A new analysis by the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ Homelessness Research Institute shows that overall increases in homelessness in the United States are driven by a sharp rise in chronic homelessness.
People experiencing chronic homelessness are those with long-term or repeated instances of homelessness, while simultaneously living with a disability. These individuals have the highest needs and require the most intensive services and interventions.
The analysis shows that since 2016, chronic homelessness has increased by 79 percent, far outpacing overall homelessness and homelessness among individual adults. Further, the analysis finds people with patterns of chronic homelessness account for two-thirds of the total increase in homelessness since 2016, per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
To reverse this trend, it is essential that the federal government makes the needed investments to expand Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) capacity. PSH is a proven intervention for chronically homeless households, pairing long-term housing assistance with intensive wrap-around supportive services to help people stabilize and thrive. Yet, with more than 143,000 individual adults experiencing chronic homelessness on a given night in 2023, PSH capacity would need to be dramatically expanded to meet the needs of this vulnerable and growing population.