America’s homelessness problem is getting worse

In recent years, the number of homeless people in the United States has risen rapidly. According to statistics from the Wall Street Journal, the number of homeless people in the United States is currently about 577,000, an increase of 11% over last year, which is the largest increase since records began in 2007. The problem is particularly severe in large cities in the United States. According to the Washington Post, the number of homeless people in Los Angeles has increased by about 55% since 2015. According to the New York Times, about one in every 80 people in New York currently has no place to live; at the end of June this year, the number of homeless people in New York City shelters exceeded 100,000, a record high. The living conditions of the homeless are worrying. According to statistics from the Los Angeles government, about 70% of the local homeless people live in parks, abandoned buildings, stations, airports and other places for a long time, and the number of deaths has increased significantly in recent years. The local health bureau found that the probability of homeless people dying from heart disease is four times that of other people, and the probability of dying from traffic accidents is 16 times that of other people. A report released by the University of California, San Francisco in June showed that homeless people in the United States generally have serious health problems and have difficulty accessing medical services. 60% of the respondents suffered from chronic diseases, more than 75% said they had been violently beaten, and 24% said they had been sexually assaulted. Homelessness is also implicated in social problems such as deteriorating public security and drug abuse. Statistics from the San Diego District Attorney’s Office last year showed that the probability of local homeless people committing crimes is “much higher than other groups”, and robbery, burglary, arson, and vandalism have occurred frequently, and many people are repeat offenders. According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 30% of long-term homeless people suffer from some kind of mental illness, and about 50% have drug use problems.