HUD released Part 1 of the Annual Homelessness Report for 2025 on Friday, ending a monthslong battle over the delayed report.
- This release includes the updated point-in-time homelessness count which found the first annual reduction in homelessness for the first time since 2016.
By the Numbers:
- 745,652 people were homeless in January 2025, a 3.3% decrease from 2024. Over the same period there was an;
- 11.3% decrease in families experiencing homelessness;
- 7.9% reduction in homelessness for unaccompanied youth;
- 2.9% decrease in people who are unsheltered; and
- 1.2% decrease for homeless veterans.
- There has been a 27% increase in homelessness since 2013, and the report found unsheltered homelessness has increased 36% and chronic homelessness has increased 81% in the same period.
- Key states saw significant year-over-year reductions, including California (-2.8%) and New York (-7.9%), the states with the largest homeless populations in absolute terms. Illinois (-43.6%), Hawaii (-41.3%), and Florida (-11.1%) also saw major reductions in their homeless population.
What They’re Saying: Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, celebrated the results, but warned that anti-homelessness efforts are still insufficient:
“These reductions are a relief, but make no mistake that homelessness remains a crisis. Over the course of 2024, an estimated 17,500 people a week entered into homeless systems for the first time. HUD’s data proves that even with the unrelenting demand for assistance, the housing-focused programs and strategies at the heart of homelessness response can and do work when they are appropriately resourced.”
