NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

SUMMARY

Homelessness in America reached record-high numbers in 2024. An annual government report shows that in January, people experiencing homelessness shot up by 18 percent to roughly 770,000. The annual survey pointed to economic problems like rising housing costs and a migrant influx in some cities. Lisa Desjardins discussed more with Shaun Donovan, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

View the transcript of the story.

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. Who is Shaun Donovan? What is HUD (Housing and Urban Development)?
2. What are the main reasons why homelessness increased from 2023-2024, according to a 2024 government study? (unaffordable housing, high inflation, systemic racism, natural disasters and rising immigration)
3. Which states saw increases in homelessness connected with the migrant crisis? Which states did not have a significant influx of migrants but still saw record levels of homelessness?
4. Why is criminalizing homelessness only going to make the problem worse, according to Donovan? (Supreme Court decision, June 27, 2024)
5. How have children been disproportionately affected by homelessness? (a 33% rise, according to the study in past year)

FOCUS QUESTION

• How is the worsening housing crisis (the lack of available housing and the cost of affordable housing) contributing to the increase in homelessness?
• If you were working on reversing this spike in homelessness, what solutions do you think might be worth looking into?

Media literacy: The story includes the following chart:

Do you find it helpful when statistics are written in clear, concise ways? What could you do with these numbers to help you think about solutions to homelessness in America?

WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO

Activity: Importance of photography as a sensitive topic in understanding homelessness

NOTE: People experiencing homelessness are more than likely deeply stressed and embarrassed by their situations, including photographs like the ones you see below. It is essential that journalists ask the people for their permission to take their picture, including makeshift shelters. When you examine the photos, keep this thought in mind and use the images as a way to understand the seriousness of the problem of homelessness.

Directions: Keep in mind there may be students who are homeless in your class, so you may want to provide an option for private journaling instead. Let your students know you are always available to talk with them and that there are school counselors and administrators at your school who are trained to discuss such important matters and to be a helpful support.

1. Look at the photo below, what do you see or notice?

2. Now, examine this next photo. What do you notice? How is it similar or different from the photo above?

3. Lastly, take a look at the photo below. What do you see? What does it make you think? How is it different or similar to the above two images?

Encourage students to listen respectively, given the highly sensitive nature of this topic. You may want to suggest they share this activity and what they learned with a neighbor or a family member.

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