Tag Archives: Climate Change Homelessness

News

Rising Costs, Rising Seas: Climate Correlation in New Jersey

By Giada Schwam

Climate change continues to be a pressing issue for many vulnerable areas around the world. People who do not have access to adequate housing, food, water and other crucial resources are the most affected by pollution and climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Over 20 million people are displaced around the world each year because of natural disasters and other extreme climate change events. Hurricanes, wildfires and mudslides can leave many peo-
ple without homes. Rebuilding or buying a new home is not accessible for everyone, so many are forced into homelessness after natural disasters.

Those who are migrating from areas that are inhabitable due to natural disasters and climate change are also susceptible to homelessness. People without stable housing are most affected since they are not protected from the elements.

“Climate just adds to the challenges of being homeless,” said Diane Bates, a TCNJ environmental studies professor.

People who are homeless during the climate crisis are less likely to hear about public health threats from an incoming natural disaster, and therefore may not be able to evacuate in a timely manner. Weather exposure also makes homeless people vulnerable to hypothermia, dehydration and heat exhaustion.

“Because of the greater instability of winter storms and places in New Jersey getting more concentrated rainfall events, those things are more likely to put people who are living outdoors at greater lev-
els of risk,” Bates said.

A staggering 91% of homeless people who live in urban or suburban areas are susceptible to the heat island effect, which makes heat waves more intense. The heat island effect occurs when a com-
munity is surrounded by densely populated buildings that trap heat
and cause temperatures to rise. Temperatures all over New Jersey have been rising for longer periods of time.

During the summer of 2024, it was 90 degrees in Mercer County for a 14-day span. Higher temperatures cause stronger heat waves that can make chronic health conditions worsen with longer exposure.

“Large urban unhoused populations in New Jersey are also subjected to urban flooding, which is increasing,” Bates said, adding another layer to the environmental threat unhoused individuals are
facing.

According to Monarch Housing Associates, the homeless population has risen by 17% in New Jersey over the past few years. As of January 2024, around 12,000 people are homeless in New Jersey.

A report conducted on the affordable housing situation in New Jersey revealed that counties such as Atlantic, Hoboken and Camden are more exposed to sea-level rises, which is expected to increase along with the negative effects of global warming.

Rising sea levels and flooding not only displace people from their
homes, but also drive up housing costs.

“The cost of housing is increasing…part of that due to climate change,” said Bates. In high-risk areas like the Jersey Shore, regulations under the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) further complicate the housing crisis.

“Any area that is subject to CAFRA, from the Garden State Parkway to the ocean, have different housing standards for constructions. It’s more expensive to build in those areas because you have
to adhere to CAFRA standards,” Bates said.

As climate change intensifies, its intersection with housing instability must be addressed urgently, according to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. This report emphasized that solutions should balance environmental protection with equity, ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left further behind.

News

Could Climate Change Worsen Trenton’s Homelessness Crisis?

This story is part of The Streetlight’s participation in a statewide climate reporting collaboration by members of the NJ College News Commons, a network of campus media outlets working together to cover the climate crisis in New Jersey.

By Joshua Trifari

New Jersey is perhaps one of the states most vulnerable to climate disaster in the upcoming century. Several areas of the Garden State are very low-lying, leaving many neighborhoods, both poor and wealthy, likely to experience flooding.

A disaster like Superstorm Sandy in 2012 was predicted to occur only once every 260 years in New Jersey, according to an article published by Stevens Institute of Technology. However, by the end of the century, New Jersey can expect to see a storm with a similar intensity and impact of Sandy once every five years. This brings serious questions as to how New Jersey would be able to sustain such recurring damages from the storms to come.

In an interview with The Streetlight, Jay Everett of Cranford-based Monarch Housing Associates, stated that the effects of sea level rise can decrease property stock and increase property values, therefore making housing less accessible.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2019 “Out of Reach” report shows that in order to afford to rent a two-bedroom home in New Jersey, a household would need to earn $28.86 an hour. The current minimum wage in New Jersey is $10 an hour, though that is scheduled to increase over the coming years. Everett noted that even families with more middle-class incomes struggle with affording the cost of housing in New Jersey. He suggested that increasing the availability of housing stock that is both affordable and sustainable in places that are not vulnerable to persistent flooding would provide a buffer against the impacts of climate change on homelessness.

In Trenton, some of the potential impacts of climate change have already been studied. In a scenario of one foot of sea level rise, the Delaware River will flood more intensely according to the Climate Central Surging Seas Risk Zone Map, as well as creeks that lead into the Delaware River, such as Assunpink Creek, which runs through downtown Trenton. At two feet of sea level rise, parts of I-195 and I-295 in Hamilton Township, just outside of Trenton leading into the city, will become impassable.

Warmer temperatures are also expected. By 2050, New Jersey is expected to experience 34 “Danger Days” per year according to an analysis by Climate Central, where the heat index will exceed 105°F. Currently, New Jersey only experiences about seven “Danger Days” per year. By 2100, the Summer average temperature in New Jersey is expected to feel like Miami, increasing by 9°F.

Trenton’s population experiencing homelessness has already experienced concerns due to extreme weather. As reported in a previous edition of The Streetlight, the Trenton Free Public Library was forced to close down several times during the summer of 2019 due to the air conditioning not functioning properly.

In an interview, when asked about the city’s concern for the vulnerability of the homeless population, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora’s Chief of Staff, Yoshi Manale, told The Streetlight that “the City of Trenton does a good job of keeping housing prices low and foreclosures low,” which he said helps prevent people from entering homelessness. However, Manale noted that he does not have specific expertise as to how climate change can impact homelessness.

In 2010, the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University prepared a climate action plan for the City of Trenton. This plan includes recommendations for municipal operations, community- wide energy efficiency programs, water conservation, and community waste reduction. Emphasis was placed on making the housing stock in Trenton more energy efficient, while other parts of the report note how planting native vegetation near Assunpink Creek could prevent flooding and describe plans to work with the East Trenton Collaborative to make the area around the creek more resistant to flooding. However, the report makes no mention of the impact of climate change on people experiencing homelessness in Trenton.