Housing Crisis Deepens as 'Hidden Homeless' Population Grows, CHN Leader Warns

Kirsten Elliott, CEO and president of Community Housing Network (CHN), brings over two decades of experience and a deep personal commitment to affordable housing. Throughout her 24-year tenure at CHN, she has held key leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Development. Her strategic guidance has resulted in the management of over $120 million in funding and nearly 1,000 new affordable housing units across Michigan. The organization's mission to empower people to live in affordable homes comes at a critical time when market forces and public policy decisions have worsened homelessness and housing instability over the past 25 years.

The reality of homelessness today differs significantly from conventional understanding, with Elliott noting that the vast majority of people experiencing homelessness are not criminals, addicts or unwilling to work – they're facing affordability problems beyond their control. The official 2024 Point In Time homeless count found more than 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, representing an 18% increase from 2023. However, this only includes people living on the street or in homeless shelters, excluding those staying with friends or relatives, or in hotels or motels. A 2017 study by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty estimated that the actual homeless population could be anywhere from 2.5 to 10 times higher than the Point-In-Time Count total.

Employment alone no longer protects people from housing insecurity, with data showing that as many as 60% of people experiencing homelessness have jobs. Wages simply haven't kept up with housing costs, and there is currently no county or state in the U.S. where a full-time minimum-wage worker can afford a modest one-bedroom apartment. According to research done by partners at the United Way, 42% of Michigan households struggle to meet their basic needs, including 14% of Michiganders who live at or below the poverty level, plus an additional 28% of households that struggle to keep up with the increasing cost of living.

Federal and state funding play a critical role in programs that keep people housed, but recent and proposed cuts raise serious concerns. While HUD's budget was $72.6 billion heading into 2025, this is only enough to provide benefits and support to 25% of people who need housing support. The most recent White House budget proposed a 44% cut to affordable housing, homelessness and community development programs, along with changes to rental and homeless assistance that will make it more difficult to receive assistance. These cuts, combined with reductions to Medicaid and SNAP assistance, will have catastrophic impact at a time when the nation already faces a housing crisis.

Elliott emphasizes that the most effective homeless prevention involves stopping people from becoming homeless in the first place. Policy changes addressing zoning laws and increased investment from both private and public sectors are needed to bridge the growing housing affordability gap. With a Michigan family of four now needing $90,096 annually to maintain basic stability while the state median household income sits at $71,000, the economic pressures continue to displace families and disrupt communities across the state.