What is the total homeless population in the United States?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, your big brain, the information provided and any links below:
What was the approximate total homeless population in the U.S. in 2022?
Describe the overall trend in homelessness in the United states between 2005 and the present.
Describe any sudden change in the homeless population during that time.
How would you explain that change?
From March 2020 through the fall of 2021, states and cities, and eventually the Centers for Disease Control issued broad bans on eviction that allowed renters who had lost income due to the pandemic to remain in their homes. How do you think this impacted the data from the visual above?
What state (as shown in the visual below*) has the highest rate of homeless population in the United States?
The U.S. Bill of Rights guarantees free speech, religion, press, etc. What if the Bill of Rights guaranteed free housing? Imagine the Bill of Rights guaranteed shelter. How would that change the numbers above?
The 2022 population of the city of Atlanta, Georgia was 499,127. How does that compare to the size of the American homeless population?
Imagine a world without hypothetical questions, then as a purely speculative and creative adventure, explain how you imagine the size of the homeless population will change over the next 20 years.
Residency and Mailing Address Requirements for voter registration make it difficult for homeless people to vote. In fact, on average, less than 1 out of 10 homeless people vote in American elections. Imagine if all 600,000 homeless people voted. Based on your knowledge of American politics, and the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s "Cardigan," from her 2020’s album, Folklore, explain how a huge homeless voter turnout might change American policy outcomes.
Learning Extension
Read this Conversation story - As few as 1 in 10 homeless people vote in elections – here’s why - about the barriers to homeless voting.
Action Extension
Read about these American efforts to help the homeless vote and then work locally to get involved in increasing voting accessibility and promoting democracy.
