A new study published by the National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that 744,313 Americans experienced homelessness in 2005. The numbers were compiled from local point-in-time counts of the homeless done all over the nation during 2005 for the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Acknowledging the difficulties in counting homeless people, NAEH says that “the counts included in this report are not perfect and have numerous limitations, but they are the best data available at this time.”
According to the report, 10,765 people experienced homelessness in North Carolina in 2005 — 6,256 sheltered and 3,800 unsheltered. In Guilford County, we reported 536 sheltered and 276 unsheltered homeless people in 2005 (812 total; 81.28% individuals, 18.72% families with children.) We also counted an additional 1128 homeless people whom we were not able to include in our total because they did not fit HUD’s methodology for the count. In other words, our “official” total for 2005 was less than half of the homeless people that we actually counted. (HUD’s methodology is strict to avoid duplication. That’s a worthy goal. But the rules can and do result in undercounting at times, as well.)
Knowing that the 744,313 U.S. total is based on HUD counts, I strongly suspect that the actual number of homeless people is higher (perhaps considerably higher) than the report indicates. But it’s good to have a number based on counts done by the same methodology, because it means that future totals can be compared against one another more accurately to determine the percentage of increase (or decrease, hopefully someday!) in the number of homeless people.
Additional statistics from the national report:
- 59% individuals; 41% persons in families
- 23% chronically homeless
- 56% sheltered (emergency shelter or transitional facility); 44% unsheltered (sleeping/living on the street)
Surprisingly, the report does not contain statistics on mental illness, substance abuse or veteran status, although each of those categories is reported to HUD as part of the annual point-in-time count of the homeless.
This year’s homeless count is scheduled for Wednesday, January 24th and is being coordinated locally by the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County. Info on the count is available here.
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