Across the country, family homelessness is rising at an alarming rate. In 2024 alone, the number of people in families with children experiencing homelessness surged by 39%—the largest increase of any demographic group. Here in Atlanta, the number of families experiencing homelessness rose by 14%, even as chronic homelessness declined.
These aren’t just numbers—they’re mothers sleeping in cars, children in motel rooms, and families one crisis away from the streets.
At Hope Atlanta, we believe reversing this trend requires more than aid—it requires innovation, urgency, and a deep understanding of place. That’s why we’re investing in a place-based approach that meets families where they are, addresses the structural barriers that push them into homelessness, and builds pathways to stability, block by block.
Behind the Numbers: What the 2025 PIT Count Reveals
The 2025 Atlanta Point-in-Time (PIT) Count confirmed what our teams see daily: a growing number of families—especially single mothers between 25 and 40—are living in cars, couch-surfing, or on the verge of eviction.
At our Women’s Community Kitchen, we serve 30–40 mothers each day—many with infants or toddlers. These families are not grappling with addiction or mental illness; they are working parents navigating job loss, childcare shortages, poor rental histories, and systemic disinvestment in the communities they call home.
A Crisis Driven by Structural Gaps
Our outreach team describes several main contributors to the rise in family homelessness:
- Job loss and underemployment
Many parents are working, sometimes more than one job, yet still fall below the poverty line. Without a living wage, families are left choosing between rent and other basic needs like food, healthcare, or childcare. Underemployment especially hurts families who need flexible work to care for children. - Poor rental history or past evictions
Families who have experienced an eviction—even years ago—often struggle to find landlords willing to rent to them again. These histories follow them, no matter how much progress they’ve made, leaving them trapped in cycles of temporary housing or homelessness. - Limited access to childcare and transportation
Without affordable childcare, parents are forced to leave jobs or turn down employment opportunities. And without reliable transportation, it’s harder to maintain steady work or access services—especially for families living far from job centers, schools, or support providers. - Lack of support systems or family networks
Many of the families we serve are disconnected from extended family due to past trauma, domestic violence, or generational poverty. Without a safety net, even a minor emergency—a sick child, a car breakdown—can spiral into a crisis. - Barriers to accessing mainstream benefits
Complicated eligibility criteria, lack of internet access, and burdensome application systems can prevent families from accessing the very resources designed to help them. Many programs have strict requirements, confusing documentation processes, or long wait times—barriers that are especially difficult for parents already stretched thin. Navigating these systems while caring for children, working, or managing a crisis can feel impossible, leaving families without critical support when they need it most.
Hope Atlanta’s Place-Based Strategy: Centering Families Where They Live
Place matters. A family’s ZIP code can determine their access to jobs, childcare, education, and even life expectancy.
Our place-based model embeds services directly into under-resourced neighborhoods to:
- Reduce barriers to accessing support
- Integrate immediate and long-term solutions
- Foster trust, belonging, and social networks
- Tailor interventions based on neighborhood-specific challenges
Through partnerships with housing providers, community centers, schools, faith organizations, and local employers, we’re transforming how—and where—families get help. Hope Atlanta’s place-based approach doesn’t just respond to crisis—it builds the infrastructure for long-term resilience. It allows families to stay in their communities, surrounded by support—not displaced by the very systems meant to serve them.
From Survival to Self-Sufficiency: A Four-Stage Model for Change
Step 1: Crisis Response in Community
- Emergency services
- Eviction prevention and rental assistance
- On-site food, transportation, and hygiene services
Step 2: Neighborhood-Based Housing
- Rapid rehousing and relocation
- On-site case management hubs in affordable housing
- Legal aid for eviction defense and housing access
Step 3: Economic Empowerment + Behavioral Health
- Job readiness via partners like First Step Staffing
- Mobile and embedded mental health care
- Navigation for TANF, Medicaid, and childcare benefits
Step 4: Strengthening Community Networks
- Connections to schools, clinics, legal aid, and employment resources
- Cultural and faith-based organizations offering ongoing community support
- Reunification services for families with safe ties in other areas
It’s Not Just Mental Health or Substance Use
One of the biggest misconceptions about homelessness is that it’s mostly caused by mental illness or substance use. While those issues can certainly be part of the story, they are not the full story, especially for families.
Behind every PIT Count number is a family doing everything they can to stay afloat. A mom picking up extra shifts. A child switching schools mid-year. A parent navigating confusing benefits systems just to keep the lights on.
Hope Atlanta turns 125 years old this year, and we are not just reflecting on a legacy—we’re rewriting the future. Together, we can reverse the rise in family homelessness and ensure every child, every parent, and every neighborhood has what it needs to thrive.
