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Alarmed by sharp increases in the number of homeless in the US, many leading advocates for the homeless say the country's housing system is in crisis, and that the lives of millions of homeless men, women and children hang in the balance. Recent national surveys indicate that low wages, unemployment and skyrocketing medical expenses have contributed to an almost unprecedented increase in the number of homeless individuals and families in the past two to three years. Advocates say only a massive federal program can correct the problem. Armed with new legislation, they are fighting back against Bush administration proposals to restructure housing voucher programs and reduce funding levels for the nation's neediest individuals. In the last three years, the number of people requesting emergency housing and food assistance has increased drastically, according to surveys of 25 major cities conducted annually by the US Conference of Mayors. In 2003, the survey found that requests for emergency housing increased by thirteen percent on average, following a nineteen percent increase in 2002, a thirteen percent increase in 2001, and a fifteen percent increase in 2000. In 1997, by comparison, the increase was just 3 percent. In addition, as more families and children become homeless each year, decades-old homeless demographics are slowly changing. In 1990 the Mayors' survey noted that single men accounted for 51 percent of all homeless. Families with children trailed at 34 percent, followed by single women at twelve percent. In 2003 single men made up just 41 percent of the homeless. Families with children accounted for 40 percent, and single women, 14 percent. [more]