U.S. Opinions on Homelessness: A BPC/Morning Consult Poll

Respondents have noticed an increase in the level of homelessness in their local community—especially in cities.

• Nearly half (46%) of adults said there has been an increase in the level of homelessness in their community over the past year, with 57% of urban respondents noting an increase.
• Over half of respondents (55%) said homelessness is a serious problem in their local community, while four in five (85%) viewed it as a serious problem nationally. Over half (58%) viewed it as a “very serious problem” nationally.

High housing costs and the lack of affordable homes are perceived as major causes of homelessness.

• 74% of respondents said the lack of an adequate supply of affordable homes is a problem in the United States, while a similar share (75%) said inadequate housing supply contributes to high housing costs.
• 77% of respondents believe an inadequate supply of affordable homes contributes to homelessness in America, and 66% identify high housing costs as a major cause of homelessness.
  • While a majority of Democrats (83%) and Republicans (69%) think that an inadequate supply of affordable homes contributes to homelessness in America, Democrats (53%) were more likely than Republicans (32%) to have said it “significantly contributes.”
• Adults also identified drug and alcohol use (69%), poverty (67%), and mental illness (63%) as major causes of homelessness.

Most respondents believe homelessness should be a top priority for the federal government and want to see 2024 presidential candidates propose plans to significantly reduce homelessness.

• Four in five (82%) adults said it should be a priority for the federal government to help ensure that everyone has access to a safe and affordable place to live, with 90% of Democrats, 75% of Republicans, and 78% of independents in support. Just over half of respondents (53%) believe it should be a top priority.
• A plurality (31%) of adults sees the federal government as being most responsible for addressing homelessness—compared to 22% for state governments and 17% for local governments.
  • Pluralities of polled Democrats (36%), Republicans (30%), and independents (26%) agree that the federal government is most responsible for addressing homelessness.
• More than four in five (82%) adults said it is an important priority for presidential candidates in the 2024 election to develop and advance a plan to significantly reduce homelessness.
  • This is an important priority for adults who voted for Joe Biden (88%) in the last presidential election as well as for those who voted for Donald Trump (76%).

A bipartisan majority would support congressional action to address homelessness by providing greater resources for support programs and enacting policies to expand the supply of affordable homes.

• The survey found a high level of bipartisan support for policies to expand federal assistance for veterans experiencing homelessness, homeless individuals with mental illness, and substance abuse recovery programs aimed at homeless individuals.
• Proposals to address the need for a greater supply of homes—such as expanding federal incentives for low-income housing development, incentivizing zoning reforms, and providing funding to preserve federally-subsidized housing—also saw high levels of bipartisan support.
• Respondents would “strongly support” or “somewhat support” congressional action on the listed measures in the figure below:

As the above table demonstrates, a majority of polled Republicans, Democrats, and independents supported policies outlined in the American Housing Act, a comprehensive and bipartisan legislative BPC, and BPC Action released as a response to the housing affordability crisis.

Survey Parameters

This poll was conducted by Morning Consult between May 24-27, 2023, among a national sample of 2,200 adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age, and race by educational attainment. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

For questions, or to speak to Executive Director of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, Dennis Shea, please contact BPC media relations manager Libby Miller.