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On any given day, more than 560,000 families experience homelessness in the United States. Additionally, nearly 11 million single mother households are severely cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than half their income on housing — and could be on the brink of homelessness. Compared to white people, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) are more likely to be homeless. Gender heavily influences housing access, stability, and opportunity, and yet, most housing justice data and legislation disregard misogyny and gender discrimination as a contributing factor. Women in the United States, especially women who identify as BIPOC face additional hurdles when trying to find and secure housing.
The multifaceted reasons people, and particularly women, experience homelessness are systemic and structural. They include, but are not limited to, a nationwide lack of affordable housing; a history, and ignoring the needs of underserved communities such as formerly incarcerated people, survivors of domestic violence, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
The economic upheaval and explosion in unemployment have increased this risk. If the past relationship between unemployment and homelessness continues, there could be a 40 to 45 percent increase in homelessness this year, an addition of nearly 250,000 people.
Access to stable Housing has been identified as one the most important predictors of one’s health. Families facing housing instability or who have fallen into homelessness have less access to health care. This is more pressing during pregnancy, a time when access to affordable, high-quality health care is crucial. Pregnant and parenting people experiencing homelessness face barriers such as lack of transportation and discrimination from health care providers. For some, these obstacles bar them from accessing care altogether. Additionally, people experiencing housing instability or homelessness are more likely to live in conditions that are hazardous to their health. The evidence is clear: Experiencing homelessness produces worse health outcomes for both pregnant people and infants. If you or someone you know is in jeopardy of being homeless or experiencing homelessness, please click on the links below to find emergency help in your area.
