The Boston Foundation’s Post

My thoughts on today's Point in Time annual homeless census results: TODAY: The yearly homeless census data is out. Homelessness is going up because rent keeps going up, and more and more people are struggling to get by. This does not mean that housing does not solve homelessness, it does. This means there isn't enough housing to go around. Instead of focusing on real solutions like housing + help, over 100 cities & 6 states have passed backwards, simple minded, and expensive anti-camping laws. These will make homelessness worse. 1 in 5 ppl spend all of their income on rent. 1 in 4 worry about becoming homelessness in the near future. 50% of renters pay more than they can afford in rent. It's the housing. 32% of people experiencing homelessness are Black. Black people make up 12% of the US population and 21% of the population living in poverty. It's the sky high cost of housing, and it's also racism and oppression. The Trump admin will force more ppl into homelessness and keep them homeless longer. His proposed detention camps and nationwide camping ban are recipes for a very expensive disaster. If elected officials want to see fewer people sleeping outside, the must make sure that everybody's housing and other basic needs are met.

To truly end and prevent homelessness we must stope treating housing as a commodity for profit and instead treat as the basic human right that it is. This means actually funding proven solutions like Housing First to scale, and also ensuring other basic services that everyone needs. Countries that do this like Finland are ending homelessness, but with massive and growing inequality in the US—and increasing criminalization of homelessness- we need to do a lot of work to reframe narratives and change government and societal priorities. #housingisahumanright #housingnothandcuffs

Today we’re releasing a new brief, “Homelessness in Greater Boston: An Update.” https://buff.ly/4gimqGL. Tonight also marks the annual homelessness census, a numerical snapshot of homelessness conducted nationally on one night each January. One challenge that makes it tough to understand homelessness in Greater Boston is the time lag between when data is collected and when it is released. The data from tonight’s annual homelessness census, for example, won’t be available until later this year. Fortunately, we do have newly available Boston data from January 2024 that’s featured in our brief, and while these numbers are a year old, they do confirm what had been suspected: homelessness has risen sharply. This increase is likely driven by an increase in homeless families fleeing hardships abroad. In Greater Boston, the number of people experiencing homelessness rose an estimated 67 percent from January 2023 to January 2024. To learn more, check out the brief.

Welcome to day seventeen of our "ABCs of Affordable Housing" series! Today, Q stands for Qualified Census Tract (QCT), a key designation used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to target federal assistance where it's needed most. Qualified Census Tracts are geographic areas identified by HUD based on annual income and poverty rate data. These tracts have either a poverty rate of at least 25% or at least 50% of households earning less than 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). HUD updates these designations annually, reflecting the latest data to ensure that resources are directed to areas with the most pressing needs. This flexibility allows for responsive allocation of resources, adapting to changes in economic conditions across different communities. Being designated as a QCT allows areas to benefit from enhanced eligibility for federal programs, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). This incentivizes developers to invest in affordable housing projects within these tracts, facilitating neighborhood improvement and providing critical housing opportunities to lower-income families. The annual updates ensure that the support remains relevant and effectively targeted, making a significant impact on revitalizing underserved communities. Let’s spread the word about how Qualified Census Tracts help channel crucial investments into areas that need them the most. Like, share, and tag your friends to raise awareness about the importance of continuously updated data in driving effective community development! #QualifiedCensusTract #AffordableHousing #CommunityDevelopment #LIHTC #HousingEquity #EconomicDevelopment #ABAForum

The UK government's current definition of rough sleeping is based predominantly on male experiences, and overlooks the nature of women's rough sleeping as mostly hidden. This means that women are under-represented in our data on homelessness, and there are gaps in the information that guides commissioning decisions around homelessness and rough sleeping. This morning I attended an online webinar launch of the first national women's rough sleeping census report by Solace Women's Aid, Single Homeless Project, London Councils and Homeless Link   Using a gender-informed approach, the census estimates the population of women rough sleeping in the UK to be 9x higher than current official estimates. Worryingly, a third of women identified by the census had been in some form of homelessness accommodation prior to rough sleeping, raising questions about whether current provision is effective at preventing and relieving homelessness in women.   The government needs to use findings from the census to ensure its homeless policies and guidance are gender informed and provide an equitable response to those rough sleeping. https://lnkd.in/eFhFSyNP

🏠 Understanding Homelessness in Australia: Insights from the 2021 Census & Recent Reports 📊 The 2021 Census data reveals that over 122,000 individuals are experiencing homelessness in Australia, marking a 5.2% increase since 2016. Despite the rise, the overall rate of homelessness has slightly decreased to 48 per 10,000 people. This issue affects a broad range of demographics, with males comprising 56% and 21% aged between 25 and 34 years. Key Trends and Demographics: 👩❤️👨 Gender: 55.9% of the homeless population are males, and 44.1% are females. 🔞 Youth Homelessness: 23% are aged between 12-24 years. 📈 Age Group: The 25-34 year segment represents 20.8%, the highest among age groups. Types of Homelessness: 📑 Severely Crowded Dwellings: This is true for 39.1% of the homeless. 📑 Supported Accommodation: Accounts for 19.8%. 📑 Boarding Houses: 18.1% find shelter here. Recent studies by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the City Futures Research Centre confirm these figures and underscore the persistent challenges. Notably, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2022–23 report showed around 274,000 clients were helped by specialist homelessness services, with the majority being at risk of homelessness. Recent Developments: ✅ Rising Demand: A 26% increase in demand for homelessness services over the past three years has been reported by Mission Australia, stressing the urgent need for preventive actions and more social and affordable housing. ✅Policy Recommendations: Advocates are urging significant investments in homelessness prevention and a proposal for building one million new social and affordable homes in the next two decades. These insights underscore the ongoing and evolving challenge of homelessness in Australia, highlighting the critical need for continuous support and strategic investments to secure sustainable housing solutions. 👉 For more detailed statistics and updates, check out the Australian Homelessness Monitor 2024 and AIHW's latest reports. #HomelessnessAwareness #SocialImpact #HousingCrisis #Australia #AIHW

The main results from the Census 2022 Profile 6 Homelessness release which was published today. https://lnkd.in/e5z8ksfA #CSOIreland #Ireland #Census #Census2022 #CensusIreland #Population

facts💔 Key findings from recent data from the U.S. Census and the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD): -Over 580,000 Americans are experiencing homelessness. There are currently 28 vacant homes for every person experiencing homelessness in the U.S. -While cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and Seattle have some of the largest unhoused populations in the country, Detroit has the most vacant homes per unhoused person-116 empty homes per unhoused person. -Syracuse, New York has the second-most vacant homes per unhoused person-110 vacant homes per unhoused person. -San Jose, California has the highest population of Gen-Z youth experiencing homelessness with nearly 85 unhoused Gen-Zers for every 100,000 residents. -Pacific Islanders and Black Americans are the populations most at risk of experiencing homelessness. #facts #people #home

Women’s Rough Sleeping Census starts on Monday 23rd September! In partnership with Single Homeless Project and with the support of hundreds of organisations across the country, we’ll be running the #WomensRoughSleepingCensus for the third time – the census goes live from Monday 23rd – Sunday 29th September 2024. Women are under-represented in rough sleeping statistics and provision, yet research, lived experience and the experiences of services tell us that women are some of the most vulnerable within the rough sleeping population. That’s why Solace and Single Homeless Project, together with a coalition of homelessness and women’s sector organisations and local authorities, now conduct a census of women sleeping rough. The census aims to bring visibility to the experiences of women who are rough sleeping and may not be represented in data, policy or services. In last year’s census, we spoke to 815 women across 41 local authorities. We hope to speak to more women across even more locations this year, and continue to work together to bring about change for women. Find out more about the census here https://lnkd.in/eCwB5pjH #Homelessness #EndVAWG #RoughSleeping

It’s shocking to hear how underrepresented women are in official rough sleeping statistics, and the knock on effects this will have regarding the support they receive. It is logical that women will avoid the typical locations associated with rough sleeping due to the risks of sleeping on the street, however it is concerning to learn how many women may be missed by outreach services. The knock on effects this has on the opportunity for exploitation/abuse, and potentially prolonging the time spent without accommodation, could be substantial. I would recommend having a read of the full summary.