So,numbers came out yesterday on the annual count of the homeless in the Madison/Dane County. The numbers are grossly undercounted since we only count in Madison, and there are serious questions about how the count is done, simply because homeless people usually try NOT to be found, so they are likely missed. The increase since 2011 is really disturbing. The simultaneous decrease in day shelter services, especially in the winter, is nothing short of disturbing. No surprise, really, if you follow my blog. I should also note, that there may be a better effort to count the number of people who are homeless. The traditional service providers had been running the count and not including the grassroots groups, better efforts have been made in recent years and part of the increase, tho not the entire amount, may be do to people who have relationships with people, therefore know where they sleep, have been helping to count people and a different agency is taking leadership in counting people.
The short story or take aways for me are:
– 35 – 44% increase in homelessness in the past 4 years
– Unsheltered homelessness is up 123 – 180%
– More single adults than individuals in families even tho we tend to focus on homeless children
– Veteran homelessness is a small fraction of our homeless and is decreasing
– Full numbers, such as they are, are here. What do you see in the numbers?
OVERALL NUMBERS, 35 – 44% INCREASE SINCE 2011
The Homeless Services Consortium does a count in January and July at on “point in time” and count the number of people in shelters and homeless housing programs and those who are unsheltered during one night or a 24 hour period. The overall numbers go like this:
January 2011 – 573 persons
January 2012 – 736 persons
January 2013 – 831 persons
January 2014 – 777 persons
July 2011 – 547 persons
July 2012 – 702 persons
July 2013 – 776 persons
July 2014 – 792 persons
UNSHELTERED PERSONS UP 123 – 180%
The unsheltered people (sleeping outside, in cars, etc.) numbers look like this.
January 2011 – 42 persons
January 2012 – 77 persons
January 2013 – 99 persons
January 2014 – 94 persons
Comparison Jan July 2009-2014 TablesJuly 2011 – 82 persons
July 2012 – 162 persons
July 2013 – 185 persons
July 2014 – 230 persons
FAMILIES VS. SINGLE ADULTS
United Way focuses on families when they talk about homelessness, which is important because that is where there are children, but that isn’t where the numbers are, where the greatest need is. This is why I argue after the 40 – 60 units are built on Rethke, they should probably do another single adult project instead of families. It appears we need over 400 units for single adults to eliminate homelessness, that’s the vast majority of the 750 units the mayor wants to fund in the next 5 years.
January 2011 – 573 persons
– Families – 305 individuals sheltered, 0 individuals unsheltered, 305 total
– Single Adults – 215 individuals sheltered, 37 individuals unseltered, 252 total
January 2012 – 736 persons
– Families – 311 individuals sheltered, 5 individuals unsheltered, 316 total
– Single Adults – 348 individuals sheltered, 68 individuals unseltered, 416 total
January 2013 – 831 persons
– Families – 358 individuals sheltered, 9 individuals unsheltered, 367 total
– Single Adults – 374 individuals sheltered, 87 individuals unseltered, 461 total
January 2014 – 777 persons
– Families – 336 individuals sheltered, 2 individuals unsheltered, 338 total
– Single Adults – 347 individuals sheltered, 90 unsheltered, 437 total
July 2011 – 547 persons
– Families – 226 individuals sheltered, 10 individuals unsheltered, 236 total
– Single Adults – 239 individuals sheltered, 71 unsheltered, 310 total
July 2012 – 702 persons
– Families – 281individuals sheltered, 39 individuals unsheltered, 320 total
– Single Adults – 259 individuals sheltered, 119 unsheltered, 378 total
July 2013 – 776 persons
– Families – 321 individuals sheltered, 29 individuals unsheltered, 350 total
– Single Adults – 270 individuals sheltered, 155 unsheltered, total 426
July 2014 – 792 persons
– Families – 328 individuals sheltered, 25 individuals unsheltered, 399 total
– Single Adults – 234 individuals sheltered, 188 unsheltered, 422 total
VETERANS
Another group people seem to focus on, tho it is a very small number of our homeless in Dane County, the overall numbers are decreasing, but the unsheltered numbers are increasing.
January 2011 – 66 of 573 persons, 2 unsheltered
January 2012 – 25 of 736 persons, 4 unsheltered
January 2013 – 61 of 831 persons, 4 unsheltered
January 2014 – 62 of 777 persons, 11 unsheltered
July 2011 – 59 of 547 persons, 1 unsheltered
July 2012 – 58 of 702 persons, 4 unsheltered
July 2013 – 59 of 776 persons, 12 unsheltered
July 2014 – 40 of 792 persons, 6 unsheltered
DECREASING SERVICES
Waiting lists are growing, 6 months or more to get in to almost any program.
Permanent comprehensive day center still non-existent.
Temporary winter services have severe gaps.
Homeless day storage facility closing.
Case management services in Library cut last August.
145 bans from the downtown library since they reopened, affecting 100 people, how many do you think are/were homeless.
Can’t really tell what is in the Dane County Budget, its crytic at best, need to wait for a verbal presentation of what is included and then since the person telling us has a challenge with telling the truth, well, who knows?. City budget comes out Tuesday.
SEVERE GAPS
Winter Sundays before 1:00 when the library opens, only place to go is the capital, and their police are a little intolerant.
Winter holidays when the churches are closed there is no where to go except the capital.
Can’t get to the Hospitality House, no bus tickets, van services are minimal, doesn’t run on weekends.
Can’t camp in county parks.
No wet shelter.
60 days per year limits for single men in women in the shelter, by March most men on the streets are out of days, women don’t get the re-set in November.
If its not 20 degrees or lower, if you’re out of days, you’re out of shelter.
What happens to people who are banned?
Why do families need to leave the shelter for 4 hours a day in the winter time?
I could go on . . . its quite unbelievable in our community. A fiasco.
