In big cities across America, homelessness has been so bad for so long that many have given up on ever ending it entirely.

Last year, federal agencies counted a staggering 582,462 homeless people nationwide – up nearly 20% since 2015.

It’s not the same everywhere.

Homeless figures in California, for instance, increased more than any other state – from 162,000 just before the pandemic to 172,000 last year.