(THE CENTER SQUARE) – Homelessness is on the rise in the U.S. According to a study published by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the number of Americans experiencing homelessness has grown each year since 2015. As of January 2020, there were an estimated 580,466 Americans experiencing homelessness.
Though the exact effects the COVID–19 pandemic had on America's homelessness problem have yet to be determined, some early indications suggest little reason for optimism.
For reasons at least partly related to the pandemic, a portion of Americans – as high as 35% in some states – say they have missed their rent or mortgage payments or have low confidence that they can pay next month's, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey. Additionally, in some parts of the country, the pandemic interrupted access to temporary housing locations, and social distancing rules meant fewer beds in shelter facilities.
Nationwide, men are far more likely to experience homelessness than women, and rates of homelessness tend to be higher among historically marginalized racial groups, including Native Americans and Black Americans. Homelessness rates also vary considerably by state.
In Ohio, an estimated 10,655 people are experiencing homelessness – or about 9.1 for every 10,000 people, the 18th lowest homeless rates among states.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, many areas with a high cost of living, especially high housing costs, also have higher rates of homelessness. Similarly, areas with lower costs of living often have lower rates of homelessness. This pattern holds in Ohio. Just as the homelessness rate in the state is lower than average, so too is the cost of living. The overall cost of living in Ohio, which includes housing costs, is about 6.8% lower than the national average.
