Homelessness rose among veterans in Texas last year
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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.


