HUD Says Homelessness Surged 27% Since 2013 as Scott Turner Slams ‘Failed’ Policies

June 1, 2026 - 20:41

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released new figures Friday showing a 27% increase in homelessness since 2013, a stark reversal after years of modest progress. The annual point-in-time count, which tallies people in shelters and on the streets on a single night in January, recorded roughly 653,000 individuals experiencing homelessness this year.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner did not mince words in his response, blaming what he called "failed policies" at the local and federal level for the sharp rise. "For too long, we have thrown money at programs that do not move people from the streets into permanent housing," Turner said in a statement. He pointed to restrictive zoning laws, rising rents, and an over-reliance on temporary shelter solutions as key drivers of the crisis.

The data reveals a troubling shift in demographics. Family homelessness jumped by 16%, while the number of unaccompanied youth also climbed. Veterans, a group that had seen steady declines in homelessness for a decade, saw a slight uptick. Experts note that the 2023 count was conducted before the full impact of recent eviction moratorium expirations and the end of pandemic-era rental assistance programs had fully set in.

Advocacy groups argue that the surge is not inevitable but rather a result of insufficient investment in affordable housing. They point to successful models in cities like Houston and Columbus, where coordinated outreach and rapid rehousing have bucked the national trend. Turner, however, signaled a shift in strategy, promising to prioritize "housing first" models that focus on permanent placement without preconditions, while also cracking down on encampments that he says pose public safety risks. The debate now moves to Congress, where funding for HUD's core programs faces an uncertain future.