As we continue our series on debunking myths and dispelling misconceptions about homelessness, today, we examine the appearance of homelessness. Most people, when asked, would describe homelessness as being without a home, but this does not always mean sleeping rough or seeking shelter services. When individuals are without a permanent home to call their own, it is referred to as hidden homelessness. Common examples of this include living in one’s car, couch surfing, or staying in motels. Homelessness isn’t always visible. Here are some common scenarios we see regularly in our community:
- The family sleeping in their car in a store parking lot.
- The teenager couch-surfing between friends’ houses after being kicked out.
- The woman staying at a shelter while escaping domestic violence.
- The man who works full-time but lives in a motel because he can’t afford an apartment.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Hidden homelessness is a massive issue. According to research from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, for every individual experiencing homelessness who was counted on the street or in a shelter during official counts, such as the PIT Count, there may be 3-4 additional individuals experiencing some form of hidden homelessness.
In 2023, the Department of Housing and Urban Development counted about 653,000 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January across the United States. This count largely misses individuals in hidden homelessness situations.
Why Doesn’t The Community See Hidden Homelessness?
Hidden homelessness stays invisible for many reasons. Most are complex, but a large part is due to the stigma of homelessness. The point of this series is to break misconceptions and dispel myths to build greater understanding in our community surrounding homelessness. Many individuals experiencing hidden homeless choose to remain hidden for some of these common reasons:
- Pride and shame: Many people hide their situation from friends, family, and coworkers due to the stigma of experiencing homelessness.
- Survival strategy: Staying hidden sometimes means staying safer in the long-term and protecting where they inhabit.
- Temporary situation: Some forms of hidden homelessness are short-term and don’t require support services.
- Counting difficulties: Official counts struggle to find people who aren’t visibly experiencing homelessness. In our area, the Point In Time count is done in January, an exceptionally challenging time to find individuals due to the harsh climate.
When Your Car is Home:
Vehicle residency is one of the fastest-growing forms of homelessness and one that we encounter quite often in our community. Living in one’s vehicle is exceptionally challenging for so many reasons and is not sustainable during episodes of hars weather. A study from the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty found that people living in vehicles often:
- Are experiencing homelessness for the first time.
- Are employed but can’t afford rent.
- Choose vehicles over shelters for privacy and to keep families together.
Living in one’s vehicle also includes significant safety risks, leading some cities to adopt a “Safe Parking” lot. Some of these lots are equipped to help individuals living in their cars with adequate security lighting, running taps for water, and bathrooms.
Setting the Record Straight:
We encourage the community to remember—homelessness doesn’t always look like someone sleeping outdoors. In most cases, individuals experiencing hidden homelessness didn’t choose to live in that situation, but are a victim of circumstance.
If you are interested in learning more about hidden homelessness we encourage you to visit our blog series about Hidden Homelessness, from last June. Click the links below to read any of blog posts on Hidden Homelessness.
