Populations experiencing housing insecurity

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Young Adults Aging out of Foster Care

(from the National Foster Youth Initiative: https://nfyi.org/51-useful-aging-out-of-foster-care-statistics-social-race-media/) 

§ 23,000 young adults age out of foster care annually and 20% (4,600) become instantly homeless

§ 20% will be incarcerated

§ Only 50% will obtain gainful employment by age 24

§ Less than 3% will earn a college degree

§ 70% of young adult women become pregnant before age 21

§ 25% continue to suffer from the effects of PTSD

Reentry from the Justice System

(from the Prison Policy Initiative: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/housing.html)

§ 70% of those experiencing homelessness have a history of incarceration

§ 15% experienced homelessness during the year preceding incarceration

§ Those most affected have been incarcerated more than once, were recently released, and are people of color and or women.

Veterans

(from CALVET: https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/Pages/Homeless-Veterans-Outreach-Awareness.aspx)

§ Veterans often experience conditions that make it difficult for them to find and maintain gainful employment and housing

§ 55% are affected by mental health issues; 70% are affected by substance abuse issues.

§ Female veterans experience more severe forms of mental illness due to military sexual trauma (MST)

Recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

(from American Addiction Centers: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/homeless)

§ 1/3 of homeless people have problems with substance abuse, and 2/3 of these have a long-term history of abuse

§ Substance abuse is one of the top three causes of homelessness

§ Causes of substance abuse among the homeless include self-medication, lack of social support, trauma, and physical and mental health issues.

Seniors

§ Elderly homeless include those who have been unhoused for years and are aging, as well as those experiencing homelessness for the first time after age 50.

§ In California a main contributor is that social security benefits have not kept up with increased rents. In addition, many seniors are on fixed incomes with limited savings.

§ From 2017 to 2021, California’s overall senior population grew by 7% but the number of people 55 and over who sought homelessness services increased 84% —  more than any other age group —  according to the state’s Homeless Data Integration System.