Did You Know?

According to a recent Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American adults, 70% think that the number homeless families in the country will increase, while a mere 7% think the numbers will go down. 19% believe there will be no change. (Apparently, the remaining 4% must not have had any opinion on the matter). 

83% of people in the survey consider homelessness to be "at least a somewhat serious problem" in the U.S. 

According to HUD's 2008 Annual Homeless Report to Congress (released July 9, 2009), the number of homeless families in the US rose by 9% (the rate of homeless families in rural areas jumped a whopping 56%). The point-in-time estimated increase of homeless families in the state of Oregon rose by 17.4%. (According to this report, Oregon also rates among the 3 states with the highest estimates of homeless persons proportionate to the state's total population-1 in every 200 people.) 51% of the children in homeless families are under the age of 6. Another 34% are between the ages of 6 and 12.

With the national unemployment rate currently hovering at 9.5%, and the state of Oregon's at 12.2%, it seems unlikely that the number of homeless families will decrease anytime soon if all other variables remain constant. 

To read up on the results of the Rasmussen Report, follow the link.

To read the HUD report, follow this one.

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