Report: Homelessness on the Rise in the United States, Again

A new federal report finds a few reasons for optimism in a nationwide homeless count, but the numbers of homeless in the United States have grown for the second year in a row.

2 minute read

December 23, 2018, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Tent City Bay Area

Fabrice Florin / Flickr

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its "2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress" [pdf] report last week.

"Despite the booming economy, homelessness in the United States rose slightly for the second year in a row, with spikes in high-rent cities like New York and Seattle," reports Glenn Thrush of the report's findings.

"Over all, the national rate of homelessness rose by a modest 0.3 percent to 552,830 people without stable living conditions, the report found. But that represented the second annual increase after seven straight years of declines — the result, in part, of rapidly increasing housing costs that have only recently shown signs of leveling off," adds Thrush. Thrush's coverage, for the New York Times, focused on the bleak, and worsening, homelessness situation in the country.

The report inspired public relations work from HUD and additional media coverage, which are revealing for their differences.

The Associated Press reported from Los Angeles, which achieved a slight decrease in its homeless numbers, which city officials credited to the success of new programs enabled by voter-approved taxes in 2017.

An article by Kelsey Ramirez cut the bad news about the increase in overall homelessness with good news about decreasing veteran and family homelessness.

A press release from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was the only communication to claim that homelessness isn't worsening around the country as a whole. Instead, reads the headline, homelessness is "unchanged in 2018."

Monday, December 17, 2018 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

7 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

June 16 - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

June 16 - UNM News