Hunger and homelessness
increase in American cities
A report by the US Conference of Mayors*

14 December 2008: In US cities, hunger and homelessness are both on the rise according to a report by the US Conference of Mayors. Miami Mayor and Conference President, Manny Diaz, said that at a time when America faced one of the biggest economic downturns in its history, the issues of hunger and homelessness are more prevalent than ever. “Cities are the front lines where these effects are first felt, which is why mayors have been proactive and have implemented local initiatives to combat hunger and homelessness in their communities to take care of our most vulnerable residents,” he explained.

The report reveals that on average, cities reported a 12 per cent increase in homelessness from 2007 to 2008, with 16 cities citing an increase in the number of homeless families. The lack of affordable housing, poverty and unemployment were cited as the primary causes of homelessness for families. For individuals, the top three causes cited were substance abuse, affordable housing and mental illness.

This 2008 survey included a special focus on the demand for government subsidized housing and the effect of the foreclosure crisis on homelessness. Twelve cities (63 per cent) reported an increase in homelessness because of the foreclosure crisis. However, many cities did not have enough data to quantify the extent of the increase. The tenants of rental units in buildings where the landlord faced foreclosure were the most vulnerable to becoming homeless. Also, when asked if their waiting lists for public housing and housing vouchers had increased or decreased, most cities reported that their waiting lists were closed to new applicants due to excess demand.

Not surprisingly, poverty, unemployment and the lack of affordable housing were also cited as the top three causes of hunger in the surveyed cities. The report shows that requests for emergency food assistance went up in nearly every city surveyed with the demand outpacing the supply in 20 cities. Significantly, an estimated 59 per cent of requests for food assistance were coming from families -- many for the first-time.

Key findings:
• Twenty cities (95 per cent) reported an increase in the demand for emergency food assistance over the past year, one city reported that demand stayed the same and four cities were not able to answer this question.
• All 21 cities with available data cited an increase in the number of persons requesting food assistance for the first-time. The increase was particularly notable among working families.
• Cities reported an 18 per cent average increase in the demand for emergency food assistance and a 5 per cent average increase in the quantity of food distributed. The increase in demand for food assistance exceeded the increase in the amount of food distributed in eighty per cent of the cities surveyed.
• Nine cities reported making significant changes to the types of food they purchased over the last year because of increases in food prices. Thirteen cities reported that food pantries had to turn people away, and sixteen cities reported that food pantries were reducing the amount of food clients could receive at each visit.
• When asked to anticipate their biggest challenges for 2009, nearly every city cited an expected increase in demand resulting from the weak economy coupled with high prices for food and fuel.
• Nineteen cities (83 per cent) reported an increase in homelessness over the past year. On average, cities reported a 12 per cent increase.
• Twelve cities (63 per cent) reported an increase in homelessness because of the foreclosure crisis. However, most cities did not have enough data to quantify the extent of the increase. The tenants of rental units in buildings where the landlord faced foreclosure were the most vulnerable to becoming homeless.
• All but one of the cities surveyed had developed or was developing a ten-year plan to end homelessness. Three quarters of these plans (75 per cent) focused not just on ending homelessness for chronically homeless disabled adults but also on preventing family homelessness.

Other key findings of the report are as follows:
Hunger
• Cities were more likely to cite the high cost of housing as a main cause of hunger than the recent increase in food prices. In fact, when asked what would be most helpful in addressing hunger, affordable housing was the most commonly cited response.
• While funding donations to food pantries increased by an average of 19 per cent, there was only a 5 per cent average increase in the amount of food distributed by food pantries over the last year.
• Cities adapted to increased food prices by purchasing cheaper protein sources and fewer whole grains; cities also reduced the variety and amount of food offered to people per visit to stretch limited food supplies.

Homelessness
• Nineteen of the surveyed cities (83 per cent) reported an increase in homelessness over the past year. On average, cities reported a 12 per cent increase.
• Most cities reported that, at times over the past year the demand for homeless assistance exceeded the availability of shelter. In some cases, cities supplied motel vouchers or designate overflow areas within shelters. It was not uncommon to turn people away due to lack of available beds.
• Most cities in the survey appear to have embraced the philosophy of placing chronically homeless persons into permanent housing as quickly as possible, then providing services.
• All but one of the cities surveyed has developed or is in the process of developing a ten-year plan to end homelessness. Three quarters of these plans (75 per cent) focused not just on ending homelessness for chronically homeless disabled adults, but also on preventing family homelessness.

*The report was prepared by Abt Associates and is based on data collected from The U.S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homelessness Information Questionnaire, completed by cities that reported on persons receiving food and shelter services over a one-year period from October 2007 to September 2008.

The 25 participating cities in this survey are members of The U.S. Conference of Mayors Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness and include the following: Boston, MA; Charleston, SC; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Des Moines, IA; Gastonia, NC; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Louisville, KY; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Nashville, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Providence, RI; St. Paul, MN; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; Santa Monica, CA; Seattle, WA; Trenton, NJ.