Community Housing & Homeless Shelters in the US - Industry Research Report

Home sweet home: Decreasing funding for social services will result in less funding for industry services

According to the 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (HUD), on any night in 2022, there were 582,5000 persons experiencing homelessness. Six in 10 people sought shelter, but four in 10 were unsheltered. The Community Housing and Homeless Shelters industry comprises small establishments providing shelter, generating revenue from government and charitable sources. As homelessness increases, industry revenue will increase if the homeless seek housing services over unsheltered alternatives. COVID-19 shocked employment, housing prices and poverty rates, leading to housing instability and government action, fostering industry-wide revenue growth at a CAGR of 3.1% to $19.6 billion over the five years to 2023. But revenue reversed in 2023 alone, with a decline of 3.2% as federal funding, the unemployment rate and housing prices dived. Industry profit remained low but steady for the entire period, as nearly all industry companies are nonprofits.

This industry provides a variety of community housing services, including short-term emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse; temporary residential shelter for the homeless, runaway youths and parents and families caught in medical crises; transitional housing and assisted living for low-income individuals and families; and volunteer construction or repair of low-cost housing.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.