By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor
Chronic homeless in America’s capitol increased by 20 percent in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Close to 10 out of every 1,000 residents in America’s capitol are homeless which is two times the national average. The population of Washington, D.C. is 690,000.
Several estimates during the COVID-19 crisis indicate that over 35 million people in the U.S. risked losing their homes during the pandemic.
According to data from the Department of Human Services, chronic homelessness fell but the number of homeless individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 went up from 243 last year to 325 this year — a 34 percent increase. Individuals living in tents can be seen almost everywhere in Washington, D.C., particularly in the downtown area.
Officials in Washington, D.C. sought to emphasize on the hard count of homelessness from 2020 to 2021. But the total number of homeless is likely around 6,000 people. In a wealthy nation in a city with the second or third highest cost of living, the numbers are sobering.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser referenced an eviction moratorium, which many cities have, and $300 million in rent relief from the federal government.
Over 600,000 Americans in the U.S. are homeless. The American Rescue Plan Act, which became law in March, provides for over $46 billion in emergency rental assistance.
Homelessness has become a chronic crisis in California. A plan to spend as much as $20 billion is being considered to deal with the massive crisis. That large sum would represent half of California’s 2021 budget.
Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist for NNPA and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is also a political strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke