Austin sees 5% rise in homeless count
Preliminary numbers from the 2019 PIT count in Austin/Travis County found 105 more persons living sheltered or unsheltered compared to 2018 for a total of 2,255. Veterans living on the street did see a significant drop from 68 to 37 persons. The count also reported a decrease in youth (18-24) homelessness. More than 500 volunteers assisted with the count. For more information, read the Austin Statesman article.
The NHIP notes that the Austin Statesman (the major Austin daily newspaper) incorrectly reported an unsheltered total of 2,255. This is yet another example of the problem of confusing the numbers of people unsheltered with those who live in housing facilities (emergency and transitional housing). Approximately 1,100 persons are unsheltered in Austin/Travis County on any given night based on the 2019 PIT results with the remaining housed in facilities.
Santa Barbara sees large rise in unsheltered counts; unexplained drop in emergency
The Santa Barbara PIT 2019 results showed a 27% percent rise in the unsheltered count from 893 in 2017 to 1,133 in 2019. The 2019 PIT COUNT REPORT completed by ASR also reported a large decrease in sheltered homelessness, falling from 967 in 2017 to 670 in 2019. Santa Barbara does show 300+ overflow shelter beds on its HIC chart. It is possible that these beds were in use this past January. The report does not provide any explanation or data on shelter bed inventories. PIT data also show a 13% increase in veteran homelessness rising from 104 in 2018 to 118 in 2019.
Minnesota reports record homeless total
Wilder Research in Minnesota completes a statewide homeless census every three years. Preliminary results from the 2018 were recently released showing a new record high total of 10,214 sheltered and unsheltered estimate based on the single-day count. The increase is largely driven by a 62% increase in unsheltered homelessness rising from 1,662 in 2015 to 2,694 in 2018. The count did find a slight decrease in homeless families. Persons aged 55 and older jumped 25% from the 2015 count. The full report by Wilder Research will be released late this spring.
South Dakota reports drop from 2018
The South Dakota Statewide Continuum tallied a total of 995 homeless persons including 761 sheltered and 234 unsheltered on January 22nd. This count represented a significant 15% drop from 1,159 counted in 2018. SD Continuum leaders reported very cold weather during the night of the count, compared to 2018, however, most of the drop came from a decrease in emergency shelter utilization. It is unclear if few shelters were open during 2019 compared to 2018. A failure to report available shelter beds (ES and TH) hampers the ability to understand homeless PIT count data.
LAHSA Report: Homelessness is a by-product of racism in America
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Administration recently released the "REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON BLACK PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS" funded by the California Community Foundation (CCF) Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Enterprise Community Partners Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti Weingart Foundation. The focus of the report addresses the disparity between the rate of homelessness among Black/African-American in Los Angeles County (40%) compared to their population prevalence (9%).
Additional Key Highlights included:
- Blacks represented a higher proportion of shelter clients (31%) compared to whites (24%).
- 20% of black persons experiencing homelessness were families compared to 12% of non-black persons
- The LA CES placed black persons in Permanent Housing at an equal rate compared to whites
- Long-term permanent housing retention for formerly homeless blacks trailed whites.
- Asians represented only 1% of the homeless population compared to their prevalence of 16% in LA County.
The NHIP commends the focus on race/ethnicity and homeless prevalence since it is one of the biggest factors in understanding homelessness with an effect larger than mental illness and substance abuse. It is important the HUD and communities further disaggregate the very heterogeneous race and ethnicity categories of white, black and hispanic to better capture minority differences.
The report, however, did not examine the relationship between household composition and homelessness, especially the prevalence of single adult households (with or without children) and at the rate of homelessness among different race/ethnic groups. Blacks typically have 3 times the rate of single adult households compared to whites. The NHIP has identified single adult households as the primary factor in homelessness. In addition, the report did not focus on the anti-family policies of U.S. Housing Policy which work to disproportionately fragment African-American households putting them at greater risk of homelessness.
The NHIP notes that 2018 PIT data show a significant decline in Black Homelessness in LA County (20,960 to 17,825) and a large increase in white homelessness (10,614 to 12,538) compared to 2017. The report primarily analyzed 2017 homeless data.
The NHIP kindly requests persons involved in the 2019 PIT Count to complete our short 12-question survey on PIT Count implementation. Responses will be posted at the end of May. We hope to get receive at least 200 responses. Thank you to those who have already participated!
Have a Nice Day -
The NHIP
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