Nearly 40% of the 653,000+ homeless individuals in the U.S. are unsheltered, meaning they are living in tents, cars, or encampments rather than in any structured pathway toward housing (NIH/PMC). Research consistently shows that living unsheltered actually makes it harder to exit homelessness due to limited access to healthcare, poor treatment continuity, and worsening mental health or addiction issues (NIH/PMC), while also increasing exposure to preventable death, disease outbreaks, and violence (Johns Hopkins). Over time, individuals in encampments often become more isolated and reliant on survival behaviors, which further reduces their chances of reintegration (ASU Problem-Oriented Policing). Even in cities that have spent billions addressing homelessness, encampments persist and people frequently cycle back into them, suggesting they function less as a temporary solution and more as a long-term trap (NY Post).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11903157/
https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/sites/default/files/2024-12/JHU_2024_HealthNotes_grantspassvjohnson_FINAL_12.3.pdf
https://popcenter.asu.edu/sites/g/files/litvpz3631/files/sites/default/files/problems/pdfs/homeless_encampments.pdf
https://nypost.com/2026/03/26/us-news/corridors-of-filth-as-authorities-clear-yet-another-homeless-encampment-inside-la-storm-drain/