New Report: One-Night Estimates of Homelessness Continue to Decline
BETHESDA, MD (PRWEB) November 19, 2015 -- BETHESDA, MD — On a given night in January 2015, there were 564,708 people experiencing homelessness in America—a decline of two percent when compared to January 2014, and a decline of 13 percent from 2007. This is according to Part 1 of a new two-part report, the 2015 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR), which was written by Abt Associates on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Homelessness is defined as staying in a shelter or on the streets.
The new report provides Point-in-Time (PIT) estimates, offering a snapshot of homelessness in the United States on a single night. The one-night counts are conducted in late January of each year.
“The Point-in-Time estimates provide federal, state, and local governments with accurate data on the state of homelessness in America,” said Mary Joel Holin, Abt Associates’ division vice president for Social and Economic Policy. “These data can be used to help identify policies to address the problem of homelessness and examine programs that may need some changes in order to be more effective.”
Other key findings from AHAR Part 1 include:
• Homelessness among veterans declined by 4 percent between 2014 and 2015;
• Homelessness among people in families with children declined by 5 percent between 2014 and 2015;
• Nearly one-quarter of all homeless people were children under the age of 18 (23 percent); and,
• There were 36,907 unaccompanied youth on a single night in 2015. Most (87 percent) were youth between 18 and 24. The remaining 13 percent were children under the age of 18.
HUD recently released Part 2 of the 2014 AHAR report, which was also produced by Abt Associates. That report offers new information on annual estimates of people experiencing homelessness, including families with children, individuals, and Veterans, from October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014.
About Abt Associates
Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research, evaluation and program implementation in the fields of health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates is regularly ranked as one of the top 20 global research firms and one of the top 40 international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in more than 40 countries. http://www.abtassociates.com
Contact
David L. Allen
(301) 347-5144
david_allen(at)abtassoc.com
David Allen, Abt Associates, http://www.abtassociates.com/, +1 (301) 347-5000, [email protected]
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