The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must expand its definition of homelessness to include children and families temporarily staying with others (doubling up) as its current definition only includes sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. With increasing renting rates reducing the financial security among marginalized communities, the likelihood that lower-income families are doubling up is increasing. In Chicago alone, 75.6% of the 65,611 people identified to be homeless were doubling up which implies that the HUD identify the other 24.4% as homeless when discussing resource allocation.

Children exposed to doubling up have been associated with issues involving mental health, self-efficacy, relationship building, and educational performance while doubling up has also been identified as a precedent to sheltered and unsheltered homelessness.  

My personal experience with doubling up involved a consistent shift between school districts as my siblings and I were often separated into different relatives’ households who could take care of us. My mother, who was trying to raise four children and balance two working-class jobs following the 2008 recession, developed signs of depression and anxiety while frantically struggling to find support from friends and relatives. It got to the point where I remember nights that I had to spend sleeping on restaurant floors with my mother as she transitioned from closing to opening shifts. Yet, my family, along with all others struggling to find a place to sleep, was also not considered for the HUD’s criterium of homelessness.

Widespread combatting of doubled-up homelessness cannot be possible if the HUD does not include doubling up in its definition of homelessness. However, the 2021 Homeless Children and Youth Act provides opportunities to support doubled-up homelessness if implemented.

The Homeless Children and Youth Act ensures that children and families dealing with doubled-up homelessness attain the necessary resources by:

·         Expanding the HUD’s definition of homelessness to include families living in motels and/or staying with others.

·         Requiring the HUD to broaden its scope to the entirety of communities' observed needs when providing resources.

·         Incorporate evidence-based surveillance of the demographics and etiology for an accurate representation of doubled-up homelessness.

Sign this petition in agreement to spread awareness to the underrepresented groups of homeless families and urge local representatives to support the Homeless Children and Youth Act!