January 6, 2025
Social Justice: Homeless Crisis
In the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, de Sousa and Henry emphasize the concerning effects of chronic homelessness on older Americans aged 55 to 65 plus young Black families with children. The report highlights a notable increase in homelessness within this age group, attributing it to economic instability, health challenges, and inadequate social support. Statistics show that older individuals face distinct vulnerabilities, such as a higher incidence of chronic health conditions and limited access to healthcare. In today's relaunched Echo article, we will share the story of Ms. April Johnson, a 62-year-old Black woman who is experiencing homelessness here in N.J. Johnson is familiar to the relaunched Echo audience, as former Echo News reporter Tiasia Newman in the summer of 2023 courageously investigated the, tragic death of Johnson's son while he was incarcerated in a New Jersey's prison system, while just months away from Joshua McMillian becoming free. Joshua held a degree in psychology and was a talented basketball player in both high school and college.
The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report compiles essential data gathered from the Point-In-Time (PIT) count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) conducted from January to December 2024. This report presents a comprehensive overview of homelessness at the national, state, and Continuum of Care (CoC) levels. It highlights not only the total number of homeless individuals but also provides specific estimates on vulnerable groups, including chronically homeless persons, veterans, and homeless children and youth.
The significance of these reports lies in their ability to inform Congress and citizens about the current state of homelessness here in America. By providing detailed statistics and trends, the report helps lawmakers understand the scope of the issue, enabling them to make more informed decisions regarding funding, policy development, and resource allocation aimed at addressing homelessness. For citizens, these reports raise awareness about the challenges faced by homeless individuals and communities, fostering a better understanding of the need for support and intervention. Overall, the findings from these reports serve as crucial tools for advocacy and planning efforts at both governmental and community levels.
The report shares the following key findings:
"The number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024 was the highest ever recorded. A total of 771,480 people – or about 23 of every 10,000 people in the United States – experienced homelessness in an emergency shelter, safe haven, transitional housing program, or in unsheltered locations across the country. Several factors likely contributed to this historically high number. Our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits. Additional public health crises, natural disasters that displaced people from their homes, rising numbers of people immigrating to the U.S. accessing vital life saving resources that belonged to citizens, and the end to homelessness prevention programs put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the end of the expanded child tax credit, have exacerbated this already stressed system.
Nearly all populations reached record levels. Homelessness among people in families with children, individuals, individuals with chronic patterns of homelessness, people staying in unsheltered locations, people staying in sheltered locations, and unaccompanied youth all reached the highest recorded numbers in 2024.
People in families with children had the largest single-year increase in homelessness. Between 2023 and 2024, 39 percent more people in families with children experienced homelessness. Overall, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased by 18 percent.
Nearly 150,000 children experienced homelessness on a single night in 2024, reflecting a 33 percent increase (or 32,618 more children) over 2023. Between 2023 and 2024, children (under the age of 18) were the age group that experienced the largest increase in homelessness.
Veterans were the only population to report continued declines in homelessness. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by eight percent, or 2,692 fewer veterans. The number of veterans experiencing homelessness has declined by 55 percent since data collection about veteran homelessness began in 2009. The declines in sheltered and unsheltered experiences of homelessness were similar, (56% and 54%). These declines are the result of targeted and sustained funding to reduce veteran homelessness.
About one in every five people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024 was age 55 or older. More than 104,000 people experiencing homelessness were aged 55 to 64, and just over 42,150 people were over age 64. Nearly half of adults aged 55 or older (46%) were experiencing unsheltered homelessness in places not meant for human habitation.
People who identify as Black, African American, or African continue to be overrepresented among the population experiencing homelessness. People who identify as Black citizens made up just 12 percent of the total U.S. population and 21 percent of the U.S. population living in poverty but were 32 percent of all people experiencing homelessness. However, the share of people experiencing homelessness who identify as Black (of any ethnicity)" ex: Brown people who originally identified as Black. "decreased from 37 percent of all people experiencing homelessness in 2023.
2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report outlines the key findings of the January 2024 - December 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC).
Mrs. April Johnson's testimony reflects on the concept of "home" as a place of comfort, particularly in relation to her late son, Joshua McMillian. She marks the fifth anniversary of his death, which she asserts was a homicide, not the suicide labeled by authorities, occurring at Northern State Prison in Newark, NJ. Joshua was a talented athlete, securing a basketball scholarship to Hillsboro Community College, where he earned an Associate's Degree in Psychology and Social Work. Despite achieving success, including playing semi-pro basketball in Mexico City, he faced challenges when his grades were delayed, causing him to miss another scholarship opportunity.
Mrs. Johnson story shared in the relaunched Echo NJ's oldest Black-owned newspaper in 2023 revealed the injustice her son faced due to the name similarity with another man who was acquitted of murder, who was White leading to harassment and wrongful charges against Joshua who was a Black American. Per Johnson "On that sorrowful day, burying my beloved remains vivid in my memory and deeply affected me in 2023. I experienced a mild stroke, which compelled me to rest and embark on a journey toward healing. Unfortunately, due to not receiving the assistance I urgently needed, I was denied support during the COVID relief efforts and subsequently became homeless."
Johnson's story highlights the necessity for public empathy in tackling the homelessness crisis affecting American citizens in New Jersey. Johnson's testimony shares the additional hassles that Black Americans may find themselves dealing with in America while homeless which is unacceptable. Those treasonous facts revealed per Johnson's story involve:
Systematic racism in the prison system,
Blocked housing accessibility for citizens,
Stress related health outcomes thanks to societal neglect from fellow Americans
As a result of the ongoing housing crisis, individuals like Johnson have faced serious health issues, including a stroke at the age of 62. April has noted that sleeping in a cramped car can trigger her condition, yet she finds the cleanliness of hotels and motels to be so poor that spending the night in her car seems like a better option. April's situation illustrates the various challenges people encounter when they struggle to find adequate housing while being a lifelong worker in New Jersey. This crisis is exacerbated by the influx of non-citizen workers, who are accessing American housing due to the Sanctuary Movement for them and their families. This initiative, while well-intentioned, has not been thoroughly planned and provides non-citizens with access to resources that American citizens also need and have contributed to.
Please enjoy Genesis's "That's All"
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Reference:
de Sousa, T., & Henry, M. (2024). The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress [Report]. Abt Global https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2024-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
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