Public Housing vacancies are currently at all time historical low. With the foreclosure crisis continuing many families are losing their homes at unprecedented rates. The latest government unemployment statistics reported on November 6, 2009 report a rate of over 10%. This is the first time the rate has gone over 10% since 1983.
According to HUD statistics, the waiting lists for the majority public housing locations are currently 1 year plus. After contacting numerous public housing authorities, we found that by the time the needy would be getting opportunities to receive a room or apartment, it would oftentimes be too late to help.
The unfortunate fact is that the vast majority of these displaced families have nowhere to go after facing foreclosure. Many families are forced to live in there cars and on the streets. The national coalition for the homeless is reporting a 61% increase in homelessness in this year alone.
Tent cities are cropping up across the US. This issue of homelessness is only going to get worse. While bailed out Wall Street is getting billions in bonuses, the lower middle class are getting squeezed right out of the homes they owned and right on to the streets.
While all of this has been going on, government entities are still studying housing problems through Housing Needs Assessment studies. What is also unreal is that these cities do not have the money to help the needy, yet still can find the funds to perform these studies.
With the 2009 holiday season coming, hopefully people will be in the giving mood to help the needy. This year there will be more needy than ever.
