The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR) on June 14th. According to the findings, levels of homelessness in the United States have stayed flat from 2009 to 2010. Overall homelessness increased by one percent, rising to 649,917 according to the annual point-in-time counts. The number of homeless individuals, unsheltered homeless persons, and homeless persons in families showed marginal increases of 0.75 percent, 2.76 percent, and 1.61 percent, respectively.

The number of chronically homeless individuals declined by one percent; the steady and continual decline of chronic homelessness reflects the success of local and federal efforts to implement best practices to serve chronically homeless people. The report also offers findings from annual prevalence data and the impact of the federal Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP).  Download the Report