Total population

United States

·          3.5 million Americans experience homelessness in a given year.

·          800,000 men, women, and children are homeless each night in this nation.

Cincinnati

·          25,000 people experienced homelessness at some point during the year 2000.

·          Between 1,300 and 1,500 people are homeless every night.

Families

United States

·          840,000, or 24%, of the homeless are children.

·          42% of children who are homeless are under the age of 5

·          Families are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population.

·          Families with children (as opposed to single homeless people) make up about 30% of the homeless population nationally.

·          Single homeless people make up 68% of the population.

·          Single men comprise 51% of the urban homeless population.

·          Single women comprise about 17%.

·          Unaccompanied children make up about 2% of the homeless population.

Cincinnati

·          29% of the homeless are children.

·          33% of children who are homeless are under the age of 5.

·          Single men comprise 56% of the homeless population.

·          Single women comprise 20% of the homeless population.

·          Unaccompanied children make up about 13% of the homeless population.

Race

United States

·          The homeless population is 49% African-American, 35% Caucasian, 13% Hispanic, 2% Native American, and 1% Asian.

·          The ethnic makeup of homeless populations varies according to geographic location. People experiencing homelessness in rural areas are much more likely to be white; homelessness among Native Americans and migrant workers is also largely a rural phenomenon.

Cincinnati

·          The homeless population is 68.5% African-American, 27% Caucasian, 1.5% Hispanic, 0.6% Native American and 0.25% Asian.

Veterans

United States

·          40% of the male homeless population is veterans

·          34% of the total male US population is veterans

·          13% of the total homeless population is veterans

·          11% of the total US population is veterans.

Cincinnati

·          8% of the homeless population is veterans.

Mental Illness

United States

·          About 16% of the homeless in the U.S. have severe chronic mental illness.

·          From the 1960s to the early 1980s, 367,000 patients from mental institutions were released, and many ended up homeless for lack of anywhere to go.

Cincinnati

·          About 31% of the homeless suffer from chronic mental illness.

Substance Abuse

United States

·          About 26% of the homeless population suffers from some form of drug or alcohol abuse.

Cincinnati

·          30% of the homeless have an alcohol dependency.

·          31.5% of the homeless have a drug dependency.

Hate Crimes

United States

·          From 1999 through 2006, there were 614 documented hate crimes against homeless people, with 189 of those resulting in death.

Cincinnati

·          In 2004, Cincinnati was named the 4^th meanest city in the nation towards the homeless because of the laws against homeless individuals.

·          No hate crimes against the homeless were reported in Cincinnati in 2006.

Employment

·          Minimum wage is currently $6.85/hr. in Ohio

·          The minimum wage in 1979, when adjusted for inflation, was $7.40

·          80% of low-wage workers do not get health insurance.

·          The U.S. Conference of Mayors reported in 2006 that 13% of the urban homeless population was employed.

·          In a number of other cities, the percentage is even higher. The National Coalition for the Homeless found in 2001 that 42% of people experiencing homelessness are employed. Many of these workers are employed by day labor agencies, characterized by low pay, no job security, no health insurance, and inadequate worker protections.

Affordable Housing

·          The federal government says affordable housing should take no more than 30% of a person’s income.

·          No one earning minimum wage in any US state can afford a one or two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.

·          In 1999, the national two-bedroom housing wage was $11.08; in 2006, the national housing wage was $16.31, a 47% increase.

·          Between 1973 and 1993, 2.2 million low-rent units disappeared from the market.

·          The lack of affordable housing is widely considered to be the main cause of homelessness in the United States today.

·          In Cincinnati, a person working a minimum wage job must work 72 hours a week in order to afford a two bedroom apartment at fair market rent and have it still be considered affordable by the government.

Other Facts About Cincinnati

·          In the last 15 years, the homeless population has increased 150%.

·          The top two reasons people report for becoming homeless in Cincinnati are the lack of affordable housing and loss of income.

·          18% of homeless women in Cincinnati are homeless as a result of domestic violence, the third highest reported cause of homelessness for women.

·          60% of homeless men in Cincinnati work at least part-time.

·          Almost 60% of homeless men here are high school graduates; almost 5% have college degrees.

Key Sources

·          U.S. Conference of Mayors 2006 Survey

·          U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

·          National Coalition for the Homeless

·          Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless

·          Out of Reach 2006

·          Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care for the Homeless Demographic Report 2006