Work

Asylum seekers and the rise in homelessness

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) show an unprecedented 43 percent increase in the number of people residing in homeless shelters in the United States between 2022 and 2024, reversing the gradual decline of the preceding sixteen years. Three-quarters of this rise occurred in four localities – New York City, Chicago, Massachusetts, and Denver – where large inflows of new immigrants, many lawfully paroled into the U.S. while seeking asylum, were housed in the homeless shelter system. Using direct estimates from local government sources and indirect methods based on demographic changes, we estimate that new migrant inflows were the primary driver of this dramatic rise, explaining about 59–62 percent of the two-year increase in sheltered homelessness. These estimates challenge narratives that attribute the increase primarily to local economic and housing market conditions and underscore the need to carefully consider population shifts, shelter capacity, and measurement practices when interpreting changes in official homeless counts over time.

Source: Journal of Public Economics

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2026.105577

Authors: Bruce D. Meyer, Angela Wyse, Douglas Williams

Institutions: University of Chicago, Dartmouth College

Language: English

Topic: Homelessness and Social Issues

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,510