U.S. Cities Raise Homeless Spending 75% as Population Climbs to 745,000
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 29
U.S. Cities Raise Homeless Spending 75% as Population Climbs to 745,000
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 29
Summary
A Washington Post review of 12 large U.S. cities found homelessness kept rising even after homeless-services spending jumped 75% over five years, with the national homeless population reaching 745,000 last year from 580,000 in 2020.
Phoenix illustrates the gap: its homelessness spending grew roughly fivefold from 2020 to 2025, yet its homeless population still rose to 7,330 last year from 6,900 in 2021 as housing shortages and weak prevention pushed more people into crisis.
At Phoenix’s Safe Outdoor Space, the city spends about $6.5 million a year—roughly $27,000 per tent structure—to shelter about 300 people, while many residents remain stuck for months waiting for permanent housing or disability aid.
Housing bottlenecks remain severe: Arizona lacks 270,000 homes, has only 24 available homes per 100 low-income renters, and Phoenix’s Section 8 list has been largely frozen since 43,000 people applied in 2023.
That mismatch is fueling a policy fight, with advocates arguing shelters save lives and need to be paired with prevention and housing, while conservatives tied to the Trump administration say cities are overspending on shelters instead of treatment and enforcement.