Barriers islands in the Arctic make up nearly a quarter of the world's barrier islands, and they're more vulnerable to climate change than islands anywhere else in the world. The reason: melting of sea ice and the permafrost that buffers Arctic islands from waves have left them susceptible to constant pounding from storms.
Homelessness Defined. Homelessness is a temporary condition that people fall into when they cannot afford to pay for a place to live, or when their current home is unsafe or unstable.
Scope of Homelessness Nationwide 1. On a single night in January 2016, there were 549,928 people experiencing homelessness in the United States; 68 percent sheltered and 32 percent unsheltered. One quarter (22 percent or 120,819) were children under the age of 18. Nine percent (50,001) were between the ages of 18 and 24.