U.S. Homelessness Could Jump 45%, Study Says

Unemployment of historically devastating proportions will force people out of their homes and onto the streets, according to a new study by an economist at Columbia University in New York.

1 minute read

May 19, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Washington D.C.

bakdc / Shutterstock

Homelessness in the United States could grow as much as 45% over totals from January 2019, according to analysis by Brendan O'Flaherty, a professor of economics at Columbia University. That increase would mean 250,000 more homeless people living on the streets.

An article on the Community Solutions website provides details of the study's methodology and findings, along with a few soundbites from O'Flaherty. Benjamin Oreskes also picked up news of the study for the Los Angeles Times, supplementing the conclusions front he report with additional data on the state of the economy in the state of California. Perhaps interestingly, O'Flaherty's report predicts a relatively small increase in homeless populations in California, given the already large numbers of people living on the streets in the nation's largest state.


Monday, May 11, 2020 in Community Solutions

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

: Construction of massive Samsung semiconductor fabrication plant

In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland

Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.

November 3 - Inside Climate News

A construction crew working on SunZia.

How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on

The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.

November 3 - Grist

A rendering of the basketball court, a green court under a blue sky.

MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court

The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.

November 3 - Gothamist