The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently released research and data revealing rates of sheltered homelessness decreased in 2021, despite the high housing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data suggests pandemic relief efforts, including eviction moratoria and financial support, played a role in preventing a surge in homelessness during the pandemic, according to an Aug. 22 news release.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris administration and Congress were able to prevent millions of people from experiencing evictions and housing loss. We were able prevent a spike in homelessness during the height of the pandemic,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said in the release. “While we didn’t solve the challenge of homelessness – only ensuring an adequate supply of affordable housing and access to supportive care can do that – these data provide valuable insights about how we address homelessness and ensure every person has a safe and stable place to call home.”
In an article published within HUD's digital magazine, PD&R Edge, HUD specialists also outline critical insights derived from previous research on how federal, state and local governments can collaboratively combat and eliminate homelessness, the release reported.
The executive summary of the biennial Worst Case Housing Needs Report, released today, scrutinizes 2021 data and estimates 8.53 million renter households encountered "worst case needs" during that year, the highest tally since HUD's inception of such estimations in 1978, the release said.
Households classified as having worst case needs encompass renter households with extremely low incomes – 50% or less of the area median income – not benefiting from government housing assistance, who allocate over half their income toward rent, and reside in grossly inadequate conditions. A significant portion of this escalation is attributed to soaring rents and severe financial burdens faced by numerous low-income families amid the tightening rental market, according to the release.
In contrast to these trends, HUD's Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 2 for FY21, published last month, discloses fewer individuals entered shelter programs in 2021, with overall sheltered homelessness decreasing by 17% between 2019 and 2021, the release said.
In an article featured in PD&R Edge, HUD leaders encapsulate the research, asserting federal interventions, including the Emergency Rental Assistance program, eviction moratoriums, financial support such as stimulus payments, augmented unemployment insurance and enhanced Child Tax Credit, collectively aided in averting an exacerbation of homelessness and evictions, the release reported.
