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Homeless Families

  • 3.5 million people become homeless per year, nearly 11% of the poor population per year
  • 1.35 million of them are children (1% US population)
  • 41% are single men
  • 13% are single women
  • 5% are unaccompanied children
  • 41% are families with children
  • 73% of homeless families headed by single parents
  • 32% homeless population estimated substance abusers
  • 23% mentally ill
  • 22% employed
  • 10% veterans
  • Of parents in homeless families, 84% are female, 16% are male
    • 44% did paid work during the past month
    • 20% in a job lasting at least 3 months
    • 25% worked temporary or day labor
    • 2% earned money peddling or selling belongings
  • 49% of homeless clients are in their first episode of homelessness, 34% have been homeless 3+ times
  • 52% of emergency shelter requests from families were denied in 2002
  • Of children identified as homeless by State Dept. of Education in FY 2000
    • only 35% lived in shelters
    • 34% lived "doubled-up" with family or friends
    • 23% lived in motels and other locations
  • Most common places people who had been homeless stayed were
    • vehicles (59.2%) and
    • makeshift housing such as tents, boxes, caves or boxcars (24.6%)
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