Homelessness in Brazil Rises to Over 365,000, Highlighting Urgent Socioeconomic Challenges
A recent study shows Brazil's homeless population exceeded 365,000 in late 2024, driven by economic hardship, inadequate policies, and climate crises, with São Paulo as the hardest-hit.
- • Brazil’s homeless population rose to 365,822 by December 2024, with numbers climbing since 2022 after pandemic-related declines.
- • 61% of homeless individuals reside in the Southeast region, particularly in São Paulo, which has around 150,958 homeless people.
- • Key causes include insufficient housing and employment policies, post-pandemic living challenges, and climate emergencies causing displacement.
- • São Paulo allocated R$ 633 million for homelessness initiatives; advocates stress the need for job training and changing public perceptions.
Key details
Recent data from the Observatório Brasileiro de Políticas Públicas com a População em Situação de Rua, affiliated with the Federal University of Minas Gerais, reveal a marked rise in the homeless population in Brazil. As of December 2024, there are 365,822 people living on the streets—a significant increase from the previous year and a continuing upward trend since 2022 following a temporary decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. This data draws on the Cadastro Único de Programas Sociais (CadÚnico), which tracks social program beneficiaries.
The majority of Brazil’s homeless population, approximately 61%, is located in the Southeast region, with São Paulo alone accounting for around 150,958 individuals. Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais also register substantial numbers. Experts attribute this rise to multiple factors, including ineffective public policies on housing and employment, compounded by the lasting effects of the pandemic and climate emergencies that have forced many from their homes.
Robson César Correia de Mendonça, representing the State Movement of the Homeless Population in São Paulo, emphasized persistent food insecurity among the homeless despite some improvements in social vulnerability metrics. He highlighted that many cannot afford basic necessities, including food and medication, due to soaring living costs and diminished employment opportunities influenced by technological shifts.
To address these challenges, São Paulo's Social Development Secretariat has designated R$ 633 million to local municipalities. These funds aim to support new food programs and therapeutic residential services targeting the homeless. Correia also underscored the importance of public education to shift societal perceptions of homeless individuals from outcasts to citizens in need, alongside better vocational training programs to facilitate workforce reintegration.
The Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship has yet to respond to these new findings. Overall, the data paints a pressing picture of homelessness linked to broader economic instability, policy gaps, and climate-related displacement, demanding urgent and coordinated government and societal responses.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
