Giving Compass' Take:

• Cailin Crowe discusses how COVID-19 influences homelessness, especially within groups -- like the formerly incarcerated or evicted -- who are at a greater risk for homelessness.

• Coronavirus is by no means the definitive cause behind rising levels of homelessness. How can we support policy change on the systemic level to reduce homelessness in at-risk groups, like the formerly incarcerated?

• Find funds that can help you support populations that have been impacted by the coronavirus.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has shown a disproportionate effect on homeless groups, a challenge that leaders anticipate will only get worse as renters face evictions and economic turmoil threatens to result in an additional 1.5 million "extremely low-income" households.

At the onset of the pandemic, many cities scrambled to temporarily house the unsheltered, who represent about 37% of the overall homeless population. The Connecticut Department of Housing (CTDOH) was one such group that worked to identify individuals over the age of 60 and place them in hotels using state funds.

Formerly incarcerated people are nearly 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population, according to a Prison Policy Initiative report. In New York City alone, over 54% of individuals who are released from prison move directly into the shelter system.

Criminalized people live in a perpetual state of insecurity, Lucius Couloute, sociologist and assistant professor at Suffolk University, said. That vulnerability could be particularly dangerous as people experiencing homelessness are twice as likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19, and three times as likely to die from COVID-19 compared to the general population.

Prior to the pandemic, there were about 3.7 million evictions per year in America on average, or seven evictions filed every single minute, Matthew Desmond, sociologist and assistant professor at Princeton University, said. Now, individuals struggle to make a steady income amid the pandemic, city leaders and housing advocates are bracing for a potential "tidal wave of evictions" and homelessness.

"Eviction is not a solution, it’s a problem," Desmond said. "An eviction causes a blemish or mark on your record that can drive you into worse neighborhoods or worse housing. Eviction isn’t just a condition of poverty, it’s a cause of poverty and a cause of homelessness."

Read the full article about how COVID-19 influences homelessness by Cailin Crowe at Smart Cities Dive.