Prepared by Abt Associates for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development The First Annual Homeless Assessment Report

2 Data Sources: Homeless Management Information Systems Representative sample of communities (71 jurisdictions in 80 CoCs) 55 jurisdictions met requirements for inclusion in first AHAR: 50% bed coverage and data quality (+ 9 contributing) February - April 2005 data collection period for first AHAR Used for national estimate of sheltered homeless persons

3 Data Sources: 2005 CoC Application Data All CoCs provide these data. CoC application data was used for national estimate of unsheltered homeless persons based on CoC street counts. CoC application data used for bed inventory data for emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing.

4 What’s Special about AHAR? First use of administrative data to provide national estimates of number of homeless people and their characteristics. Provides a baseline from which we will be able to track trends over time by using the same data sources each year. Counts based on people who know their community and community numbers will have public scrutiny. Longitudinal data allows estimates for both single day and for longer periods of time.

5 Counts in First AHAR 1. Point in Time Estimates of Sheltered Homeless Persons April 30, ,000HMIS data Average Day during February-April ,000HMIS data Single Day in January , CoC app. 2. Point in Time Estimates of Unsheltered Homeless Persons * This estimate includes 116,000 persons in families, some of whom are precariously housed and do not meet HUD’s definition of literally homeless. Single Day in January , CoC app.* 3. Point in Time Estimates of Sheltered and Unsheltered Homeless Persons Single Day in January , CoC app.

6 Has Homelessness Increased or Decreased Since 1996? We don’t know how the number of homeless persons may have changed from the NSHAPC estimates of Different methodologies for 1996 (NSHAPC) and 2005 (AHAR) estimates, so it’s difficult to assess results of differences: 7-day count in 1996 vs 1-day and 3-month counts in CoC Count of unsheltered persons is likely an overcount Single-day 2005 estimate of homeless persons is 754,000. Highest NSHAPC 1996 estimate of homeless persons for seven- day period is 842,000. U.S. population grew by 31 million people between 1996 and 2005, so it is possible that the percentage of population experiencing homelessness declined.

7 What are the Characteristics of Sheltered Homeless People?

8 What are the Characteristics of Sheltered Homeless Persons? 59% identify themselves as minority (only 31% of U.S. population) Few elderly: only 1.8% of all sheltered homeless people (11% of U.S. population) 25% of adult homeless people have a disability (but much missing HMIS data) 19% of adult homeless people are veterans (compared to only 13% of all adults)

9 Point in Time vs. Longitudinal Perspective Count on Count between April 30, 2005 Feb – April 2005 Persons in Households with ChildrenIndividuals and Persons in Households with No Children

10 Characteristics and Circumstances Smaller fraction of homeless people are in suburban and rural areas compared to poor people in U.S. (25% vs. 57%) Individuals more likely to come from streets or institutions Persons in families more likely to come from precariously housed situations Families and unaccompanied women have longer stays in ES and TH than unaccompanied men

11 CoC Bed Inventory 218,000 Emergency Shelter Beds –Decreased by 116,000 since ,000 Transitional Housing Beds –Increased by 60,000 since ,000 PSH Beds –Increased by 95,000 since 1996

12 Bed Utilization Rates ES-IND: 91% ES-FAM: 87% TH-IND: 85% TH-FAM: 72% Overflow beds are not counted, though the people are. Unit utilization may be a better measure of utilization for family housing.

13 Question and Answers