1. Federal Perspectives on Unsheltered Homelessness
Abbilyn Miller, PhD
Policy and Data Analyst
Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, HUD

2. National Scale 2016 PIT Count data shows that:
Nearly 550,000 people experience homelessness on any given day
Approximately 176,000 people were staying in unsheltered locations
89% of those in unsheltered locations were individuals not in families
Depends on who you’re talking about. Homeless individuals make up most of the unsheltered population. Only 6000 people in families were counted as unsheltered in the 2016 PIT, down from 17,000 in 2010.

3. National Progress
BUT community reporting on 2017 PIT Count data shows rise in unsheltered homelessness
The number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness has certainly decreased over the past 9 years, but communities across the country are reporting 2017 Point in Time numbers that show that homelessness, especially unsheltered, is increasing.

4. Where do people live unsheltered?

5. Characteristics of unsheltered homelessness
More likely than sheltered households to have:
History of military service, incarceration or foster care
Reported use of drugs and alcohol
Less education
Use of informal income sources
Longer durations of homelessness (5+ years)
Higher rates of almost all high risk conditions measured by the Vulnerability Index
Demographically, more likely to be male and white or other/mixed race

6. Risk and Protective factors
Risk Factors
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender persons, especially youth, are at greater risk of homelessness and unsheltered homelessness, as well as sexual exploitation once on the streets
Persons with sex offenses are at greater risk of unsheltered homelessness
Protective Factors
For women, a few factors have been identified as being potentially protective against living unsheltered:
Access to entitlement-based income
Substance use treatment

7. Decreasing Unsheltered Homelessness
All crisis response engagements emphasize:
Personal strengths
Maintenance and development of positive identity
Personal choice

8. Components of an effective crisis response system
Follows a low-barrier, housing first approach
Is housing focused (including Street outreach)
Promotes “flow” through the system
People are diverted from homelessness whenever possible
Prioritizes most expensive interventions for those with the longest histories of homelessness and the most severe needs
Use of the new joint component: TH-RRH

9. Challenges for the Field
Incorporating consumer perspectives and using lived experience as a valid form of policy creation and program design
Reframing people living unsheltered as people with legitimate unmet needs
Taking steps to make family shelter and individual shelter services more comparable and housing focused
Incorporating robust acknowledgement of privacy needs in design and planning of crisis response system