New poll shows more Americans believe economic factors play a major role in homelessness

Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness

There is a growing recognition among Americans that economic factors such as the cost and availability of affordable housing, inflation and low wages play major roles in homelessness, according to a recent National Alliance to End Homelessness poll.

The national poll, conducted by Morning Consult , found continued widespread agreement with the belief that homelessness is caused by alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness and poor personal decisions, but just as many Americans now believe that economic factors are equally responsible.

For example, 56% of those polled believe homelessness is caused by alcohol and drug addiction while 56% also believe that cost and availability of housing cause homelessness. Meanwhile, 52% believe mental illness causes homelessness. The same percentage believe inflation causes homelessness.

There was a wider gap between respondents who believe personal decisions and low wages are responsible for homelessness. Thirty-six percent believe personal decisions cause homelessness while 46% percent believe it’s caused by low wages.

“There is increasing appreciation of the economic drivers of homelessness, including housing costs, inflation, and low wages,” the pollsters said. “However, dominant narratives on drugs, mental health, and personal decisions continue to be entrenched among segments of the public.”

Here are other key poll findings:

• A large majority of respondents (76%) believe more people are becoming homeless for the first time compared to the past, including 33% who say significantly more people are becoming homeless.
• Forty-five percent of respondents have noticed an increase in homelessness in their local community over the past year.
• Fewer than a third of respondents (31%) believe that homelessness is a very serious problem in their local community, while more than two thirds (68%) believe that it is a very serious problem in the United States.
• Sixty-eight percent believe that homelessness definitely or might be able to be solved locally, while only 62% believed the same for their state, and 55% for the nation.
• More than three-quarters of respondents (75%) agreed with the statement, “homelessness is solvable, but it requires a level of leadership and investments that elected officials are hesitant to make.”
• Respondents expect elected officials at all levels to do more to combat homelessness, with the greatest focus on governors and members of Congress (both 74%), city council members (71%), and mayors (68%).
• A majority said homelessness can be solved with government policies that fund programs to provide shelter, services, and housing for people who are homeless (54%), followed by investments in mental health and substance use prevention (47%). Few (14%) believe that increased law enforcement will effectively address the issue.
• More than two-thirds (68%) have never volunteered with a homeless services organization.
• Fewer than half (47%) have ever donated to an organization supporting people experiencing homelessness.
• Sixty-one percent have never actively researched the issue.