The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) reported to Congress yesterday "worst case housing needs" grew by more than 20% from 2007 to '09. That figure represents a growth of 1.2 million households.
“Worst case housing needs” are defined as low-income households that paid more than half their monthly income for rent, lived in severely substandard housing, or both.
These households totaled 7.1 million in 2009, up from 5.91 million in 2007, according to HUD — the largest two-year jump since it began tracking the segment in 1985. According to HUD, the number of worst-case households has grown by 42% since 2001.
The findings are based on data from the U.S Census Bureau's American Housing Survey conducted between May and September 2009.