Homelessness Info

IN AMERICA

 

Statistics (taken directly from The National Alliance to End Homelessness):

On a single night in January 2015, 564,708 people were experiencing homelessness — meaning they were sleeping outside or in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program.

  • In total, 33 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) reported decreases in overall homelessness, while 16 states reported increases. The states with decreases in homelessness were concentrated in the South and Midwest.
  • Despite a national decrease in unsheltered homelessness, only 18 states reported decreases in the number of people living in unsheltered locations, including the street, cars, and abandoned buildings. The national decrease in unsheltered homelessness was driven in large part by decreases in unsheltered homelessness in Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
  • The national rate of homelessness in 2015 fell to 17.7 homeless people per 10,000 people in the general population from 18.3 in 2014. The rates in individual states ranged from 111 in D.C. to 7 in Mississippi.
  • The rate of veteran homelessness continued its descent of the past several years to 24.8 homeless veterans per 10,000 veterans in the general population. The rates in individual states ranged from 145 in D.C. to 9 in Virginia.
  • The majority of states had decreases in every major subpopulation: family homelessness (33 states and D.C.), chronically homeless individuals (31 states and D.C.), and veteran homelessness (33 states).

 

 

IN AUSTIN

 

Statistics (taken directly from Austin ECHO):

HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN & TRAVIS COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS
  • Our last Point-in-Time (PIT) count, the national standard for collecting census data on local homeless populations, counted 2,138 persons experiencing homelessness on January 22, 2016, a 17% increase from the previous year.
  • Similarly, the number of persons who experienced homelessness and sought homeless services increased almost 14%, from 6,104 people in 2014 to 7,054 people in 2015.
WHO EXPERIENCES HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN & TRAVIS COUNTY?
  • Persons living on the streets are often the most visible face of homelessness in our community. Others are less visible living in camps, cars or abandoned buildings.  This unsheltered group make up 70% of all the homeless population while the rest stay in shelters.
  • The largest subpopulations experiencing homelessness in Austin are:
    • individuals (80%),
    • males (60%),
    • African Americans (42%)
    • and 45-65 year olds (40%)
  • Other impacted groups include families with children, survivors of domestic violence, Veterans & unaccompanied youth.
  • Our homeless population experiences high rates of mental and physical health complications exacerbated by living on the streets and in shelters. Approximately 45% report having a current mental health problem, while over 38% report receiving treatment for substance use addictions in the past but returning to drinking or using drugs.

 

Initiatives:

  • The Austin Police Department created a task force in 2016 to proactively reach out to homeless people in Austin. The Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) walks daily on the streets, offering assistance to the homeless people they encounter. Read more.

 

Organizations to Volunteer For:

  • Mission: Possible! Austin — Volunteer in the Community Center, at Church Under the Bridge (to serve breakfast/meals, hand out clothes, etc.), or for some of their other community outreach programs.
  • Caritas of Austin — Volunteer in their kitchen on weekday mornings, or help with their food pantry, with reception, etc. Many of the people I’ve met rely on Caritas for a meal or more a day.
  • Austin ECHO — Volunteer to help in the Point-In-Time Count, which seeks out homeless people in one night to discern a number of homeless people in Austin. Austin ECHO is the primary surveying organization regarding the homeless in Austin.