Title: National Coalition for the Homeless Homelessness in America - National Coalition for the Homeless
Headings: Homelessness in America
Homelessness in America
Reasons People Become Homeless
Types of Homelessness
Demographics of Homelessness
Geography of Homelessness
Links/Resources
Why Are People Homeless?

Content: Poverty
Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education. Difficult choices must be made when limited resources cover only some of these necessities. Often it is housing, which absorbs a high proportion of income that must be dropped. If you are poor, you are essentially an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on the streets. According to the United States Census Bureau, the national poverty rate in 2016 was 12.7%. There were 40.6 million people in poverty. While the poverty rate has been slowly declining since 2014, a couple of factors account for continuing poverty: Lack of Employment Opportunities – With unemployment rates remaining high, jobs are hard to find in the current economy. Even if people can find work, this does not automatically provide an escape from poverty.