Monday, Dec 17 2012 8:18PM

The HUD noted that the number of homeless Americans declined only slightly from last year.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced homelessness rates experienced a modest decline in 2012.

The agency noted that homelessness nationwide fell 0.4 percent in January 2012, from the same period last year. However, on a single night in January 2012, 633,782 people in local communities were without shelter. Veterans experienced the most gains in reducing homelessness, which fell by 7.2 percent during this period, followed closely by a reduction in persons experiencing long-term homelessness, which declined by 6.8 percent.

"We continue to see a stable level of homelessness across our country at a time of great stress for those at risk of losing their housing," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "We must redouble our efforts to target our resources more effectively to help those at greatest risk. As our nation's economic recovery takes hold, we will make certain that our homeless veterans and those living on our streets find stable housing so they can get on their path to recovery."

California carried the highest rate of homelessness in the country with a rate of 20.7 percent. In recent years, the state has made strides to free up more affordable housing assistance for residents, and several organizations have been instrumental in this goal. For example, the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition began with $10,000 in grant funding from the Aetna Foundation when it was founded 30 years ago, and has since built more than 4,000 homes for low-income families valued at $500 million, according to the Desert Sun.

For more information, check out this resource: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development