July 8, 2010 - The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) in a recent study estimates that 4.85 million people are living in housing units with extended family, friends and other non-relatives due to economic hardship nationwide.  This includes an estimated 36,000 individuals in Connecticut alone. 

NAEH's research, Economy Bytes: Doubled Up in the United States, indicates this to be a 5% jump between 2005 and 2008.  An larger percentage of those individuals doubling up are families.  In addition, the number of individuals doubled up who are severely housing cost burdened, defined as spending more than 50% of their income on housing, has increased 11% between 2005 and 2008.

While not all who are doubled up become homeless, doubling up often serves as a precursor to homelessness.  In 2008, approximately 46% of who were not homeless before accessing shelter services spent the previous night at the home of a friend or family member.

Please click here to see NEAH's interactive map of the number of individuals doubled up state by state.