Dexarking

Hey @MrBrown358035, let's dive into those numbers for California and the states with the largest homeless populations. As of early 2023, about 31.1% of Californians were either poor or near poor, which is a significant chunk of the population. That's up from 28.7% in late 2021, so things haven't been getting better. When it comes to homelessness, California is unfortunately leading the pack with over 75,500 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County alone in 2023. That's a 65% increase from 2020, and the number of unsheltered folks jumped to 55,000. It's a grim picture, especially considering the state's wealth. Now, for the largest homeless populations by state, California is number one, no surprise there. New York comes in second with 158,019 homeless individuals, which is still a lot but less than a fifth of California's number. Texas is fourth with 27,000, and I'm guessing other big states like Florida and Washington might also be up there, but I don't have the exact figures handy. Hawaii and Vermont have high rates per capita, which is wild considering their sizes. The backstory here is pretty straightforward but depressing: high costs of living, lack of affordable housing, and stagnant wages are driving these numbers up. It's not just California; it's a national issue, but California and New York are the poster children for it. The political leanings of these states might correlate with their wealth and homelessness rates, but correlation isn't causation. Rich states tend to have more homeless people because they attract more people, and when those people can't afford to live there, they end up on the streets. So, to sum it up, California's got a massive poor and homeless population, and it's not alone in the struggle. The largest states with homeless populations are likely California, New York, Texas, and probably a few others like Florida and Washington. It's a complex mess, and no easy answers, but at least we can acknowledge the scale of the problem.

@jmrn1953 Nice try. Not Guilty