Facts, Myths, Info and Sources about
Homelessness
N. Lunsford 11/21/2023
REVISED AND UPDATED 06/23/2026
There is an unmet need to educate communities about the centuries long issue of Homelessness. This has been happening since the 1600’s. “The earliest cases of homelessness in America were documented in the 1640s. In 1734, the first poor house opened in New York City, serving as homeless shelters as well as mental institutions and jails.” (TheHomeMoreProject September 18, 2022)
How many ARE there?
We assist in local HUD PIT counts (Point In Time) however, it is difficult to locate and count ALL of this population; there are many "invisible homeless" who live in cars, couch surf or do not want to be counted.
In Illinois: According to the 2025 HUD annual assessment report, Illinois has 14,565 unhoused human beings living in uninhabitable dwellings (streets, tents, cars, train and bus stations) This represents a 42.9% increase compared to 2019, highlighting a significant rise in homelessness over the past six years. (source: National Alliance to End Homelessness)
Key Illinois PIT 2025 Demographics (Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness)
-
Unsheltered: 480 people (14% of total)
-
Families with children: 6,170 people
-
Living in places not meant for human habitation: 2,074 residents (42.3% of total)
-
Chronically homeless: 2,195 people (15.1% of total)
-
Sheltered: 86% of the homeless population
-
Unsheltered adults aged 55 and older: 2,605 people (17.9% of total)
-
Veterans: 480 people (3.3% of total)
What causes Homelessness?
- Lack of affordable housing
- Housing that is out of reach
- Medical issues and diagnoses
- Domestic Violence
- Racial Disparities
- Lack of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorder treatment availability
MYTHS about homelessness:
- Most are mentally ill.
Decades of epidemiological research reveals that one-third, at most, have a serious mental illness. De-institutionalization or closure of mental hospitals was initially believed to be a prime cause of homelessness, but this occurred well before the sharp increase in the 1980s. (Source: https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2019/september/HomelessQandA.html)
2. The majority abuse drugs and alcohol.
In the U.S., roughly 20–40% of homeless individuals struggle with addiction, with alcohol and drug abuse being the most common forms. Substance use both contributes to and results from homelessness, creating a cycle that complicates access to stable housing and treatment. (Source: AddictionHelp.com)
3. They’re dangerous and violent.
Homeless persons are far more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators. According to data, people experiencing homelessness are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than to commit violent crime. But because of the infrequency of violent crimes committed by people experiencing homelessness, they tend to be considered “newsworthy” and attract more media attention. (Source: United States Interagency Council on Homelessness)
To put it another way, any violence by homeless persons is either self-defense or due to the rare violent perpetrator who preys on other homeless people.
Not having a home does not make someone a criminal, just like having a home does not make someone innocent of any and all crimes.
"Over the past 23 years, the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) has documented nearly 2000 incidents of violence against people who were homeless.
At least 588 of unhoused victims lost their lives in violent attacks during
this period."
"These crimes appear to have been motivated by a perpetrator's bias against people experiencing homelessness, and to have been facilitated by a perpetrator’s ability to target homeless people with relative ease. The crimes are a litany of atrocities: beatings, rapes, mutilations, and murders. The murder victims died in unfathomable ways: not only shot or stabbed to death, but also set on fire, drowned– even beheaded." (Source: May 2024: The National Coalition for the Homeless: Violence and Hate Against Unhoused Americans: 2020-2022)
Key takeaway
The evidence indicates that homeless people are disproportionately targeted by violent crime, with victimization rates far exceeding those of the general population. This makes them a high-risk group for violent incidents, both in frequency and severity.
4. They’re criminals.
Homeless persons are more likely to have criminal justice intervention. However, this is primarily because many of their daily survival activities are criminalized —meaning they might be given a summons or arrested for minor offenses such as camping, trespassing, littering, or loitering.
5. “Bad choices” led to their homelessness.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness emphasizes that homelessness is primarily a housing problem, not merely a result of personal failings.
Addressing these systemic issues through comprehensive policy solutions and increased access to affordable housing is essential for effectively combating homelessness in the United States. The alliance also identifies the following key issues to the root cause of homelessness as:
- Systemic economic issues,
- Lack of affordable housing, and
- Inadequate income support as primary causes of homelessness.
Key Takeaway:
The descent into homelessness is not necessarily the direct result of “choices.” Far more often a sudden illness or an accident, losing one’s job, or falling into debt leads to eviction—or doubling up with family or friends becomes untenable.
6. They prefer the freedom of life on the street.
There is no evidence to support this notion that homeless persons are “service resistant.” Since “Housing First” began in New York City in 1992 at the nonprofit Pathways to Housing, Inc., it became clear that the offer of immediate access to independent housing with support services is welcomed and accepted by most homeless. People on the street often reject the option of crowded, unsafe shelters—not housing in general.
7. They spend all their money on drugs and alcohol.
Interviews with street homeless persons show that most of their money goes to buying food and amenities such as socks, hygiene products, and bottled water. Although some do spend money on alcohol or drugs, the same can be said of anyone.
8. They just need to get a job.
A significant portion of homeless people do have jobs or a source of income—they just cannot afford to pay rent. Some receive disability income due to physical or mental problems but still cannot afford rent. For those wanting to work—a common refrain among those interviewed by my research team—the complications of applying for a job with no address, no clean clothes, no place to shower, and the stigma of being homeless (or having a criminal record), make such individuals far less competitive in the low-wage job market.
9. The homeless are not part of “our community.”
Surveys have shown 70 to 80 percent of homeless persons are from the local area or lived there for a year or longer before becoming unhoused.
10. They live in unsanitary conditions because they don’t care.
Living outdoors means having no regular place for bodily functions / personal hygiene, to dispose of trash, to store food safely, or to bathe. A homeless person who “cares” has few alternatives. Our research shows that lacking access to a shower is one of the more humiliating aspects of being homeless.