The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) Part 1 for 2022 on December 19.

This report documents the number and characteristics of those experiencing homelessness on one night in January 2022. The one day Point-in-Time (PIT) Count snapshot would not be possible without the commitment of tens of thousands of volunteer hours in the wee winter hours spent looking for people residing in cars, parks, and wooded areas to ensure those living without shelter are counted. Without their effort, the extent of unsheltered homelessness would not be known. (Localities are gearing up to do it yet again in a few short weeks – so consider joining them!)

What Did We Learn from the 2022 PIT About Family Homelessness?

Overall, there were 50,767 families experiencing homelessness on the night of the PIT Count, comprising more than 161,000 persons in families. This represents a 5.5 percent decline since 2020 and a reduction of 36 percent since 2010.

The number of unsheltered families increased between 2020 and 2022. Ten percent of families experiencing homelessness on the night of the 2022 PIT Count were unsheltered. Nearly 40 percent of all unsheltered families were identified as living in rural areas.

Black families continue to be overrepresented in the family homeless service system. Half of all people in families experiencing homelessness identified as Black, African, or African American on the night of the PIT. For comparison, just 14 percent of all people in U.S. families identify as Black.

While family homelessness declined or remained the same for most groups, it increased most sharply for those who are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Homelessness also increased for Native American families by about 7% and about 14% for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. It declined/stayed same for pretty much all others.

Read the full article about family homelessness insights by Sharon McDonald at National Alliance to End Homelessness.