How Homelessness Affects All of Us

image above from 2026 PIT Count

What is Homelessness?

Safe, stable, and affordable housing is not a luxury – it is a basic human necessity. While some dehumanize or overlook homeless people, I see them as neighbors – worthy of respect, compassion, and equally important as others in our community. No one deserves a label that strips them of their humanity. When our neighbors do not have a place to call home, the impact reaches far beyond those experiencing homelessness.

Homelessness places strain on hospitals, community health centers, first responders, and essential workers. It affects neighborhood safety and stability, making it harder for people to work, learn, and care for their families. It also comes with high costs. Communities spend far more on emergency care, policing, and crisis services than they would on long-term housing solutions, and those costs are paid by all of us.

Most importantly, homelessness harms people’s health, safety, and dignity. When too many neighbors lack shelter, public resources are stretched thin, and the sense of connection and security that our communities depend on begins to fade. Addressing homelessness is not just the right thing to do – it is a shared responsibility that strengthens our entire city.

Being homeless means not having a stable, safe, or adequate place to sleep. This can include living on the streets, staying in shelters or temporary housing, sleeping in places not meant for human habitation, or moving from couch to couch (also known as couch surfing) because one has nowhere else to go.

No one chooses to be homeless. It is often caused by circumstances beyond someone’s control – poverty, rising rent, unemployment, health challenges, domestic violence, or untreated mental health and substance use disorders. When neighbors are pushed into homelessness, it is a sign that our support systems need strengthening. Every neighbor deserves safety, dignity, and stability.

Different Forms of Homelessness

Homelessness looks different for everyone. Here are four types of homelessness:

• Chronic homelessness affects neighbors who have been without stable housing for long periods or who experience homelessness repeatedly, often while living with disabilities or serious health challenges. Supporting them requires long-term care and commitment.
• Episodic homelessness describes neighbors who move in and out of homelessness over time, often because of ongoing health challenges or struggles with addiction.
• Transitional homelessness is short-term and caused by a sudden crisis, such as eviction, job loss, domestic violence, or divorce.
• Hidden homelessness, also called situational homelessness, includes neighbors staying temporarily with friends or family (couch surfing), in cars, motels, or overcrowded housing. Many are never counted in official data.

Why Housing Affordability Is a Major Issue in Philly

Philly is facing a housing crisis that impacts us all. The number of neighbors experiencing homelessness grew from 4,489 in 2022 to 5,516 in 2025. Most unhoused adults are between 35 and 54 years old, and 780 children in our city do not have a safe place to call home.

This crisis is driven by several factors, including a shortage of affordable housing, the cost of living increasing and outpacing wages, and longtime neighbors being pushed out of neighborhoods they helped build, also known as gentrification. Systemic racism continues to limit fair housing access for Black neighbors, while mental health needs, substance use challenges, and medical debt make it even harder to stay housed.

These pressures do not just harm us – they weaken the health, stability, and future of our entire community. That is why housing justice requires urgency, investment, and collective action.

Philly’s 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count

The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a one-night count held each January to help us better understand how many of our neighbors are experiencing some type of homelessness. The count helps guide Philly’s approach to addressing homelessness, identifying trends, gaps in service needs, and understanding the scope of homelessness in Philly. It includes counting people staying in shelters as well as those living outdoors, and it is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

These numbers are not just statistics – they represent our neighbors and demonstrate why coming together as a community truly matters. HUD uses local PIT data in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, which informs federal policy decisions and overall funding levels for homeless assistance programs.

Locally, city and county homelessness offices use PIT figures in annual budget narratives and performance dashboards to determine appropriations for shelter, outreach, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing.

As Philly tally’s the 2026 PIT Count, results from the 2025 count show that 5,516 people were experiencing homelessness – up 6% from 2024. This marked the fourth consecutive year of increase. In 2025, 1,178 people were counted as unsheltered, a 21% increase from the year before. This number does not include the 4,338 people staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or safe-haven housing.

Philadelphia’s Response

Mayor Cherelle Parker proposed a $2 billion H.O.M.E. initiative focused on helping our neighbors find and keep safe, stable places to call home. The plan aims to build, repair, and protect 30,000 housing units across the city. Additionally, there is a commitment to add 1,000 new beds to support neighbors living on the streets.

The H.O.M.E. initiative uses data to ensure resources reach the neighborhoods that need them most. It brings together city funding, public land, federal HUD support, and partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations. Progress will be shared through public dashboards so neighbors can see what is happening and hold the city accountable.

Supporting Our Neighbors Now

If you or someone you know is experiencing any form of homelessness, support is available.

• Need help with overdue rent or a security deposit? Call the Homelessness Prevention InfoLine at (215) 686-7177 or visit a City-funded homeless intake center. For help applying, email OHSPrevention@phila.gov.
• Living outdoors or see someone who is? Call the Homeless Street Outreach Hotline at (215) 232-1984. Outreach teams can connect neighbors to shelter and services.
• Have other questions? Contact OHS@phila.gov.