Homelessness in Minnesota*

"After leveling off in the mid-2000s the number of homeless people in Minnesota has risen sharply…Wilder’s study counted 9,654 homeless adults, youth, and children in shelters, transitional housing, and on the streets...Wilder estimates the actual number of homeless people in Minnesota to be at least 13,100 on a given night."

Of those counted on the night of the survey, the number of homeless families with children increased 27 percent, from 1,318 in 2006 to 1,675 in 2009.

The study counted 1,268 youth (age 21 and younger) on their own, up from 867 in 2006:

• 64 percent of youth have a history of being in out-of-home placements including foster care, group homes, detention, or treatment centers
• 74 percent of youth have been homeless before.  On average, youth first experienced homelessness at age 15
• 24 percent of youth slept outside, in a car, or in an abandoned building at least one night in October.
• The youngest person interviewed in the study was 12.

Tough economic landscape has had an impact:

• 40 percent of homeless adults reported a job loss or reduction in hours was a reason for the loss of their last housing; up from 31 percent in 2006
• 20 percent of homeless adults reported current employment, full or part-time, down from about 28 percent in 2006
• 44 percent of homeless adults are on a waiting list for some form of public housing (up from 34% in 2006).

Race and place disparities persist:

• Homeless adults in greater Minnesota are more than twice as likely as those in the metro area to have been found through outreach efforts (similar to previous years)
• Overall, people of color represent 62 percent of Minnesota’s homeless adult population, but make up only about 13 percent of Minnesota's adult population

Health issues play a major role:

• 46 percent of homeless adults had a chronic health condition during the preceding year (similar to 2006)
• 55 percent have a serious mental health illness (up slightly from 2006)
• 23 percent of homeless adults have been diagnosed with a drug or alcohol abuse disorder, a figure that has been very stable since 1991

Veterans:

• Nearly 700 homeless adults have served in the armed services
• Of this group, 44 percent report a service-related health problem and 26 percent have served in a combat zone.

 

* From the Wilder Foundation Homelessness Survey, October 2009.  Over 1,000 volunteers conducted interviews in 400+ locations around Minnesota.

June 1, 2010