Homelessness Facts
Homelessness Facts
Yes, there are people in Washtenaw County who are currently without homes. In 2020, nearly 2,800 people were literally homeless and sought emergency shelter. About 20% of those are considered chronic homeless, meaning they experience long-term homelessness and live with a disability. About 38% of those literally homeless are families with young children. While you may not see these families, you can trust that they are as deeply impacted by the lack of affordable housing in our community as are single adults.
Thousands of more families and individuals struggle with unstable housing in the county and are considered at-imminent-risk of homelessness, doubled-up, or precariously housed. Many close to or facing eviction may be eligible for prevention services. In May 2020, Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan released a policy brief on the eviction crisis in our county and across the state. The research suggests that eviction is not merely a symptom of poverty but also a cause of it. Eviction prevention is critical.
Other root causes of homelessness are many and varied. They include:
The one thing that all people experiencing housing instability have in common is the lack of affordable housing.
Lack of affordable housing
Loss of job/employment or underemployment
Family conflict/domestic violence
Mental illness
Chronic medical problems
Substance use disorders
Youth aging out of foster care
Each year in January, Washtenaw County joins more than 3,000 cities and countries across the country to participate in a national effort to measure the scale of homelessness in our community. Called the Point In Time Count, or PIT Count, this snapshot reveals the number of people experiencing homelessness in our shelters and on our streets (unsheltered).
You can see our most recent PIT count reports here:
2023 - HUD Summary Sheet for Washtenaw County Continuum of Care (CoC)
2022 - HUD Summary Sheet for Washtenaw County CoC
2021 - HUD Summary Sheet for Washtenaw County CoC
2020 - HUD Summary Sheet for Washtenaw County CoC
2019 - Full 2019 - Summary (2019 PIT Count Data for Michigan)
Reports from prior dates can be viewed here
Want to learn more about Homelessness?
Additional research and studies can be found below:
Eviction Lab - Eviction Tracking System and Interactive Map
National Alliance to End Homelessness - State of Homelessness: 2023 Edition
National Alliance to End Homelessness - Homeless Fact Sheets by state
National Low Income Housing Coalition - The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Housing (March 2024) and Interactive Map
National Low Income Housing Coalition - Out of Reach Report 2024 and Interactive Map
Urban Institute - Housing and Community Development Expenditures 2020
Washtenaw County CoC - Homelessness-At-A-Glance data and Resources Survey Report 2019
Additional Information and Resources
Housing Costs
The one thing that all people experiencing housing instability have in common is the lack of affordable housing. Washtenaw County has one of the most expensive housing markets in the state of Michigan. In Washtenaw County, the standard cost (Fair Market Rent or FMR) of a two-bedroom apartment can be $1,471/month, a monthly rate more expensive than 98% of the state. According to the most recent National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s report, in order to afford that rent a person would need to be earning at least $28.29/hour. If working at minimum wage ($10.33/hour), a person would have to work approximately 110 hours per week (that's over 2.5 full-time jobs) to afford a two-bedroom apartment.
Housing is the solution to ending homelessness.
[This video was created in partnership with area service providers and those living in our county impacted by homelessness.]
Pre-pandemic, research from the Government Accountability Office estimated that a $100 increase in median rent was associated with a 9% jump in the rate of homelessness. The monthly rate for a two-bedroom apartment in the county is up $87/month from 2023 (which was up $122/month from 2022).
The root causes of homelessness include:
Poverty, including the loss of resources caused by substance abuse, physical illness and mental illness
Violence, including domestic and sexual violence usually directed against women and children
Racism and other institutionalized prejudices
Class privilege and discriminatory patterns of economic and social investment
Any strategies to end or minimize homelessness must be designed with these root causes in mind and should include:
Provision of basic necessities, including food, clothing and medical care
Development and maintenance of accessible and responsive options for emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent housing
Promotion of individual autonomy through development of education and employment opportunities, debt reduction and credit assistance, literacy programs, transportation and childcare
Support services to keep individuals and families in housing
Attention to the special needs of children and youth
Services to promote safety from violence and abuse