Homelessness and COVID-19

November 4, 2020 R46596

Homelessness and COVID-19
November 4, 2020
People experiencing homelessness are at increased risk of contracting and spreading Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Those who are unsheltered may lack ready access to sanitary
Libby Perl
facilities. For those sleeping in emergency shelters, conditions may be crowded, with short
Specialist in Housing Policy
distances between beds, and there may be limited facilities for washing. Since the onset of the

COVID-19 pandemic, there have also been concerns that the number of people experiencing
homelessness could increase. Unemployment rates grew as some industries, including

restaurants, retail, and hospitality, essentially shut down for varying periods of time. The
economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been greater for low-income workers, renters, and minority households.
Congress, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136), provided funding
meant to stabilize conditions for state and local governments, businesses, and households. Among the funding appropriated
through the CARES Act was targeted assistance for programs that help people who are experiencing homelessness or who
are at risk of homelessness. The majority of targeted homelessness funding, $4 billion, was provided to the Department of
Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Emergency Solutions Grants, through which grantees provide emergency
shelter, short- to medium-term rental assistance, and supportive services primarily to assist people who are homeless.
Additional funding was also made available for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs that assist homeless veterans,
with VA obligating additional funds for Supportive Services for Veteran Families, the Homeless Providers Grant and Per
Diem program, and Health Care for Homeless Veterans. The CARES Act also appropriated funding for the Department of
Health and Human Service’s Runaway and Homeless Youth program, and made funding available to local education
agencies that could be used for the Education for Homeless Children and Youths program, administered by the Department
of Education.
CARES Act Funding for Targeted Homeless Programs
The CARES Act also provided broader-
Funding
purpose funding for states, tribes,
Department
Program
($ in million)
territories, and local governments that
grantees may choose to use for shelter or
Housing and Urban Development
Emergency Solutions Grants
4,000
rental assistance to help families avoid
Supportive Services for
602
eviction and loss of housing. Among the
Veteran Families
funds being used for this purpose are
HUD’s Community Development Block
Veterans Affairs
Grant and Per Diem Program
88
Grant, the Federal Emergency
Health Care for Homeless
10
Management Agency’s Public
Veterans
Assistance funding for non-congregate
Health and Human Services
Runaway and Homeless Youth
25
sheltering, and the Coronavirus Relief
Fund, a category of assistance created by
Education
Education for Homeless
—a
the CARES Act.
Children and Youth
Source: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) and VA
It is not yet known whether
press releases.
homelessness will increase as a result of
a. The CARES Act appropriated approximately $13 bil ion to an elementary and secondary
the COVID-19 pandemic. Community
education emergency relief fund and $3 bil ion to a governor’s emergency relief education
fund. An eligible use of each fund is to assist students experiencing homelessness through the
point-in-time counts of people
Education for Homeless Children and Youths program.
experiencing homelessness took place in
January 2020, before the economic effects of the pandemic occurred. In addition to economic and employment conditions,
much depends on measures taken in response to the pandemic. Moratoriums on eviction have been implemented at the
federal, state, and local levels to prevent renters from being evicted for nonpayment of rent. However, unless rental assistance
is made available, some renters may be unable to catch up on payments and avoid eviction when moratoriums end. The
ability to maintain housing may also depend on availability and affordability of alternative housing options, including sharing
accommodations with family and friends, which itself could exacerbate the risk of COVID-19 spread.
Congressional Research Service

Homelessness and COVID-19

Introduction
People experiencing homelessness may be particularly vulnerable during the Coronavirus Disease
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Those living in unsheltered conditions might not have ready access
to sanitary facilities. For those living in emergency shelters, it may be difficult to keep a safe
distance from other residents, and indoor conditions may more readily facilitate transmission of
the virus. Increasing numbers of people may also be at risk of losing their housing as a result of
declining economic conditions and rising unemployment triggered by the pandemic. Additional y,
homeless services providers may struggle to assist individuals and families if needs increase and
volunteers, including retirees and students, that many organizations rely on become unavailable
due to the risk of COVID-19 infection.1
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) appropriated
funds specifical y to assist people experiencing homelessness. In addition, funds appropriated for
broader-purpose programs are being used by states and localities to assist both people who are
homeless as wel as those who are at risk of losing their housing due to an inability to pay rent.
This report describes funding available to assist people who are experiencing homelessness or at
risk of becoming homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also discusses whether
homelessness could increase as employment and economic conditions leave households unable to
pay their housing costs and federal, state, and court-ordered eviction moratoriums expire.
What Does It Mean to Experience Homelessness?
The definition of homelessness varies by federal program and determines who can receive
housing assistance and/or services.2 Housing assistance programs, administered by the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as wel as Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) programs, apply a definition that considers someone to be homeless if they are
living on the street or some other place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelters, or
transitional housing.3 People who wil “imminently lose” their housing within 14 days (through
eviction or because they can no longer remain with family or friends) are also considered
homeless according to this definition, as are people who are fleeing domestic violence.
Some other federal programs use definitions of homelessness that are broader. These definitions
may include circumstances where a person currently has a place to live but is stil considered
homeless because the accommodation is precarious or temporary. For example, the Department of
Education (ED) definition includes children and youth who are sharing housing with other people
due to loss of housing or economic hardship.4 The Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) Runaway and Homeless Youth program considers youth to be homeless if it is not possible

1 See, for example, Samantha Christmann, “Shelter’s ‘journey with the homeless’ resumes post -Covid, but needs
volunteers,” Buffalo News, September 6, 2020, online version, accessed September 22, 2020; and Jerome Dela Rosa
Lara, “As Winter Approaches, Cambridge Homeless Shelters Reevaluate T heir Options,” The Harvard Crimson,
September 3, 2020, online version, accessed September 22, 2020.
2 For a more detailed discussion, see “Defining Homelessness: Who Is Served” in CRS Report RL30442,
Hom elessness: Targeted Federal Program s.
3 42 U.S.C. §11302.
4 42 U.S.C §11434a(2).
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for them to live in a safe environment with a relative and if there is no other safe alternative living
arrangement.5
HUD assistance may also be available to people who are at risk of homelessness under certain
circumstances. The law defines at risk of homelessness to include individuals and families who
have income at or below 30% of the area median, insufficient resources to attain housing stability,
and conditions in their lives contributing to housing instability, such as frequent moves or living
with others due to economic hardship.6
When this report uses the terms homeless, homelessness, or at risk of homelessness, it is using the
HUD definitions unless otherwise specified. The report uses the terms at risk of losing housing or
having difficulty paying for housing to describe individuals and families who are unable to make
rent payments no matter their income or other circumstances that are required to be considered at
risk of homelessness according to HUD’s definition.
Funding for Homeless Assistance
The CARES Act appropriated additional FY2020 funding for multiple programs that target
assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Through the act, nearly $5 bil ion in targeted
homeless funding was al ocated to six programs. In addition, states and communities have used
non-targeted CARES Act funding to assist people experiencing homelessness, or who are having
difficulty paying for housing, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds have been used to pay for
stays in hotel and motel rooms, and even to purchase hotels to convert to housing; outdoor
sanitary facilities; and rental assistance.
Targeted Funding for Homeless Programs
Temporary accommodations for people experiencing homelessness are frequently provided in
congregate settings where individuals may sleep, eat, and gather in relatively close quarters.
Services may also be provided in settings where large numbers of people gather together in an
indoor setting. These conditions can contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, homeless services providers struggled to find safe ways
to meet the housing and other needs of people experiencing homelessness. HUD and VA released
guidance for shelter and transitional housing providers on sanitation and preventing spread of
disease.7 However, ultimately the best way to avoid transmission of COVID-19 is to reduce
crowding and find individual accommodations for people away from congregate shelters and
outdoor encampments to reduce the risk of exposure. In response to this need, the CARES Act
targeted funds for additional shelter and temporary accommodations, among other assistance for
people who are experiencing homelessness.

5 34 U.S.C §11279(3).
6 42 U.S.C. §11360(1).
7 See, for example, HUD’s website, COVID-19 and Homelessness: An Action and Resource Guide,
https://www.hud.gov/homelessness_resources, and VA’s COVID-19 webpage, Coronavirus Disease 2019,
https://www.va.gov/homeless/coronavirus.asp, both accessed August 26, 2020.
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Emergency Solutions Grants
The majority of funding specifical y to address homelessness during the pandemic, $4 bil ion,
was appropriated to HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program.8 ESG funds are
distributed by formula to states, tribes, territories, and local governments and can be used for
emergency shelter and services for people who are experiencing homelessness, as wel as for
short- to medium-term rental assistance to help people who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness as defined by HUD. Based on regulation, ESG funds can be used to pay for hotel or
motel rooms when no appropriate shelter is available.9
Uses of ESG Funds Specific to COVID-19
Beyond the existing ways in which ESG funds can be used (as specified in statute and
regulations), the CARES Act tailored eligible uses to the conditions exacerbated by the pandemic.
 Funds can be used for temporary emergency shelter without the need to satisfy
either minimum use requirements or habitability and environmental review.
 Grantees can use funds to train staff on preventing the spread of infectious
disease and for hazard pay without such funds counting toward the administrative
funding cap.
 The act made changes regarding eligibility for people who are at risk of
homelessness. To be eligible, an individual or family can have income at or
below 50% of area median, rather than 30%, but they must stil otherwise meet
the requirements of the definition.
 Grantees are al owed to use up to 10% of funds for administrative purposes (the
limit is ordinarily 7.5%).
 The act removed the limit (approximately 60%) on the amount of funds a grantee
can use for emergency shelter and related services, and waived the requirement
that grantees match federal funding.
HUD made additional changes to ESG requirements for CARES Act funding via notice. For
example, funds can be used to set up outdoor handwashing stations and bathroom facilities and to
provide financial incentives to both landlords (to participate in rental assistance programs) and to
attract volunteers.10 HUD also reduced the term of rental assistance for people who are homeless
or at risk of homelessness. Ordinarily rental assistance can be provided for up to 24 months, but
CARES Act funding can only be used for up to 12 months of rental assistance.11
ESG Funding Distribution
ESG funds are ordinarily distributed to states and local governments using a formula that is based
on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program formula.12 However, while the

8 For more information about ESG, see CRS Report RL33764, The HUD Homeless Assistance Grants: Programs
Authorized by the HEARTH Act.
9 24 C.F.R. §576.102(a)(3).
10 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), CPD Notice 20-08, Waivers and Alternative
Requirem ents for the Em ergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program Under the CARES Act, September 1, 2020, pp. 13-
14, https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/OCHCO/doc uments/20-08cpdn.pdf (hereinafter, HUD, CPD Notice 20-08).
11 HUD, CPD Notice 20-08., p. 14.
12 CDBG formula factors are population, the number of persons in poverty, housing overcrowding (homes in which
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CARES Act specified that up to $2 bil ion be distributed using this methodology, the remainder
was to be distributed using a formula developed by HUD based on factors that include risk of
COVID-19 transmission, the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered
homelessness, and economic and housing market conditions.
HUD distributed $1 bil ion of the $4 bil ion in CARES Act appropriations using the ESG
formula. The first round of funding was announced April 2, 2020.13 HUD announced the
distribution of the remaining $3 bil ion in ESG funding on June 9, 2020.14 The list of
communities receiving funds and amounts received is available on HUD’s website.15
The second round of ESG funds was distributed via a formula that used the following weighted
factors based on the criteria in the CARES Act:16
 50%—Share of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness as
measured by HUD’s annual point-in-time (PIT) count of people experiencing
homelessness.17
 10%—Share of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness as measured by
the PIT count.
 15%—Share of people at risk of homelessness as measured by very low-income
(VLI) renters. (VLI renters are those with income at or below 50% of area
median income.)
 25%—Share of people at risk of unsheltered homelessness as measured by VLI
renter households living in overcrowded conditions or in housing lacking kitchen
or plumbing facilities.
Factors were adjusted for higher than average housing costs using fair market rents.18 HUD’s
notice acknowledged that transmission of COVID-19 was not an explicit factor in its formula, but
because people experiencing homelessness are inherently at risk of transmitting coronavirus,
HUD stated that “[b]y having this formula al ocate toward homeless needs, it is also al ocating
toward the risk of transmission of coronavirus.”19

there is more than one person per room), the age of housing (the number of housing structures built prior to 1940), and
the extent of growth lag in a given community (the lack of population growth in a community compared to the growth
rate it would have had if it had grown at the rate of other communities).
13 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), “HUD Moves Quickly to Make $3 Billion in COVID -
19 Relief Funding Available to Communities Across the Nation,” press release, April 2, 2020, https://www.hud.gov/
press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_20_049.
14 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), “HUD Provides Remaining $2.96 Billion in CARES
Act Funding for Homeless Populations Amid Coronavirus Recovery,” press release, June 9, 2020,
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_20_077.
15 See HUD Office of Community Planning (CPD) Formula Allocations and CARES Act Supplemental Funding for
FY2020, https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/budget/fy20/.
16 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), CARES Act Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Round
2 Funding under COVID-19 Supplem ental Appropriations, June 2020, https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CPD/
documents/ESG_CARES_Act_Round_2_Allocation_Methodology_rev.pdf .
17 Point-in-time count data are available on HUD’s website at https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/coc-
homeless-populations-and-subpopulations-reports/.
18 Fair market rents are developed and used by HUD to determine housing subsidy levels in communities across the
country.
19 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), CARES Act Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Round
2 Funding under COVID-19 Supplem ental Appropriations, June 2020, p. 3, https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CPD/
documents/ESG_CARES_Act_Round_2_Allocation_Methodology_rev.pdf .
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Department of Veterans Affairs Homeless Programs
The CARES Act appropriated additional FY2020 funding for the VA medical services account
(the account through which homeless veteran programs are funded) and made it possible for VA
to obligate additional funding for programs that assist homeless veterans. VA, in turn, obligated
additional funds for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, the Grant and
Per Diem (GPD) program, and Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV). In addition, VA has
issued guidance for the organizations that serve veterans experiencing homelessness and waived
usual program rules to al ow providers to address conditions that may increase risk of veterans
contracting COVID-19.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families
SSVF funds are administered by nonprofit organizations and community cooperatives to assist
veterans and their families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Funds can be used for
outreach; case management; assistance with rent, utility, and moving costs; and help applying for
VA and other benefits.
VA obligations for the SSVF program are based on the program’s authorized level, which was
$380 mil ion in FY2020. The CARES Act waived the authorized funding level for SSVF to al ow
VA to provide additional funding for the program. VA announced additional funding for SSVF
twice: $202 mil ion in May 2020 and $400 mil ion in July 2020.20
VA has waived certain requirements around SSVF and the way that funds can be used in order to
better respond to the pandemic, including the following:
 SSVF regulations al ow funds to be used for emergency housing, including hotels
and motels21; this use of funds may occur only when no other housing options,
such as transitional housing through VA’s GPD program, are available. In
response to the pandemic, however, grantees may use funds for veterans to live in
hotels and motels instead of congregate settings.22 Further, regulatory time limits
around emergency housing are waived.23
 Ordinarily SSVF grantees are limited to using 50% of their grant for temporary
financial assistance (TFA), which includes rental assistance, security deposits,
and payments toward utilities.24 VA has waived this limit on TFA during the
COVID-19 pandemic.25

20 U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), “VA gets boost from CARES Act to provide emergency assistance to
Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness during COVID-19 crisis,” press release, May 6, 2020,
https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5442 (hereinafter, VA, “ VA gets boost from CARES Act”; and
“VA expands funding for emergency response for Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness during COVID -19
pandemic,” press release, July 16, 2020, https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5487.
21 38 C.F.R. §62.34(f).
22 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), SSVF Emergency Housing Assistance Guidance, May 7, 2020,
https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_EHA_ Guidance_Update_05072020.pdf (hereinafter, VA, SSVF
Em ergency Housing Assistance Guidance).
23 VA, SSVF Emergency Housing Assistance Guidance.
24 See, for example, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), “Funding Availability Under Supportive Services for
Veteran Families Program,” 84 Federal Register 66708, December 5, 2019.
25 VA, SSVF Emergency Housing Assistance Guidance.
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 During the pandemic, grantees may also use SSVF to help veterans who are
enrolled in HUD-VASH (HUD-VASH provides Section 8 vouchers to homeless
veterans, together with services through VA). SSVF funding may be used for
housing search, security deposits, and to pay rental assistance in units that have
not yet been inspected and approved by HUD until rental assistance through the
Section 8 program becomes available.26
Grant and Per Diem Program
GPD program funds are awarded to public entities and private nonprofit organizations to provide
short- to medium-term housing and supportive services to homeless veterans, typical y in
congregate settings. The grant portion of the program makes capital grants available to develop
the facilities to serve homeless veterans, while the per diem portion reimburses providers, up to a
limit, for the cost of providing housing and services.
Together, grant and per diem funding is authorized at approximately $258 mil ion per year. The
CARES Act al owed additional al ocations for the GPD program in cases of public health
emergencies notwithstanding the FY2020 authorization level. In July 2020, VA announced that it
had al ocated an additional $88 mil ion to the GPD program in response to the COVID-19
pandemic.27
Ordinarily GPD grants are limited to 65% of the costs of acquisition, construction, expansion, or
remodeling of facilities, and per diem payments are limited to the VA domiciliary care per diem
rate, which was $48.50 per day for FY2020.28 The CARES Act gave the VA Secretary authority to
waive limits on both these payments. VA released guidance in April 2020 addressing how
providers can request increased per diem payments.29
Health Care for Homeless Veterans
HCHV is a VA-administered program through which VA medical center staff conduct outreach to
homeless veterans; provide care and treatment for medical, psychiatric, and substance use
disorders; and engage veterans in case management, including referrals for supportive services.30
The VA al ocated $10 mil ion of CARES Act funding to the HCHV program to be used to provide
shelter for veterans experiencing homelessness, including in hotel/motel rooms, and for
supportive services.31

26 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Memorandum, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Assistance for
Veterans Participating in Housing and Urban Development -Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), May
19, 2020, https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/
SSVF_Assistance_for_Veterans_Participating_in_Housing_and_Urban_Development_Vetera ns_Affairs_Supportive_H
ousing_HUDVASH.pdf.
27 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), “VA expands funding for emergency response for Veterans experiencing
or at risk of homelessness during COVID-19 pandemic,” press release, July 16, 2020, https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/
pressrelease.cfm?id=5487.
28 38 U.S.C. §§2011-2012.
29 VA guidance on the per diem waiver is available at https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/GPD/providers/
GPDCOVID19PerDiemRateWaiverGuidance.pdf.
30 38 U.S.C. §§2031, 2034.
31 VA, “VA gets boost from CARES Act .”
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Runaway and Homeless Youth
Through the Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) program, HHS administers grants to public
entities and private nonprofit organizations to provide shelter and services for youth up to age 22
(or up to age 23 under selected circumstances) who cannot safely live with a relative or have no
alternative safe living arrangements.32 The CARES Act appropriated $25 mil ion for the RHY
program.33 HHS guidance provided that CARES Act funds would be released proportionately to
existing grantees.34
CARES Act funds can be used for a range of activities to support youth and grantee staff during
the pandemic, including to prevent and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among youth
and staff, enhance training and readiness around emergency preparedness, and implement disaster
preparedness plans and protocols.35 Funds may also be used to provide youth with rent and utility
assistance, food, and items for those who are parenting, as wel as to pay for COVID-19 testing.36
Education for Homeless Children and Youths
The Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) program, administered through the
Department of Education, provides funding to state education agencies (SEAs), which in turn
subgrant funds to local education agencies (LEAs) to assist children and youth experiencing
homelessness and ensure that they have the same access to public education as other students.
Students considered homeless under the EHCY program may be living in shelters or places not
meant for human habitation, or may be sharing housing with family or friends for economic
reasons.37 LEAs provide transportation assistance so that students who have moved due to
homelessness can continue to attend their school of origin.38 Additional ways in which EHCY
funds can be used include tutoring and special instruction, referrals for health services, and school
supplies.39
While the CARES Act did not appropriate funds directly for the EHCY program, it made
available approximately $13 bil ion for an elementary and secondary education emergency relief
fund that may be used to assist students experiencing homelessness.40 The emergency relief fund
is available to SEAs, but at least 90% of funds must be subgranted to LEAs. In turn, LEAs may

32 34 U.S.C. §§11201, et seq.
33 For more information, see CRS Insight IN11302, Support for Homeless Youth in the Context of COVID-19: A Brief
Overview.
34 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Family and Youth Services Bureau, FY 2020 Coronavirus
Supplem ental Funding Guidance: ACF Reporting Requirem ent for the FYSB Runaway and Hom eless Youth Program ,
May 11, 2020, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fysb/
fy_2020_covid_19_acf_reporting_instructions_rhy_program.pdf .
35 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Family & Youth Services Bureau, FY 2020 Coronavirus
Supplem ental Funding: Examples of Allowable Uses of Funds for the FYSB Runaway and Hom eless Youth Program ,
May 11, 2020, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fysb/
fy2020_covid_19_acf_examples_uses_of_funding_for_rhy.pdf (hereinafter, HHS, FY 2020 Coronavirus Supplem ental
Funding Guidance).
36 HHS, FY 2020 Coronavirus Supplemental Funding Guidance.
37 42 U.S.C. §11434a.
38 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3).
39 42 U.S.C. §11433(d).
40 See Sections 18001 and 18003 of P.L. 116-136. For more information, also see CRS In Focus IF11509, CARES Act
Elem entary and Secondary Education Provisions.
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use funding for purposes authorized by the EHCY program,41 to address the unique needs
experienced by certain student populations, including homeless students, and for instruction
during the summer for students experiencing homelessness, among other populations.
In addition, the CARES Act provided nearly $3 bil ion for a governor’s emergency relief
education fund.42 States that receive grants can use them for a number of purposes, including
support to LEAs that the SEA deems to have been most significantly affected by COVID-19 or to
LEAs deemed essential for carrying out emergency educational services, including activities
authorized under the EHCY program.
Table 1. CARES Act Funding for Targeted Homeless Programs
Funding
($ in
Department
Program
million)
Housing and Urban Development
Emergency Solutions Grants
4,000
Supportive Services for Veteran Families
602
Veterans Affairs
Grant and Per Diem Program
88
Health Care for Homeless Veterans
10
Health and Human Services
Runaway and Homeless Youth
25
Education
Education for Homeless Children and Youth
—a
Source: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) and VA press releases.
a. The CARES Act appropriated approximately $13 bil ion to an elementary and secondary education
emergency relief fund and $3 bil ion to a governor’s emergency relief education fund. An eligible use of each
fund is to assist students experiencing homelessness through the Education for Homeless Children and
Youths program.
Other Funding Available for Housing and Shelter
The CARES Act also appropriated funds for programs that, while not specifical y targeted to
assist people experiencing homelessness (or those who are at risk of losing their housing and
perhaps becoming homeless), can be used for those purposes at a grantee’s discretion.
Community Development Block Grant
The CARES Act provided an additional $5 bil ion for HUD’s CDBG program in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic.43 CDBG funds are distributed to states, local governments, and territories,
and can be used for a wide range of purposes. One eligible use is for public facilities, including
shelters serving people experiencing homelessness.44

41 T he CARES Act specifically mentions that funds can be used for T itle VII of the McKinney -Vento Homeless
Assistance Act , the law that originally authorized EHCY.
42 See Section 18002 of P.L. 116-136.
43 For more information, see CRS Insight IN11315, Community Development Block Grants and the CARES Act.
44 42 U.S.C. §5305(a)(14), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Basically CDBG for
Entitlem ents, Chapter 6, Public Facilities, Special Assessm ents, and Publicly-owned Utilities, September 2017, p. 2,
https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/Basically-CDBG-Chapter-6-Public-Facilities.pdf.
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Another way in which CDBG funds can be used is for “emergency grant payments” made to a
provider of food, clothing, housing, or utilities (note that payments cannot be made directly to a
family).45 Ordinarily emergency payments cannot be made to a provider for more than three
consecutive months, but HUD waived this regulatory requirement to al ow emergency payments,
including rent and mortgage assistance, to be made for up to six consecutive months.46 In
addition, such emergency payments are considered “public services” under the CDBG statute,
which are capped, general y at 15% of a grantee’s al ocation.47 The CARES Act waived this
limitation.
While the number of communities using CDBG funding to assist people experiencing
homelessness and for rental assistance is not known, the National Low Income Housing Coalition
(NLIHC) has compiled available information on state and local rental assistance programs and
funding sources, including CDBG.48
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance Program
FEMA Public Assistance funds are available in the case of a presidential y declared major disaster
or emergency under the Stafford Act to reimburse states, territories, tribes, localities, and eligible
nonprofits for response and recovery efforts.49 Sheltering after a disaster or emergency is one of
the ways in which Public Assistance funds can be used.50 Sheltering might ordinarily occur in
large facilities where many people could be housed in close proximity, but during the COVID-19
pandemic, Public Assistance funds can be used for non-congregate sheltering, such as in hotel and
motel rooms and dormitories, in order to respond to the nature of the virus.51
After a Stafford Act declaration, states, territories, tribes, local governments, and eligible
nonprofits apply to FEMA for Public Assistance awards; if they are approved, FEMA is to
reimburse not less than 75% of eligible costs.52 In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
President issued an emergency declaration, pursuant to the Stafford Act, for al states, territories,
and the District of Columbia on March 13, 2020.53 States, territories, and tribes apply for non-

45 See 24 C.F.R. §570.207(b)(4).
46 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), “Notice of Program Rules, Waivers, and Alternative
Requirements Under the CARES Act for Community Development Block Grant Program Coronavirus Response
Grants, Fiscal Year 2019 and 2020 Community Development Block Grants, and for Other Formula Programs,” 85
Federal Register 51467, August 20, 2020.
47 42 U.S.C. §5305(a)(8).
48 See National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), “ NLIHC COVID-19 Rental Assistance Database”
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1hLfybfo9NydIptQu5wghUpKXecimh3gaoqT 7LU1JGc8/edit#gid=
79194074, accessed September 4, 2020. See also, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Research Note: Em ergency
Rental Assistance in Response to COVID-19, October 27, 2020, https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/Emergency-Rental-
Assistance-Programs-3.pdf (hereinafter, Em ergency Rental Assistance in Response to COVID-19).
49 For more information about FEMA Public Assistance and sheltering, see CRS Insight IN11440, Potential FEMA
Em ergency Sheltering Options During the COVID-19 Pandem ic.
50 FEMA considers this type of Public Assistance to be Emergency Protective Measures, or Category B, assistance.
51 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA’s Interim Policy Emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering
during the COVID-19 Public Health Em ergency (104-009-18), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/
fema_public-assistance-non-covid-19-ncs_policy.pdf. “ In some circumstances, such as when congregate shelters are
not available, sufficient, or could present a threat to public health and safety, FEMA may reimburse costs related to
emergency sheltering in non-congregate environments.”
52 42 U.S.C. §5170b(b).
53 For more information, see CRS Insight IN11264, Presidential Declarations of Emergency for COVID-19: NEA and
Stafford Act.
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congregate sheltering assistance for populations who have contracted or are at risk of contracting
COVID-19 and in need of a safe place to stay.54 While some states have explicitly included
people experiencing homelessness in their plans, others have included broader populations for
whom non-congregate sheltering might be needed, which could include people who are
homeless.55
Coronavirus Relief Fund
The CARES Act created a Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to provide funds to states, tribes,
territories, and local governments to be used for necessary expenditures related to the COVID-19
pandemic that were not accounted for in a grantee’s budget prior to enactment. The funds can be
used to cover costs incurred from March 1, 2020, until December 30, 2020.56
Among the eligible ways in which funds can be used is assisting people who are homeless or
behind on their rent. The Treasury Department has issued guidance specifical y providing that
eligible expenses include “care for homeless populations provided to mitigate COVID-19 effects
and enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions.”57 In addition, FAQs released
by the Treasury Department state that assistance can include “a program to assist individuals with
payment of overdue rent or mortgage payments to avoid eviction or foreclosure.”58
While the number of communities using the CRF to assist people experiencing homelessness and
for rental assistance is not yet known, the NLIHC has compiled available information on state and
local rental assistance programs and funding sources, including CRF.59
Will the Number of People Experiencing
Homelessness Increase?
The COVID-19 pandemic has created conditions that could lead individuals and families to lose
their housing. Some people have lost their jobs entirely, while others face reduced hours. Federal
government assistance, through economic impact payments and unemployment benefits, can help
cover rent and other necessities, but for some people these funding sources may have been
exhausted months ago, and some may never have received them. While economic distress does

54 For examples of states that have applied for assistance, see National Low Income Housing Coalition, Getting to Yes:
Working with FEMA to Fund Non-Congregate Sheltering During COVID-19, May 28, 2020, https://bit.ly/2YKcnpW.
55 For example, the Delaware specifically included people experiencing homelessness in their plan to FEMA,
https://dema.delaware.gov/recoveryAssistance/index.shtml?dc=noncongregateSheltering. Massachusetts did not
specifically include people who are homeless, but included people who need to quarantine, but “ cannot do so safely in
their current living situat ion without causing undue risk to themselves or others” (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/
eligible-costs-for-covid-19-federal-disaster-declaration#non-congregate-medical-sheltering:-).
56 For more information about the Coronavirus Relief Fund, see CRS Report R46298, The Coronavirus Relief Fund
(CARES Act, Title V): Background and State and Local Data .
57 U.S. Department of the T reasury, Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidance for State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal
Governm ents, updated September 2, 2020, p. 4, https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-
Guidance-for-State-T erritorial-Local-and-Tribal-Governments.pdf.
58 U.S. Department of the T reasury, Coronavirus Relief Fund Frequently Asked Questions, updated September 2, 2020,
p. 5, https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf.
59 See National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), “ NLIHC COVID-19 Rental Assistance Database,”
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1hLfybfo9NydIptQu5wghUpKXecimh3gaoqT 7LU1JGc8/edit#gid=
79194074, accessed September 4, 2020. See also Em ergency Rental Assistance in Response to COVID-19.
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not inevitably result in homelessness, it is often a necessary precondition for homelessness to
occur, and the number of people experiencing economic difficulties has increased.
COVID-19 Pandemic’s Effects on Housing Stability
Renters may find that their housing arrangements have become precarious because of the
pandemic. Renter households, particularly those with lower incomes, are less stable and more
likely to experience homelessness than homeowners.60 During the pandemic, renters have been
more likely to lose employment income than homeowners, particularly Black and Hispanic
renters.61 As a result, the number of cost burdened and severely cost burdened renters (those
paying more than 30% or 50% of their income toward rent, respectively) is expected to increase.62
Six months into the pandemic, according to Census survey data from September 2020, 17% of
renters reported not being caught up on rent payments, and more than 26% reported no
confidence to slight confidence in their ability to pay the next month’s rent.63 As renters fal
behind, they may face eviction and, depending on economic factors and individual resources,
could fal into homelessness.
Factors That Could Affect Homelessness
A number of continual y evolving factors could have implications for whether people are able to
maintain housing, or find alternative housing, if they are evicted. These include the trajectory of
COVID-19 itself and its effect on economic and employment conditions, as wel as the actions of
and resources provided by governments, as detailed below.
Eviction Moratoriums: As stay-at-home orders became common at the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic, states, local jurisdictions, and court systems across the country imposed eviction
moratoriums to prevent renters from losing their housing.64 In addition, the CARES Act provided
protection for renters in federal y subsidized units (such as Public Housing and Section 8) and in

60 For example, in considering a new formula for the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grant program, HUD
found that renter-occupied units (as a percentage of all housing units) and the number of rent -burdened extremely low-
income households are correlated to rates of homelessness as calculated by the point -in-time count. U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), “ Continuum of Care Program: Solicitation of Comment on Continuum of
Care Formula,” 81 Federal Register 48366, July 25, 2016, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/07/25/
2016-17567/continuum-of-care-program-solicitation-of-comment -on-continuum-of-care-formula.
61 Alexander Hermann and Sharon Cornelissen, Using the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey to Assess the
Econom ic Im pacts of COVID-19 on Am erica’s Households, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, July 2, 2020,
https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/using-the-census-bureaus-household-pulse-survey-to-assess-the-economic-impacts-
of-covid-19-on-americas-households/. See also, Whitney Airgood-Obrycki, “ T he Impact of COVID-19 on Renters and
Rental Markets,” Joint Center on Housing Studies virtual event, September 4, 2020, https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/
calendar/impact -covid-19-renters-and-rental-markets.
62 Whitney Airgood-Obrycki, “T he Impact of COVID-19 on Renters and Rental Markets,” Joint Center on Housing
Studies virtual event, September 4, 2020, https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/impact -covid-19-renters-and-rental-
markets.
63 CRS calculations based on Census Pulse data from September 2, 2020, through September 14, 2020, available at
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/demo/hhp/hhp14.html, accessed on October 2, 2020.
64 For more information on state and local eviction moratoria, see Emily A. Benfer, Wake Forest University School of
Law Visiting Professor of Law and Direct or of the Health Justice Clinic, “ COVID-19 Eviction Moratoria: Federal
(CDC), State, Commonwealth, and T erritory ,” https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-
1vT H8dUIbfnt3X52TrY3dEHQCAm60e5nqo0Rn1rNCf15dPGeXxM 9QN9UdxUfEjxwvfT KzbCbZxJMdR7X/
pubhtml, accessed September 10, 2020.
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properties with a mortgage purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.65 The CARES Act
moratorium expired on July 24, 2020, and while state and local moratoriums extend for different
time periods, some began to expire over the course of the summer.66
As other moratoriums were ending, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announced a federal eviction moratorium from September 4, 2020, to December 31, 2020.67 The
CDC moratorium cited the risk of homelessness or overcrowded housing that could occur if
evictions go forward, leading to increased risk of disease spread.68 The CDC moratorium has
broader reach than the CARES Act moratorium and could conceivably apply to any renter unable
to pay rent as long as income and other conditions are satisfied. However, renters must be aware
of the moratorium in order to certify that it applies to them. In addition, the moratorium al ows
late fees and other charges to accrue, and renters wil owe these and back rent when it expires.
Prior to imposition of the CDC eviction moratorium, researchers predicted that between 29
mil ion and 40 mil ion people could be evicted by the end of 2020.69 Estimates of back rent owed
during the same time period range from $25 bil ion to $70 bil ion, depending on the source.70 The
ability of renters to enter into repayment plans to make up arrearages may be limited, particularly
if their income has decreased.
Unemployment and Economic Conditions: After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
unemployment rate increased from 3.5% in February 2020 to 14.7% in April 2020.71 The
unemployment rate decreased in subsequent months, and was 7.9% for September 2020. Job
losses appear to have occurred disproportionately among low-wage workers.72 Continued
decreases in unemployment and improvement in economic conditions are tied, at least in part, to
the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is uncertain. Even if conditions improve, and
people who lost their jobs are able to regain employment, accrued rental debt may stil make it
difficult to retain housing.

65 For more information, see CRS Insight IN11320, CARES Act Eviction Moratorium .
66 See footnote 64.
67 For more information, see CRS Insight IN11516, Federal Eviction Moratoriums in Response to the COVID-19
Pandem ic.
68 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions T o Prevent the Further Spread
of COVID-19,” 85 Federal Register 55295, September 4, 2020, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/
04/2020-19654/temporary-halt-in-residential-evictions-to-prevent-the-further-spread-of-covid-19.
69 T he Aspen Institute, in updated analysis based on the Census Pulse Survey, estimated that 29 million people could be
at risk of eviction by the end of 2020. T he same report included an estimate from management consulting firm Stout,
Risius Ross that as many as 40 million people in 17 million households could be at risk of eviction by the end of 2020.
Emily Benfer, David Bloom Robinson, and Stacy Butler et al., The COVID-19 Eviction Crisis: an Estim ated 30-40
Million People in Am erica Are at Risk, Aspen Institute, August 7, 2020, https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/the-
covid-19-eviction-crisis-an-estimated-30-40-million-people-in-america-are-at-risk/.
70 Stout, Risius Ross LLC, Analysis of Current and Expected Rental Shortfall and Potential Eviction Filings in the
U.S., National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies, September 25, 2020, https://www.ncsha.org/wp-content/
uploads/Analysis-of-Current -and-Expected-Rental-Shortfall-and-Potential-Evictions-in-the-US_Stout_FINAL.pdf; and
John Lonski, Weekly Market Outlook: Markets Avoid Great Recession’s Calam ities, Moody’s Analytics, August 13,
2020, p. 9, https://www.moodysanalytics.com/-/media/article/2020/weekly-market-outlook-markets-avoid-great-
recessions-calamities.pdf.
71 See the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics, Monthly Situation news releases and COVID-
19 impact summaries, available at https://www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-and-response-on-the-
employment -situation-news-release.htm.
72 See CRS Insight IN11475, Economic Activity and the Expiration of COVID-19 Relief Provisions.
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Funding for Rental Assistance: In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funding
may have helped some renters withstand job loss and maintain their housing payments. In
addition to the CARES Act funding sources discussed in this report, individuals and families may
have received economic impact payments and increased unemployment benefits. Renters may
also have used savings or borrowed funds to meet rent obligations. States and localities have been
able to draw on federal funds, as wel as their own resources, to assist people who are homeless or
at risk of losing their housing. However, as time goes on, these resources may be depleted,
particularly as households and governments struggle with their budgets.73 In addition to concerns
about people becoming newly homeless, it is possible that those experiencing homelessness prior
to the pandemic who obtained housing through short-term rental assistance or in hotel-type
settings may become homeless again.
Additional funding for rental assistance for people already experiencing homelessness and those
potential y at risk of losing their housing has been proposed in legislation passed by the House in
the 116th Congress. The housing provisions of the Heroes Act (H.R. 6800), also included in the
Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act (H.R. 7301), would provide $11.5 bil ion for
people experiencing homelessness and $100 bil ion for short- and medium-term rental assistance
for eligible individuals and families.74 A subsequent version of the Heroes Act (H.R. 925), passed
by the House on October 1, 2020, would provide $5 bil ion and $50 bil ion, respectively, for these
purposes. If rental assistance funding were to be appropriated, fewer people might lose housing
and those currently experiencing homelessness may be able to move into housing units.
Ability to Find New Accommodations after Loss of Housing: Evictions and loss of housing do
not necessarily result in homelessness as defined by HUD (living on the street or in other places
not meant for human habitation, in shelters, or in transitional housing). There are no
comprehensive data available that show what happens to families after an eviction occurs.
Families may be able to move in with other family members or friends, or perhaps find lower-
cost housing, though this may stil leave them at risk of homelessness in the future. An analysis of
tenants evicted in New York City over a period from 2007-2016 found that in the years
subsequent to eviction, evicted individuals had increased probability of both applying to homeless
shelters and spending days in shelter.75 Further, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be
less wil ingness to double up with family and friends because of fears of transmission.
Supply and Demand for Rental Housing: The economic and health conditions of the COVID-
19 pandemic make comparisons to other time periods difficult. The availability and cost of
housing, as wel as landlord requirements, may change if a significant percentage of renters have
evictions and arrearages on their records. For these reasons, some landlords may be wil ing to
work with tenants on payment plans to make up arrearages, particularly if tenants paid reliably

73 For example, see Diana Farrell, Peter Ganong, and Fiona Greig et al., The unemployment benefit boost: Trends in
spending and saving when the $600 supplem ent ended , JP Morgan Chase & Co. Institute, October 2020,
https://www.jpmorganchase.com/content/dam/jpmc/jpmorgan-chase-and-co/institute/pdf/Institute-UI-Benefits-Boost -
Policy-Brief_ADA.pdf.
74 For more information, see CRS Report R46434, HEROES Act, Division K—COVID-19 Housing, Economic Relief,
and Oversight Act.
75 Robert Collinson and Davin Reed, The Effects of Evictions on Low-Income Households, December 2018,
https://www.law.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/upload_doc uments/evictions_collinson_reed.pdf.
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Homelessness and COVID-19

prior to the pandemic.76 Both demand for and supply of rental housing could be affected if more
people move in with family and friends, whether to save money or out of necessity. Conditions
may not become clear until wel after the pandemic is over.
Available Data
National homelessness data do not yet show the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on the
numbers of people who are experiencing homelessness are not easily or quickly updated. HUD
releases two national estimates of people who are homeless, both of which are updated annualy.77
One is a point-in-time (PIT) count of the number of people experiencing homelessness on one
day during the month of January. The second is an annual estimate of people experiencing
sheltered homelessness over the course of a fiscal year (i.e., the estimate includes people living in
shelter or transitional housing, but not those living on the street or other places not meant for
human habitation). The PIT count was most recently released for 2019, and the most recent full-
year estimate of sheltered homelessness is from FY2018.78
The circumstances of these methodologies mean that the magnitude of increases in homelessness
that could result from the COVID-19 pandemic national y may not be readily quantifiable. In
addition, federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums, and federal funding through the CARES
Act, may have helped families and individuals who would otherwise have lost housing maintain it
in recent months, so the full scale of people unable to pay for housing may not become apparent
until moratoriums end.

Author Information

Libby Perl

Specialist in Housing Policy

76 Some groups, as well as HUD, have released suggestions for landlords about payment agreements and avoiding
evictions. See National Association of Realtors, “ Coronavirus: Housing Providers FAQs,” https://www.nar.realtor/
political-advocacy/coronavirus-housing-providers-faqs; National Multifamily Housing Council, “ T ools for
Communicating with Residents,” https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/analysis-and-guidance/emergency-
preparedness/communicating-with-residents-rent/; and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, “ Tools
for Landlords with T enants Impacted by COVID-19,” https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/COVID-19-
T ools-for-Landlords-Tenants-Impacted-by-COVID-19.pdf.
77 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF10312, How Many People Experience Homelessness?
78 Reports that include both estimates are available on HUD’s website at https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-
assistance/ahar/.
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