For every 10,000 Virginians, 13 experience homelessness on any given night (according to 2007 data).

Data on who experiences homelessness and why is critical to understanding how to solve the problem of homelessness.

Communities collect biannual counts of the number of people experiencing homelessness on one night in January. The number of families and individuals who experience homelessness over the course of the year is estimated to be four to five times the number who experience homelessness on any given night. Therefore if approximately 10,000 families with children, individuals, veterans, and others experience homelessness on one given night, then 40,000 - 50,000 experience homelessness over the course of the year.

For information on who experiences homelessness in Virginia, click here.

For information on homelessness among veterans, click here.

For information on affordable housing solutions to homelessness, click here.

It is widely expected that rates of homelessness will increase due to the economic recession as homelessness is primarily an issue of a lack of affordable housing.

For the estimated increase as predicted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, click here.

Community Data on Rates of Homelessness

     Richmond - In a March 17, 2009 release, Homeward, the Greater Richmond region's planning and coordinating agency for homeless services, reported on rates of homelessness in the region.

     Northern Virginia - The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (covering jurisdictions in Northern Virginia) released preliminary data on rates of homelessness in the region and reported an increase in rates of homelessness among families.