What Are the Effects of Homelessness?
The ways homelessness affects people are considerable. It disrupts nearly every aspect of life, making it harder to regain stability, attend school or work, and can have long-term or even lifelong consequences.
When someone becomes homeless, they lose more than just a roof over their head. There’s no safe place to sleep, store food, cook, or eat. There’s nowhere to keep clothes or access a bathroom, bath, or shower. Most people must give up their pets, furniture, belongings, and cherished mementos. They may have to leave their neighborhoods behind, lose contact with neighbors and friends, and struggle to reach work or school. Many people also become isolated from family.
Homelessness causes profound uncertainty, vulnerability, and isolation.
Physical and Mental Health Effects
The physical and mental toll of homelessness is severe. Health conditions can develop or worsen due to stress, exposure, poor nutrition, and lack of access to care. Homeless individuals are at greater risk for:
- Chronic pain
- Skin, foot, and dental problems
- Infectious diseases and illnesses such as tuberculosis, hypertension, asthma, and diabetes
- Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS
- Untreated or unrecognized conditions and infections
Many homeless people do not have access to necessary medications or consistent physical or mental health care. As a result, they tend to be hospitalized more frequently than housed individuals. Tragically, they are also more likely to die prematurely due to:
- Injury
- Unintentional overdose
- Exposure to extreme weather
Mental health challenges are common. Homeless adults are more likely to experience psychiatric disorders and substance use, often as a means of coping with trauma, chronic pain, or hopelessness.
Homeless people are also at significantly higher risk of being victims of crime and exploitation, including:
- Theft
- Physical assault
- Verbal harassment
- Sexual assault, rape, and trafficking
How Homelessness Affects People in a Community
Homelessness doesn’t just impact individuals. It has broader implications for communities and taxpayers. Chronic homelessness is costly to society due to:
- Increased emergency room visits
- Greater need for police intervention
- Higher rates of incarceration
Government agencies, nonprofits, and charities fund programs to respond to these needs, including emergency shelter, health services, and mental health support.
When people have nowhere else to go, they often sleep in parks, cars, tent cities, or on sidewalks. While many community members and business owners express frustration about homelessness in public spaces, the common response—criminalizing homelessness—only deepens the crisis. It places additional strain on police, courts, and public resources without addressing the root causes.
Consider this: New York City spends $1.4 billion annually to incarcerate just 2,500 people held on Rikers Island. By contrast, it would cost only $108 million to provide those individuals with supportive housing.
More on How Homelessness Affects People:
• Families and children
• Youth
• Seniors
• Veterans
