In Lincoln, Nebraska, as in the rest of the United States, the homeless and near-homeless population includes people from all walks of life. In the most recent Point In Time count on January 23, 2024, designed to measure the extent of homelessness in the community on a single day, this was the face of homelessness in Lincoln:
- 501 people in 377 households were homeless
- Nearly one fourth were children under the age of 18
- 4% were US Military Veterans
- 17% were adult survivors of domestic violence
- 9% of the people were unsheltered
Over the course of an entire year, it is estimated that approximately 2,300 people will have experienced living on the streets or in shelters in Lincoln. These numbers do not include the many people in our community who are doubled up with family or friends or who are near-homeless and have few resources to sustain long-term stable housing.
People become homeless for a variety of reasons. Economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, and a lack of affordable housing are common causes. Social and medical factors such as domestic violence, lack of adequate, affordable health care, and behavioral health issues can also contribute.
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