September 23, 2011

The recession’s longstanding toll on the incomes of Vermont households is shown clearly in estimates released by the Census Bureau yesterday.   The median income of a household in the state dropped to $49,406 in 2010 from $51,618 in 2009.   The poverty rate among Vermont households rose to 12.7% up from 11.4% in 2009.    Poverty among the state’s children rose particularly high–to an alarming 16.7% in 2010 up from 13.3% in 2009.

Across the nation, poverty rose in 49 of the 50 states.    In total, 46.2 million Americans lived in poverty in 2010– the highest number in the 52 years the Census Bureau has been publishing figures on it.  Median household incomes across the country fell to levels last seen in 1996.

The Census Bureau has recently released the results of two national surveys pertaining to household income and poverty–the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey

New Estimates About Characteristics of Vermont Households Released

September 22, 2011

The Census Bureau released new estimates today that provide information about the characteristics of residents and homes in Vermont and its counties in 2010.    These estimates are based on the annual American Community Survey (ACS), which asks a sample of Vermonters questions about their home and the household members living there.

While the decenniel Census provided counts of people and households, ACS estimates provide valuable information about the characteristics of Vermont residents.

Here’s a sample of the types of information collected through the ACS:

• § Total monthly housing costs
• § Household income
• § Type of home heating fuel
• § Age of the household members

VHFA’s researchers are available to speak to members of the media about ACS data pertaining to Vermont’s housing market and the housing situations of low- and moderate-income people.  Inquiries may be directed to Research and Communications Coordinator, Leslie Black-Plumeau

We’re currently reviewing the data and will share highlights as we complete our analyses.

Access the ACS 2010 estimates.

Due to the small size of the ACS sample in some Vermont communities, data users are advised to carefully consider the error ranges provided by the Census Bureau with each estimate.

“A new report by the Center for Housing Policy (CHP) says housing affordability has significantly decreased for working owners and renters.

The annual report, “Housing Landscape 2011,” looks at housing affordability trends for working households between 2008 and 2009 focusing on the effects of employment, income and housing costs.

According to the report, nearly one in four working households had a severe housing cost burden in 2009, spending more than half of its income on housing costs.

Nationwide, 10.5 million working households experienced a severe housing cost burden in 2009 — an increase of nearly 600,000 households from ’08. This increase occurred despite a drop of 1.1 million in the overall number of working households.

“These findings will be surprising to many who have followed the nationwide decline in home prices,” said Jeffrey Lubell, CHP Executive Director.

“Housing costs for existing homeowners have declined only slightly, while housing costs for working renters have actually gone up. Meanwhile, high unemployment and falling incomes have left low- and moderate-income families struggling to make ends meet.”

CHP is the research affiliate of the National Housing Conference, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping ensure safe, decent and affordable housing since 1931…”

More information:

Link to Housing Matters Blog Posting: Housing affordability down for workers

Click here to download the report: Housing landscapes 2011

Executive Summary:

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are pleased to present Veteran Homelessness: A Supplemental Report to the 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. This report is the result of ongoing collaboration between HUD and the VA to understand the extent and nature of homelessness among veterans in the United States. The information presented in this report is intended to inform public policymakers, local practitioners and the general public about veteran homelessness. It also advances the goals of the nation’s federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness (Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness) through the collection, analysis, and reporting of quality, timely data on homelessness.

The Veteran’s Supplemental Report provides one-day and one-year estimates of the number of homeless veterans nationally. This report also examines the demographic characteristics of homeless veterans and compares them to the characteristics of various other population groups, including all U.S. veterans, all veterans living in poverty, and non-veteran adults who are and are not homeless. These comparisons illuminate the heightened risks of becoming homeless faced by some veterans. The report also discusses the location of homeless veterans in the United States by state and by type of location. Finally, the report describes the flow of veterans into the shelter system and, once there, how they use the system.

Below is a summary of major findings.

Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness Among Veterans

On a single night in January 2009, 75,609 veterans were homeless; 57 percent were staying in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program; and the remaining 43 percent were living on the street, in an abandoned building, or another place not meant for human habitation (i.e., unsheltered).

Veterans are overrepresented among the homeless population. At a point in time in 2009, approximately 12 percent of all people (and 16 percent of adults) experiencing homelessness identified as a veteran, as did 10 percent of those homeless over the course of a year. Less than 8 percent of the total U.S. population has veteran status.

One-Year Estimates of Sheltered Homelessness Among Veterans

An estimated 136,334 veterans spent at least one night in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009. This accounts for 1 of every 168 veterans in the U.S. or 1 out of every 10 veterans living in poverty.

Just over 96 percent of sheltered veterans were individuals, and just less than 4 percent were veterans who were a part of a family.

While homeless veterans make up less than 1 percent of all veterans, within the poverty population veterans are at greater risk of homelessness than non-veterans. Ten percent of veterans in poverty became homeless at some point during the year, compared to just over 5 percent of adults in poverty.

Characteristics of Sheltered Homeless Veterans

Homeless veterans are most often white men, between the ages of 31 and 50 years, with a disability, and alone in shelter.

The small number of sheltered homeless veterans in families typically are younger, minority women and less likely to have a disability. However, sheltered homeless veterans in families are more likely to have a male adult present in the household than other homeless families.

Veterans with High Risk of Becoming Homeless

Rates of homelessness among veterans living in poverty are particularly high for veterans identifying as Hispanic/Latino (1 in 4) or African American (1 in 4).

Two groups of homeless veterans—women and people between age 18 and 30—are small in number. However, female veterans and young veterans are at high risk of becoming homeless, and both groups are growing within the overall veteran population.
Location of Homeless Veterans

Similar to the overall homeless population, almost half of homeless veterans on a given night were located in four states: California, Florida, Texas, and New York. Only 28 percent of all veterans were located in those same four states.

The share of homeless veterans located in the densest urban areas (or principal cities) is more than twice that of all veterans (72 percent compared to 31 percent).
Prior Living Arrangement and Patterns of Shelter Use

Most sheltered veterans entered shelter or transitional housing from another homeless situation. In 2009, 46 percent of sheltered veterans accessed residential services from some other homeless situation (25 percent from emergency shelter or transitional housing and 21 percent from an unsheltered location).

Veterans were less likely than non-veterans to have come from housing –either their own unit or that of a friend or family member. Approximately 32 percent of veterans came from housing compared to 42 percent of non-veterans.

Of those who did come from housing, veterans were more likely than non-veterans to come from their own unit (40 percent compared to 26 percent) and less likely to have been doubled up with friends or family (58 percent compared to 73 percent for non-veterans).

Most veterans who used emergency shelter did not use it for very long. One-third of veterans stayed in shelter for less than one week, 61 percent used shelter for less than one month, and 84 percent stayed for less than 3 months.

Veterans who were alone had a median length of stay of 21 days in emergency shelter and 117 days in transitional housing. The median length of stay for non-veterans who were alone was 17 days in emergency shelter and 106 days in transitional housing. For veterans in homeless families, the median length of stay in emergency shelter was 30 days and 137 days in transitional housing. The median length of stay for non-veterans in homeless families was 36 days in emergency shelter and 175 days in transitional housing.

“According to last week’s release of Census 2010 results, no Vermont county was spared the population growth slowdown that occurred in the state during the past 10 years.

In fact, three counties (Rutland, Windsor, and Essex) lost population in the most recent decade.

Chittenden County’s population grew by 7% during 2000 and 2010, more than any other county in the state. The fastest growing town in the state was South Burlington with population growth of 20% between 2000 and 2010.

In addition to total population counts, this release of Census 2010 data includes population counts by race and ethnicity and housing unit counts by occupancy status. Data is accessible through the Vermont State Data Center and the U.S. Census Bureau web site.”

Link to story: Population growth slows in all Vermont counties

A new report out by NAEH: The State of Homelessness in America in 2011. This report analyzes the effect the recession has had on homelessness and how it has contributed to an increased risk of homelessness for many Americans. It found that rising unemployment and housing costs have contributed to a rise in homelessness.

Major Findings:

• The nation’s homeless population increased by approximately 20,000 people (3%) from 2008 to 2009 (which included increases of people in all subpopulations of homelessness)
• A majority – 31 of 50 states and Washington D.C. – had increases in their homelessness counts
• Among subpopulations, the largest increase was the number of family households, which increased by over 3,200 (4%).

Though Vermont fared well during the foreclosure crisis, it still has one of the highest homelessness increases in the nation. Our incomes have not increased much (8.6%) and our population has remained cost burdened which is forcing more families in to homelessness than ever before.

Major Vermont Findings from 2008 – 2009:

• VT is 1 of 14 states with the highest increase in homelessness
• Total homeless population increased 27.5% (Indicator higher than national average of 3.11%)
• Chronic Homelessness decreased 42.74%
• Family homelessness increased 59.33% (Indicator higher than national average of 2.64%)
• Unsheltered homeless population decreased by 39.15%
• VT had the lowest foreclosure rates for 2009
• 76.15% of poor households were severely cost burdened in 2009 (Indicator rate is higher than the national average of 74.22%)
• Our unemployment rate increased 54.66%
• Working poor average income increased 8.6%
• The number of people doubled up increased by 56.51%

More information: executive report, full report, NAEH website.