For the first time in seven years, the number of homeless people in the United States has increased. Conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress states that New York City is the area with the most homeless individuals, with 76,501 people lacking a place to call home. Los Angeles County is second on the list, with 55,188 homeless people. And while the climate is kinder in California, far fewer people have access to shelters than in New York City -- 95 percent of homeless people in the Big Apple are sheltered, compared to only 25 percent in the Los Angeles area.
Life on the streets:
- The Housing and Urban Development report found that on one night in January 2017, nearly one out of every four homeless people in the United States was attempting to survive in either New York City or Los Angeles.
- The report found that half of the nation's homeless live in five states: California, New York, Florida, Texas, and Washington.
- Besides being the most populous U.S. state, California also has the largest homeless population, with 134,278 homeless individuals. Its rate of 34 homeless residents per 10,000 people is twice the national average.