On a single night in 2019, 568,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States (HUD 2019 AHAR).
According to Maricopa County’s 2022 Point In Time Homeless Count a one night count of people experiencing homelessness:
- 9026 people experienced homelessness
- 5029 people were unsheltered, a 34% increase from 2020
- 3997 people were sheltered, a 9% increase from 2020
- 1,946 children experienced homelessness in 550 families
- 420 veterans experienced homelessness
Why are people experiencing homelessness?
There are diverse reasons why people fall into homelessness. At Andre House, we recognize that each person who walks through our doors has a unique story and background. That being said, factors like the affordable housing crisis, wage, and health all play a role in leading someone to homelessness.
Wage plays a critical role in understanding homelessness. While housing costs are on the rise, wages have remained largely stagnant. Fair-market-rent for a one bedroom rental in Arizona is $761/month, even though a minimum wage earner makes $546/month.
Someone receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) earns $750/month- eleven dollars less than fair-market rent for a one bedroom rental.
The affordable housing crisis is also a factor in the state of homelessness. For every 100 extremely low income (ELI) renter households, those with incomes at or below 30% of their area median, there are only 26 available units in Arizona. This shortage of affordable housing makes people more susceptible to evictions and homelessness. The Arizona Republic reports almost 44,000 evictions in 2018.
For more information on the housing crisis, visit the website for the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, please visit our Resources page for referrals to community resources.