John,

The cost of housing is skyrocketing. And ever since the COVID-19 eviction moratorium ended and emergency rental assistance wound down, more families are being forced from their homes and out onto the streets.

A report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) revealed that homelessness increased by 12%, or 70,650 more people, in 2023—a record high.¹ On a single night in January of 2023, 653,100 people were experiencing homelessness.²

Instead of investing in affordable housing and support services for those in need, many municipalities are fining people for sleeping outside in tents or in their cars.³

Punitive measures make it more difficult for individuals to secure employment and housing, creating a vicious cycle that keeps people trapped in homelessness. This approach not only infringes on the rights of the unhoused but also wastes public resources that could be better spent on real solutions.

That’s why we’re urging Congress to pass the Ending Homelessness Act and the Housing Crisis Response Act, which would ensure universal rental assistance for households in need and make historic investments in affordable housing.

Congress must hear from us: Send a message to your senators and representative demanding Congress address the housing crisis in this country and protect the unhoused from cruel arrests and tickets.

Housing assistance under current law is grossly inadequate. 3 out of 4 families who need and qualify for assistance don’t receive any at all, often placed on waiting lists that can take years to receive a voucher.⁴ From June 2020 to June 2023, rents increased by 28% while the average cost of a voucher increased by just 17% during that same period.⁵ If Congress doesn’t ensure there is adequate funding for housing assistance and vouchers don’t keep up with rent costs, families will not be able to afford housing and even more could face homelessness. At a time when more help is needed, fewer will get it.

We know that lack of access to affordable housing doesn’t affect all communities equally. Black, Indigenous, and other people of color continue to be overrepresented among the population experiencing housing instability and homelessness. For example, Black people make up just 13% of the total U.S. population, yet comprise 37% of all people experiencing homelessness and 50% of people in families with children experiencing homelessness.⁶

Without stable housing, people have difficulty accessing stable employment, education, and reliable health care—the effects of which can be felt for generations. Congress is making decisions now about spending levels that could mean many in our communities will lose rental assistance—and it’s up to us to raise our voices to push back.

Take action today to tell Congress to address the housing crisis facing our nation and to end punitive arrests and ticketing of unhoused people.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ Homelessness in the U.S. jumped to record level in 2023, government says
² The 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR to Congress) Part 1: Point-In-Time Estimates of Homelessness, December 2023
³ Can homeless people be fined for sleeping outside? A rural Oregon city asks the US Supreme Court
⁴ Long Waitlists for Housing Vouchers Show Pressing Unmet Need for Assistance
⁵ Final Appropriations Package Will Need Additional Funding to Avoid Rental Assistance Cuts
⁶ The 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR to Congress) Part 1: Point-In-Time Estimates of Homelessness, December 2023