(Washington) – The number of homeless people in the United States jumped by 12% in one year to reach a record level, in the context of rising rents and the gradual cancellation of aid related to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to official data published on Friday. .
The country recorded more than 653,100 homeless people in January 2023, an increase of 70,650 compared to January 2022, according to statistics from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
These data confirm the seriousness of the problem of homelessness in the world’s largest economy, with huge economic and social contradictions.
The topic is already emerging as one of the major questions in the presidential campaign, with Republicans often accusing their Democratic rivals of pursuing policies that favor the creation of islands of urban poverty.
The report released on Friday indicates that African Americans make up 37% of the street population, while representing only 13% of the total American population.
Other reasons exacerbating the situation include the opioid-related health crisis and the lack of affordable housing.
California is the US state with the largest number of homeless people (181,399), followed by New York (103,200) and Florida (30,756).
The United States has been counting the homeless since 2007, and 2023 represents a record high. The recent increase was particularly noticeable in families with children (+16%).
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