A January 2024 point-in-time study found that more than 5,000 Philadelphians were dealing with homelessness. That’s a 10% increase from a comparable period the previous year and the third consecutive year that the city saw a bump in the number of unhoused people. Those numbers do not account for all of the city’s homeless population because many Philadelphians conceal their housing situation and are unaccounted for in the city’s data on homelessness. “The Invisible Unhoused” are our friends, coworkers and family members living in temporary conditions by “couch surfing” with friends or living out of their cars.  What are some of the challenges they face and what barriers prevent Philadelphia from solving this housing crisis?

Join WHYY News Community & Engagement team for ‘Bridging Blocks,’ a civic dialogue series in partnership with The Free Library of Philadelphia.

Moderators -

Eric Marsh Sr. Manager Community & Engagement, WHYY News

Brisa Luzzi Castro, Community Conversation Convener.

Bridging Blocks, a partnership between The Free Library of Philadelphia and WHYY, is made possible by a generous grant from Fred and Barbara Sutherland.