Attacks on the homeless jumped 23 percent last year: Report

The streets have become an increasingly dangerous place to be homeless.

While the number of homeless people in the US dropped for the third straight year in 2012, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s latest estimates, advocates can’t quite celebrate yet.

Homeless people experienced a 23 percent surge in targeted attacks last year as compared to the number of assaults in 2012, according to preliminary figures released by the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH).

NCH, the only national organization to track crimes against the homeless, is slated to publish its 15th annual report on the topic in April, Michael Stoops, director of community organizing, told The Huffington Post.

In 2013, there were a total of 108 reported attacks against the homeless, according to preliminary figures. Nineteen of those assaults resulted in death, Stoops said. The year before, there were 88 reported attacks, 18 of which resulted in death.

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