Nevada’s increase in homeless individuals largest in nation
Twenty states saw an increase in the number of homeless individuals between 2013 and 2014, with Nevada experiencing the largest surge of 1,733 more individuals, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Homeless individuals are defined as people who are not part of a family during their episode of homelessness, according to the 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress.
Officials in Southern Nevada were not surprised by the increase, which was apparent in the 2014 Southern Nevada Homeless Census & Survey released in May, said Michele Fuller-Hallauer, continuum of care coordinator for the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition.
“Our largest increase took place in the individuals category,” she said. “Many things contribute to that, especially given that we are a transient community. We have a lot of folks who come to our community thinking they will have a job opportunity and that’s not the case. This is such a complex issue, you can’t just give one answer.”
Other states with large increases in the number of homeless individuals include Colorado, Washington and Hawaii, according to the report. The largest decreases in homeless individuals since 2013 were in California, Florida and Texas, among others states, according to the report.
Fourteen states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in overall homelessness, which includes homeless individuals, homeless families, homeless children and youth, homeless veterans and chronically homeless people. New York experienced the largest increase for homelessness.
Nevada has an estimated homeless population of 10,556, according to the report.
Leslie Carmine, spokeswoman with Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, said in September, the average number of men staying at the day shelter for increment weather, which is open from May through September, was 314. The shelter was only funded for 130 men, but the organization had to fund raise money to pick up the additional costs.
The nonprofit is trying to keep the day shelter open through November. The day shelter has community providers that help veteran homeless and homeless with a mental illness.
“If it’s not available, they are just going to end up on the streets,” she said.
In September, the average number of men staying at the nonprofit’s year-round emergency night shelter was 488, Carmine said.
This year, Catholic Charities’ food pantry is serving over 4,500 families per month, she said. Last year, it served about 3,300 to 3,500 families per month.
“We continuously have to try to be as efficient as possible with the funding that is given,” she said.
The report found that there were 578,424 people across the country experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2014. Seventy percent of those people were staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing. The first part of the report offers a snapshot of the homeless population on a single night and is based on data reported by state and local planning agencies.
The one-night counts are conducted in late January by 414 Continuums of Care organizations nationwide, according to the report.
Overall, homelessness has declined by 62,042 people since 2010, according to the report. That represents a 10 percent reduction.
In 2010, the Obama administration launched Opening Doors, the nation’s first comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness, according to the report.
The homelessness issue is a “primary focus” for HUD and the Obama administration, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro said Thursday during a conference call. Since 2010, veteran homelessness fell by 33 percent, chronic homelessness declined by 21 percent and homelessness among families decreased by 15 percent.
“These statistics represent more than numbers on a page,” he said. “They are folks getting a fresh start.”
Southern Nevada saw a 28 percent increase in its homeless population from the previous year with a total count of 9,417 homeless individuals in 2014, according to the Southern Nevada Homeless Census & Survey released in May.
However, the 2013 Southern Nevada Homeless Census & Survey had indicated that there was a 22 percent drop in the number of people living on the streets in Clark County over the past two years.
The survey found that the number of homeless people in 2013 had decreased to 7,355 from 9,432 in 2011.
“We prioritize (services) to those people who have been homeless the longest and have serious barriers to housing,” said Fuller-Hallauer.
Contact Yesenia Amaro at yamaro@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440. Find her on Twitter: @YeseniaAmaro
