Media report number of homeless people in Washington rose by more than 12% over year

The number of people experiencing homelessness in and around Washington has increased by more than 12 percent in 2023, TASS reports with reference to The Washington Post

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It is reported that in January 2024, 9,774 people lived on the street or in shelters in eight administrative units of the agglomeration – up 12 percent compared to 2023.

It is noted that the increase in homeless people amounted to 1,078. The number of people without a place of residence has increased over the past year, with the largest increase in the number of homeless people during this period observed in the District of Columbia, as well as in Montgomery County, located in the immediate vicinity of Washington (694 and 250 people, respectively).

According to the newspaper, an increase in homelessness indicates an urgent need for affordable housing and a growth in wages. It is claimed that the issue of housing affordability has become problematic both in Washington and its environs, as well as throughout the country: half of Americans renting housing pay more than 30 percent of their income for it. At the same time, according to the publication, the rate of construction of new housing in the District of Columbia lags behind the rate of population growth.