The following report was written in compliance with ordinance O2023-1011, sponsored by former Alderman
James Cappleman, which was intended to educate and inform members of the Chicago City Council and the
public on the City’s housing and homeless systems, and to provide the most recent available data and outcomes
to show the progress those systems are making, using the Seven Principles for Addressing Encampments as a
framework.

The report below outlines the current state of homelessness in Chicago based on year-end data from 2023
and the January 2024 Point-in-Time Count and Housing Inventory Count. It also details the activities that the
Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), the Department of Housing (DOH) and other sister Agencies
conduct to engage with residents of encampments with the goal of moving those residents to permanent housing.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The City of Chicago, largely through the Department of Family and Support Services and the
Department of Housing, has continued in 2023 to lead the implementation of a spectrum of services
and supports for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. Throughout 2023, the
City has maximized its use of time- limited ARPA funding alongside City funds to continue investing
in evidence-based models of crisis intervention, housing supports, and critical infrastructure
improvements to meet the growing need of those experiencing housing instability.

Homelessness in Chicago is increasing. The City’s annual Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing
homelessness estimated 18,836 people experiencing homelessness in shelters or unsheltered locations
on January 25, 2024, a three-fold increase from the 2023 estimate of 6,139 people experiencing
homelessness. The vast majority of this increase is due to the large number of New Arrivals from
the southwest border of the U.S. arriving in Chicago since August 2022 in need of shelter and basic
needs. However, as pandemic-era supports for households have ended and Chicago continues to lose
affordable housing, homelessness among non-New Arrivals is returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Homelessness in Chicago is an issue of equity. The overwhelming majority of people experiencing
homelessness in Chicago are extremely low-income households, earning less than 30% of area median
income (AMI). Additionally, homelessness in Chicago holds significant racial disparities. Based on
the 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) Count for the non-New Arrivals population, Black/ African American
individuals and families have higher rates of homelessness in comparison to other non-New Arrivals
racial/ethnic groups. The PIT identified that 72% of the total non-New Arrivals population in
Chicago experiencing homelessness during the 2024 PIT Count identified as Black or African
American, but less than 30% of residents in Chicago identify as Black or African American.1

Read More Download 2024 Annual Report on Homelessness