volunteers going out in the field and getting info. Homeless numbers are incredibly difficult to collect.

 

[Judowolf PE]

I believe that homeless folks are squatting in vacant houses that have been foreclosed on and/or abandoned and since there are more of these houses around, the homeless are harder to account for...

 

[MA_PE]

of course they're not homeless. Not with all the social assistanc programs throwing money and shelter at them

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Well, if it's getting harder and harder to count them, and Americans are always looking for the easy way out, perhaps the numbers are going down simply because the counters aren't trying as hard as they used to.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Dingos are eating them.

I saw a report on abandoned dogs in Detroit. maybe THEY are feasting on Detroit's homeless.

 

[Master slacker]

Did... did you just come to Shoot the Breeze and type "homelessness" in the search bar?

 

[Supe]

Did... did you just come to Shoot the Breeze and type "homelessness" in the search bar?

Spamalamadingdong.

 

[Ble_PE]

It's impressive to dig up a 7 year old post. Also, I wonder how @Capt Worley PE is doing. Why don't you say hello the next time you drop in?

 

[Road Guy]

He is online from time to time not a first time caller but not calling either