The Department of Housing and Urban Development released a report detailing that homelessness across the United States has increased 12%.
On a single night in January, an estimated 650,000 people experienced homelessness, according to the report.
The number is “the highest number of people reported as experiencing homelessness on a single night” since reporting began in 2007.
Asian and Asian American people had the largest increase in homelessness, up 40% from 2022.
About 37% of homeless people were Black.
Among California’s homeless population, 68% are unsheltered.
Oregon has the next-greatest unsheltered homeless rate (64.6%).
The states with the lowest unsheltered homeless rates include Vermont (4.2%), New York (4.9%) and Maine (7.0%).
American Faith reported that a San Francisco politician blamed capitalism for the city’s homelessness.
San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston of District 5 told U.K. outlet UnHerd, “I think what you’re seeing in the Tenderloin is absolutely the result of capitalism and what happens in capitalism to the people at the bottom rungs.”
“The biggest driver of why folks are on the street is because they lost their jobs, income or were evicted from their homes, usually for not being able to pay the rent. So you have major landlords literally causing folks to lose their homes, and real estate speculation making it impossible for folks to find an affordable place to live,” he stated.
