Homelessness in the U.S. hit an all-time high in 2023, according to a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. The end of pandemic protections, rising housing costs, high rents and the migrant crisis contributed to the year's record of 653,100 unhoused people, the report said. Plus, the existing housing stock is increasingly at risk of damage from catastrophes. "At last count, 60.5 million housing units were located in areas with at least moderate risk from natural disasters," the report says. Other key points from the study include:

• The number of unhoused people staying outside shelters since 2015 has increased by 83,300.
• Federal funding to prevent unsheltered homelessness includes $500 million in grants and 3,300 special vouchers to help reduce unsheltered and rural homelessness.
• State and local governments have passed laws restricting or banning encampments on public land or in certain public spaces.
• The federal government approved Medicaid waivers in certain states to cover rental assistance for up to six months in recognition of the relationship between homelessness and health.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded a record $3.2 billion through its Continuum of Care program to provide housing opportunities and services for people experiencing homelessness in early 2024. The program, in conjunction with other resources like Emergency Housing Vouchers, enabled HUD to help more than 424,000 households exit or avoid homelessness last year, according to the study. The slideshow above illustrates the most expensive U.S. cities for homeowners as selected by The Perfect Rug. See also:

• U.S. apartment construction reaches record numbers
• The most stolen vehicles of 2023
• J.D. Power: Top U.S. car insurance carriers by region