2022 Report on Homelessness Charts Progress, Challenges

Published on April 28, 2023

Arlington’s Homelessness Continuum of Care (CoC) served 1,070 people in 2022, according to its FY 2021-2022 annual report. The number likely would have been significantly higher if not for eviction prevention efforts totaling $20 million in state, federal and local funding that helped more than 3,400 households during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The total number of individuals served in FY 2022 was almost identical to pre-pandemic levels,” said Department of Human Services Director Anita Friedman. “Without strong eviction prevention efforts, we would have seen many more households upended and in crisis. Nonetheless, for those households that do experience homelessness, it is traumatic, and we remain committed to working alongside them as they return to housing stability. We will also continue to address critical gaps, including in the areas of racial equity, immigrant and refugee households, and the aging population.”

Arlington’s CoC develops strategies and assists people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of experiencing homelessness. CoC members work toward the shared goals of preventing homelessness before it occurs and returning individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness to stable housing as quickly as possible.

Still Work to be Done

Black and African American residents continue to be disproportionately impacted by homelessness due to the root causes of systemic racism. There is a known relationship of historical disenfranchisement and divestment in communities of color driven by historical and pervasive racist housing and economic policies.

Other challenges noted in the report include:

• Undocumented immigrants continue to face barriers in securing housing.
• More than 250 older adults (aged 55 and older) were served by CoC programs in 2022.
• Since 2018, there has been an 84% increase in the provision of emergency shelter (or safe housing) for survivors of intimate partner violence and their children.

About the Annual Report

The Action Plan for Ending Homelessness 2021-2022 Annual Report provides an overview of the issue of homelessness, current data and demographics, background on the Continuum of Care, strategies partners use to prevent and end homelessness, and how individuals can get involved. Annual reports going back to 2013 are available online.