Who in California Is Becoming Homeless?

To End Homelessness, Diverse Housing Interventions Must Be Maintained

Overview 

To have the chance to live a respectable and healthy life, every Californian has to have a secure and stable place to call home. However, as of early 2022, there were more over 171,000 homeless Californians.

These Californians were either classified unsheltered, living on the streets, in encampments, cars, or other areas not intended for habitation, or they were living in shelters or transitional housing. Over 270,000 people in need of a place to live or other life-sustaining assistance were contacted by local homeless service providers in 2021; an additional number of people were probably helped in 2022.1.

"It is feasible to elevate every Californian from homelessness." Lawmakers can abolish homelessness across the state of California by using the resources at their disposal. 

Since individuals of many ages and backgrounds are forced into homelessness, it is essential to comprehend the variety of traits that drive them to become homeless in order to properly manage their housing requirements. To find and maintain housing, homeless people need interventions of all kinds and sizes. There are more unhoused Californians than just those in temporary housing. It is the duty of state legislators to uphold the rights of every Californian and continue efforts to eradicate homelessness statewide.

1. Most people who experience homelessness do so temporarily, but others do so for an extended period of time.

The majority of homeless people (64%), however, endure relatively short-term homelessness; over a third (36%) experience chronic homelessness that is made worse by a handicap. If a person or family does not have a stable, consistent, and suitable location to live at night, such as a car, shelter, or other non-habitational space, they are classified as homeless. People without a place to live are deemed chronically homeless if they:

Their capacity to live freely is severely hampered by a long-standing handicap.

They have experienced homelessness either consistently for a full year or at least four times in a three-year span.

Various interventions are usually required to guarantee that those who are homeless, whether temporarily or permanently, are safe and have a place to live. Deeply inexpensive permanent housing is required for the vast majority of homeless Californians who are very low-income individuals enduring short-term homelessness. Those who are homeless on a long-term basis need evidence-based, practical solutions. This involves comprehensive supporting services and strong housing interventions combined in supportive housing.

The majority of Californians without a place to live are single individuals.

Eighty percent of California's homeless population at any one time are adults without children, followed by families with children (14%) and unaccompanied minors (7%). Adults (25 years of age and older) who live in houses without children might be noncustodial parents, single adults, couples, or groups of adults.2. Since they often do not qualify for many social safety net programs or are only eligible for short-term, small-sum assistance, they are more prone to suffering acute home instability.

Due to a shortage of affordable housing and escalating financial difficulties, homeless families with children often become homeless themselves. Youth who fled home as a result of abusive or dangerous family dynamics are classified as unaccompanied youth (young people under 24). This group includes numerous LGBTQ+ kids and some teens who are parents. Any age may be affected by homelessness, but children and young people are particularly vulnerable to the stress and detrimental effects on their health, education, and economic prospects.

To appropriately build the capacity of housing and service system needs, close attention should be paid to the proportion of unhoused Californians who fall into each of these three subpopulations of people experiencing homelessness: single adults, families with children, and unaccompanied youth. This is especially important for adults without children, who make up the vast majority of those experiencing homelessness.

Within the homeless population of California, there are notable racial differences.

Homelessness is disproportionately common among Californians of African American and Pacific Islander descent, as well as among Black Californians. Despite making up just 5% of the state's population, more than one in four homeless persons in California who contacted a homelessness assistance provider during the fiscal year 2021–2022 were Black. A distinct set of statistics from the 2022 point-in-time census indicates a particularly notable rise in the proportion of Latinx Californians who are homeless. These glaring racial gaps are a reflection of damaging historical and contemporary discriminatory practices that have impeded people of color's access to economic, housing, educational, and health opportunities. These obstacles all have a direct bearing on a person's capacity to find and maintain secure, affordable home.

In addition to placing disadvantaged populations in low-wage jobs, long-standing racist laws and practices have increased their economic instability, which is a major contributing factor to homelessness. People of color are disproportionately forced into lower-paying positions, are the first to lose their jobs during economic downturns, and have the highest unemployment rates. These trends are still evident today. As a result, people of color in California are more likely to experience housing insecurity and to spend excessive percentages of their income in rent. Additionally, because of institutionalized behaviors, communities of color, particularly Black ones, are more likely to get involved in the legal system, which may prolong and worsen homelessness.

In every county in the state of California, there are homeless people; the majority of them live in Los Angeles County.

Homelessness is a widespread issue that impacts Californians in all counties, including rural, suburban, and metropolitan areas. The biggest percentages of homeless people in February 2022 were found in the San Francisco Bay Area (22.2%) and the Los Angeles and South Coast area (49.9%), with the Sacramento area (7.2%) coming in second. According to point-in-time statistics, more than 40% of Californians without a place to live are found in Los Angeles County alone. Its dense population, expensive housing, and overall dearth of affordable housing are some of the causes of this. Comprehending the spatial arrangement of homeless individuals is imperative in order to suitably plan the distribution of state funds in a manner that accommodates the relative number of the homeless populace in every locality.

The homeless population in California is becoming older and more senior citizens

In the fiscal year 2021–22, over 40% of Californians without a place to live who were living in adult-only homes and contacted the homelessness response system were 50 years of age or older.3. Individuals who were already having difficulty making ends meet may become homeless as a result of financial or medical difficulties later in life. Inadequate benefit levels and difficulties older individuals in crisis have in accessing social safety net services and help are contributing factors.

Elderly people are more likely to have impairments and underlying medical disorders, which may be made worse by the extra strain of homelessness. Being homeless is already associated with serious health impairments; studies reveal that those without a place to live have the same incidence of geriatric illnesses as individuals with a place to live who are 20 years older. Due to their unique circumstances, older persons need extra assistance in obtaining and retaining homes. Older Californians without a place to live thus have a big impact on the way that homelessness intervention programs are now implemented since certain service demands need to be combined with other funding sources and service systems.

In summary

It is feasible to eradicate homelessness among all Californians. But to do this, one must be persistent and cognizant of the many requirements and housing help that each unique group of unhoused Californians need. The bulk of the homeless population is made up of single adults and persons of color, two groups that are disproportionately represented in California and should be the focus of interventions. The difficulties faced by the homeless are not unique to them; in addition, there is a severe lack of affordable housing, wages that are stagnating, funding for mental health services is being withheld, and there are racist policies and practices that have affected every aspect of life in California for decades. Furthermore, even though different agencies and initiatives connected to homelessness have received considerable financing in recent state budgets, additional investments, capacity development, and customized interventions are still required.

Effective and courteous methods of putting an end to homelessness have been shown to be feasible with the help of evidence-based strategies and consistent, enough financing, and it all starts with housing. State legislators can guarantee that every Californian has access to a home by concentrating on practical solutions and comprehending the requirements of the state's homeless population.