History and Evolution of the Homelessness Crisis

1600s–1800s

Colonial America and the Early Republic
Homelessness existed in various formats as communities dealt with poverty through “poorhouses” or “almshouses”.
1870s–1930s

Industrialization & Westward Expansion
During rapid industrialization, unemployed workers traveled far for work, creating the “tramp” or “hobo” image.
1930s

The Great Depression
The economic collapse of the 1930s increased homelessness and gave rise to large encampments known as “Hoovervilles”.
1945–1970s

Post-World War II Period
Federal housing programs expanded, and low-income individuals lived in single-occupancy housing and boarding houses.
1980s

The Emergence of Modern Homelessness
Researchers agree that the 80s are the beginning of today’s crisis, transforming homelessness from affecting single men to diverse populations.
Federal Response

McKinney-Vento and the HEARTH Act expanded funding, prevention efforts, and data collection to address homelessness.

Download Timeline Infographic

Homelessness Today

Contemporary homelessness is shaped by a combination of factors:

Shortages of
affordable housing
Rising rents
relative to wages
Economic
inequality
Mental health and substance-use challenges
Domestic
violence
Family
instability
Systemic
racial disparities
Natural disasters and economic shocks

Generational Perspectives

Generational perspectives on homelessness are not uniform. People within every generation hold a wide range of views. However, research and public opinion trends suggest some broad patterns in how different generations tend to understand the causes of and solutions to homelessness:

Download General Perspectives Infographic

Successes in Combating Homelessness

98%

Increase in bed inventory
between 2007 - 2025

56%

Decline in veteran homelessness between 2009-2025

2025

The first year since 2016 the number of unsheltered individuals declined

41%

Decrease in unaccompanied homelessness youth since 2017

Source: 2025 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), Part 1

The Nation's
Success Stories

These wins tell us that targeted, coordinated systems help reduce homelessness at scale. Housing paired with support services and cross-sector collaboration works best, as prevention beats crisis response. Housing is now a platform for recovery, not a reward for it.

Reduction in Veteran Homelessness

Through coordinated efforts by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, HUDS, nonprofits, and local communities to use housing vouchers, rapid rehousing supportive services, and data sharing, 85 communities and 3 states ended veteran homelessness.

Creation of a National Homelessness Response System

Prior to the 1980s, there was no comprehensive federal response to homelessness. The passage of the landmark McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act created the first major federal framework for addressing homelessness. Later, the HEARTH Act strengthened coordination, accountability, data collection, and funding for housing programs.

Adoption of Housing First Approaches

The HEARTH Act accelerated the expansion of Housing First programs nationwide. Studies have found strong housing retention rates and improved stability among participants.

Expansion of Permanent Supportive Housing

Since the early 2000s, communities have greatly expanded permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. Research has found that increases in supportive housing are associated with reductions in chronic homelessness and improved housing stability.

Improved Prevention and Rapid Rehousing

Prevention is an important part of the continuum of care. Programs such as rapid rehousing and prevention assistance have helped families and veterans regain housing more quickly than traditional shelter-only approaches.

Stronger Public-Private Partnerships

Collaboration between entities is key. Cities such as Houston and other communities have demonstrated that coordinated systems can significantly reduce homelessness when stakeholders align around shared goals.

Stories That Inspire

HomeAid’s affiliates across the nation are creating impact in their communities. We are proud to showcase the collective work we continue to do in order to build a future without homelessness.

State of the Issue Across the Nation

Resources, Stories, and More

Ending Homelessness in Southern California Through the HomeAid Model

After a volunteer project in Irvine, the Orange County Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California came together around a simple but powerful idea: if homelessness is a housing problem, builders should be part of the solution. From that belief, HomeAid was born.

Read more →

How Austin Outgrew Its Housing, and How We Are Building Our Way Home

In 1983, an Austin news crew turned its cameras on an overcrowded Salvation Army shelter. Two years later, a reporter spent weeks living on the streets and in the shelters of our city to show viewers what life there was like.

Read more →

Beyond the Stereotypes of Homelessness: Understanding How We Got Here

When we think of homelessness in America, what comes to mind? After more than three decades of involvement with HomeAid, one thing I've learned is that homelessness rarely has a simple explanation. And if we want to make meaningful progress toward ending it, we must be willing to look beyond what we see today and better understand how we got here.

Read more →

Sudden changes in life can push someone into homelessness

The first time I visited Autumn, I quickly realized that this was not an okay home for a teenager and brought her home to live with me and my mom. To this day, my mom has been known to say to people “most children bring home stray animals, Gina always brought home stray people”. You see, Autumn wasn’t the last person I brought home in my lifetime, and one would say this was an early sign of my passion to ensure housing for all humans.

Read more →