Homelessness In New Jersey

There are a lot of homeless people in New Jersey that need your help today. Violent attacks have been happening to people living on the streets, and it’s only getting worse.

With your help, we can provide the homeless in New Jersey with some protection so they can sleep safer at night and find a safer place to sleep so they don’t have to sleep on the streets.

New Jersey Homelessness Statistics

10,264 people in New Jersey were counted as homeless in 2023 (HUD 2023).

17.3% increase in homelessness in New Jersey from 2022-2023 (HUD 2023).

Of the 10,264 people experiencing homelessness:
• 4,009 people were families with children
• 1,964 people were chronically homelessness
• 454 people were veterans
• 488 young people were unaccompanied homeless youth (aged under 24)

In New Jersey, the leading cause of homelessness in 2023 was being “asked to leave a shared residence” while evictions were the second-most common cause, according to a report from the state Office of Homelessness Prevention.

In 2023, the total people accessing Homeless Prevention and Services Ecosystem (HPSE) increased to 130,260, representing a notable 21% growth. This significant increase suggests the number of people at at-risk of homelessness is significant (DCA 2023).

New Jersey’s homeless population increased to over 10,000 people - the highest it’s been since 2015. (2023 NJ.com)

The rise in New Jersey’s homeless population over the past two years can be attributed to systemic changes, according to housing advocates. Factors include a lack of affordable housing, rent increases, and the end of the eviction moratorium that was in place during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Homelessness In New Jersey Can Be Caused By

Family violence

Mental health issues

Physical health issue e.g. accident at work and bills mount up

Loss of employment, under-employment or inability to gain a new job

Limited housing / rental stress

Drug and alcohol addiction (which can occur AFTER being homeless)

Traumatic Experiences

One or a combination of these factors can lead to someone becoming homeless. Sometimes homelessness can occur due to someone moving to a new area and losing their job, and not having any support to help. Other times it can be something as simple as not being able to afford housing.

Homelessness can affect anyone at any time. The tiniest life change can cause someone to lose everything they have in a blink of an eye. It's a terrible place for anyone to be in as you will never know what will happen to you on the streets.

Whatever the reason - Americans sleeping on our streets need immediate shelter to survive.

Backpack Beds SAVE LIVES

Backpack Bed for Homeless partners with homeless services across America to distribute our study proven Backpack Beds to street sleeping homeless without shelter.

We are a 501(c)3 charity that relies on the support of everyday Americans to help give back safety to people living on the streets. Your donation can help someone survive a night on the streets by protecting them from the harsh weather climates that can happen at night.