- Organizing Sponsors
- Participating Sponsors
Who is homeless?
Nationally, an estimated 842,000 adults and children are homeless in a given week, with that number swelling to as many as 3.5 million over the course of a year. People who are homeless are the poorest of the poor. While almost half (44%) of people who are homeless work at least part-time, their monthly income averages only $367 compared to the median monthly income for U.S. households of $2,840. Those who have disabilities and are unable to work can find it nearly impossible to secure affordable housing in virtually every major housing market in the country.
In Colorado, the percentage of homeless families is growing:
- 59.6% are households with children, 36.7% are single parents with children
Recent Colorado surveys indicate racial and ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans, Native American/Alaskan Natives, and people of mixed backgrounds are overrepresented:
- 59.4% are whites (compared to 90.3% of the general population)
- 14.8% are African Americans (compared to 4.1% of the general population)
- 25.0% are Hispanic/Latino (compared to 19.5% of the general population)
- 6.0% are Native American (compared to 1.1% of the general population)
- 7.7% are mixed (compared to 1.8% of the general population)
Nationally, homelessness continues to be a largely urban phenomenon:
- 71% are in central cities
- 21% are in suburbs
- 9% are in rural areas
In Colorado, people who are homeless frequently report health problems:
- 27.5% report substance abuse problems
- 21.5% report some form of mental health problems
- 2.0% report having HIV/AIDS
- 4.5% report a developmental disability
- 18.9% report a debilitating medical problem
Nationally, people who are homeless also have high rates of other background characteristics:
- 23% are veterans (compared to 13% of the general population)
- 25% were physically or sexually abused as children
- 27% were in foster care or institutions as children
- 21% were homeless as children
- 54% were incarcerated at some point of their lives
(National statistics taken from: the National Training and Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness, http://www.nrchmi.samhsa.gov/facts/facts_question_2.asp
Colorado statistics taken from the 2007 Colorado Statewide Homeless Count - http://www.colorado.gov/cich/pit.htm)
Denver’s Homeless Crisis:
There are more than 3,900 homeless men, women and children living in Denver.
Did you know?
In Denver:
- 60% of the homeless are people in families with children.
- 29% percent of homeless respondents in Denver are women.
- 40% of the homeless are working.
The most commonly reported reasons for homelessness reported in Denver are loss of a job (28%), housing costs (23%) and the breakup of a family (20%).
(Taken from: Denver’s Road Home, http://denversroadhome.org/state.php?id_cat=1)