Homelessness rose among veterans in Texas last year
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Homelessness across Texas increased last year, especially for veterans, a new federal report found.
Driving the news: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last month released its 2023 report on people experiencing homelessness.
- The report attempts to offer a snapshot by estimating the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night — in this case, in late January 2023.
- Texas' data comes from 11 homeless services and prevention agencies across the state in six major cities, two largely urban areas and three largely rural areas.
By the numbers: Texas saw a 13% increase in people experiencing homelessness from 2022 (24,432) to 2023 (27,377).
- In contrast, homelessness in Texas decreased by 10% from 2020 to 2022.
State of play: Texas had one of the largest jumps in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness from 2022 to 2023, per the report — an increase of 19%, or 325 veterans.
- San Antonio and Dallas combined to account for more than one-third of that increase.
- But since 2009, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in Texas is down about 63%.
Context: Texas has a lower rate of homelessness than the national average — about 9 in every 10,000 people in Texas experience homelessness, compared with 20 in every 10,000 people nationally.
- But we also have a larger number of unhoused people than most states because of our large population.
Yes, but: Some advocates believe point-in-time counts can be misleading and may drastically underestimate the true number of houseless people.
What they're saying: "There are a lot of veterans out there," Pete Barrera, senior outreach manager at Haven for Hope, tells Axios. "People don't realize they qualify for benefits."
- Veterans face particular challenges around mental health and substance abuse, Barrera says.
- Haven for Hope has a veterans service team to work with people beyond securing immediate shelter needs, like helping them apply for veterans or disability benefits.
Zoom in: In Bexar County, the overall number of people experiencing homelessness was up in 2023 from 2022, per the local point-in-time count released last May.
- The number of homeless families with at least one child was especially on the rise locally, up 60% from 2021 to 2023.
- The city of San Antonio entered 2024 planning to increase the number of cleanups it conducts at homeless camps.
Of note: Many pandemic-era social safety net programs — such as income protection and eviction moratoriums — expired by the time the 2023 count was conducted, the report notes.
- Shelters, meanwhile, largely went back to full capacity after capping admittance during the pandemic.
- Both factors complicate comparisons of 2023's numbers with those from pandemic years, the report warns.
Zoom out: U.S. homelessness reached a record high in 2023, with about 653,100 people experiencing homelessness.
- Homelessness increased by about 12% nationwide between 2022 and 2023, per the report.
What's next: Close to Home — the point agency for homeless services and prevention in Bexar County — will conduct the next local point-in-time count on Jan. 23.
- Its findings will be released later this year.