Atlanta sees rising number of homeless families despite other successes, report finds
The Brief
The nonprofit group Partners for Home has released the results from their annual count of the city's homeless population this week.
While some demographics saw decreasing numbers, the nonprofit was concerned about a rise in family homelessness.
The group says Atlanta is at a "critical inflection point" in its effort to reduce its homeless population.
ATLANTA - An Atlanta nonprofit says the city is at a "critical inflection point" for fighting homelessness in the area.
The nonprofit group Partners for Home has released a new study showing that homelessness in the city is beginning to stabilize, but families remain vulnerable.
By the numbers
The nonprofit did its annual Point-in-Time Count on the night of Jan. 27, 2025, as well as additional surveying the week afterward.
According to the group, the overall number of people experiencing homelessness in the city increased by 1% - which researchers said could show a "potential plateau."
Veterans and youth homelessness saw decreases from 2024, with numbers declining by 6% and 3% respectively, the study found.
The nonprofit also championed the city's focus on offering permanent supportive housing - a move it says helped drop chronic homelessness by 9%. The group also found dramatic decreases in homeless adults with serious mental illness, substance use, and HIV/AIDS.
While the numbers for some groups dropped, the nonprofit also highlighted the concerning rising trend of family homelessness. Those numbers increased 14% from 2024. Unsheltered homelessness also increased by 2%.
Dig deeper
Among the homeless community, the group found that 80% identified as Black -a slight drop from the 86% recorded last year but much higher than the demographics of Atlanta's general population.
Nearly 75% of those marked as homeless were men and boys - but the group noted that 62% of homeless individuals in families were women or girls.
Around 11% of those surveyed were LGBTQ+, though officials say this percentage is likely lower than the actual number due to stigma.
The largest age group was 55 to 64 years old. The nonprofit said that seniors are the fastest-growing unsheltered age group nationally. More than half of those surveyed first became homeless between the ages of 18 and 44.
What you can do
You can see the full survey results for the Partners for Home 20205 PIT Count here.
The Source
Information for this story came from a report by Partners for Home.
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