The frustration and aggravation of moving is something everyone hates, but in an odd sort of way, it's a luxury. Because in reality, hundreds of thousands of people don't have the financial ability to move into a new home. In fact, they don't have the financial ability to have a home period.
But with the help of the Obama administration, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
is doing what it can to make homelessness a thing of the past.
Through President Obama's "Opening Doors" strategy, HUD is awarding some $1.41 billion in funding to 7,000 homeless shelters across the country.
"There is a tremendous need on our streets and in our shelters among those experiencing both long-term homelessness as well as families confronting a sudden economic crisis," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "These grants are the life blood for thousands of local housing and service programs that are doing the heavy lifting to meet President Obama's goal of ending homelessness.
The 19 federal agencies involved in the president's initiative are hopeful that the program will end chronic homelessness among veterans by 2015, and homelessness among children by 2020.
According to the latest numbers from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there was a 3 percent rise in homelessness between 2008 and 2009, going from 636,324 in 2009 to 656,129.