People remain homeless an average of five months in the survey cities. Fifty-two percent of the cities said that the length of time people are homeless increased during the last year. Substance abuse and the lack of needed services lead the list of causes of homelessness identified by the city officials. Other causes cited, in order of frequency, include lack of affordable housing, mental illness and the lack of needed services, low paying jobs, domestic violence, and changes and cuts in public assistance. Officials estimate that, on average, single men comprise 47 percent of the homeless population, families with children 36 percent, single women 14 percent and unaccompanied minors four percent.
Children account for one-fourth of the homeless population.
During the last year the number of emergency shelter beds decreased overall in the survey cities by an average of three percent. Transitional housing units increased by an average of nine percent. Single Room Occupancy units increased by seven percent. In two out of three of the cities, families may have to break up in order to be sheltered. In 65 percent of the cities families may have to spend their daytime hours outside of the shelter they use at night.