Chronically Homeless

• About 25% of all homeless and as many as 50% of those who are unsheltered are homeless for long periods of time, or cycle in and out of homelessness. This situation is referred to as “chronic homelessness.”^[4]
• Of the 7,839 people counted in the One Night Count, 2,158 were identified as unsheltered or existing on the street.
• An estimated 1,079 unsheltered homeless people on the night of the One Night Count are chronically homeless.
• 693 people staying in emergency shelters and 208 in transitional housing were identified as chronically homeless.

These individuals generally have barriers like physical or mental health challenges, and/or may struggle with addiction to drugs or alcohol. They most often need a constellation of supportive services, including an established continuum of care, along with housing. Chronically homeless people may be less likely to use shelters, and therefore statistics and demographic data like those garnered from the service providers through the One Night Count data may not be reflective of those who experience homelessness on a long-term basis.

National and local studies have provided some information on chronically homeless people:

• Between 79% and 86% are male
• About 60% are between the ages of 35 and 54
• Between 83% and 87% have mental health, alcohol and/or other drug problems.
• Chronically homeless people consume a disproportionately high percentage of the emergency and other high cost services provided to homeless people.^[5]

It is known that supportive housing positively impacts chronically homeless adults, as well as community systems. These individuals are not only physically safer, but studies have also shown that they financially impact systems like the justice system or health care system considerably less when supportive housing services are available. For example, since one Seattle apartment building serving chronically homeless, chemically-dependent adults, opened its doors in 2005, it has been estimated that expenses, per individual, on public systems have decreased by about 10% compared to if they were on the streets.^[6]

Footnotes

[1] According to HUD, a person who is “chronically homeless” is an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.  In order to be considered chronically homeless, a person must have been sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation, (e.g., living on the streets) and/or in an emergency homeless shelter.  A disabling condition is defined as a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability, including the co-occurrence of two or more of these conditions.  A disabling condition limits an individual’s ability to work or perform one or more activities of daily living.

[5] Martha Burt, U.S. Approaches to Ending Long-Term Homelessness for People with Disabilities.

[6] http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3290496 The Associated Press,  Donna Gordon  Blankinship.  June 18, 2007