The Death of Reason

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, approximately 653,100 people experienced homelessness in America on any single night in 2023, representing a 12% increase from the previous year and, tragically, the highest-ever reported level. Soaring rents coupled with the phasing out of coronavirus pandemic assistance have put housing out of reach for many ordinary Americans. From coast to coast, localities are grappling with a seemingly intractable problem. Contrary to popular misconceptions, the plight of homelessness is not just an issue facing the nation’s poorer corners. Far from it. Many of America’s most affluent cities, from New York to Los Angeles, bear a disproportionate share of the nation’s unhoused population. California, America’s wealthiest state, has the highest number of homeless people. This is no accident, as an increasing number of individuals are simply priced out of the Golden State’s notoriously expensive rental market.  The high cost of housi