Lisa Jackson, President of the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, Inc., is announcing the results of the 2009 Homeless Count and Survey for Pinellas County. The count was conducted the week of January 25, 2009, and referred to homeless status on the night of January 25/26. When announcing the final results Ms. Jackson stated: “We have known anecdotally for at least a year that the poor economy was having a major impact on the numbers of homeless persons in Pinellas County. The results provided here demonstrate factually how large the increase has been.”
This was the most comprehensive Homeless Count and Survey ever conducted by the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless, involving almost 400 volunteers and numerous staff persons from homeless service providers. We worked diligently to ensure that persons were not counted more than one time. Homeless individuals and families were found throughout the county, from the southern areas to north Tarpon Springs. They were found living on the street, in cars and abandoned buildings, in camps along railroad tracks and close to the Pinellas Trail, and at emergency shelters and transitional housing programs.
The numbers of homeless individuals and families are much larger than ever before in Pinellas County, for a variety of reasons. First, as the most comprehensive count we have conducted, we were able to find homeless persons uncounted previously. Second, and more importantly, the large increase in numbers has been caused by the dramatic economic downturn we continue to experience here. Individuals and families that were barely maintaining housing a year or two ago, are now unable to do so. Thousands of people have lost their jobs, which has led to loss of rental or owned housing. We have also seen many households who lost their rental housing (and current rent and deposits) due to foreclosures of their landlords. We also have more comprehensive homeless youth numbers from the Pinellas County School System.
"The numbers show homelessness has increased for both individuals and families, across all age groups, and especially for children," stated Sarah Snyder, the Coalition's executive director.
For the purposes of this count and survey, the Coalition defines "homeless" persons as those who lack a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence, including persons whose primary nighttime residence is: a supervised public or private shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; a time-limited/nonpermanent transitional housing arrangement for individuals engaged in mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment; or a public or private facility not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation. “Homeless” persons also include those who are living in motels and those who are “doubled-up” – a residential status that places individuals at imminent risk for becoming homeless – defined as sharing another person’s dwelling on a temporary basis where continued tenancy is contingent upon the hospitality of the primary leaseholder or owner and can be rescinded at any time without notice. The number of homeless persons reported to HUD is less due to their narrower definition of homelessness.
For a statistical snapshot and more information on how the Point-In-Time Homeless Count is conducted, please visit: http://www.pinellashomeless.org/homelessness-in-pinellas/point-in-time-homeless-count.html.
