Homelessness in Pinellas County

Pinellas County has an existing array of services to assist our homeless neighbors to regain self-sufficiency, but it has proven over the years to not be sufficient to curtail this growing problem. The number of shelter beds and the amount of money spent on homelessness in Pinellas County has increased in the past five years; unfortunately, so has the number of individuals and families who become homeless. Hundreds of our neighbors continue to sleep on the streets, in their cars, and in other places not meant for human habitation.

In addition to a growing homeless population, the face of homelessness has changed over the years. Because of economic conditions and many social factors, homelessness has increased and now includes more families with children, nontraditional family types and a greater number of working poor households.

Even though insufficient income is cited as the most common reason for homelessness, more than 33% of homeless adults work full or part-time, and about 23% receive disability, veteran or retirement benefits. Despite these sources of income, low wages or other personal or environmental barriers have led them to the streets or into emergency shelters.

The detailed information from our annual Point-In-Time homeless count and survey provides a snapshot of homelessness in Pinellas County.

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Here are some highlights from the results of the 2009 Point-In-Time Homeless Count and Survey, by the numbers...

• 6,235 -- the total number of homeless men, women, children (sheltered and unsheltered) counted on January 28, 2009, a 20% increase over 2007
• 2,232 -- the number of unsheltered homeless persons (i.e., sleeping on sidewalks, park benches, bus stops, doorways, in encampments, along railways and the Pinellas Trail, etc.), an increase of 83% over 2007
• 1,944 -- the number of homeless children (persons under age 18, sheltered and unsheltered), an 102% increase over 2007
• 31% -- the percentage of homeless under the age of 18
• 66% male, 34% female
• 62.5% white, 30% black, 7.5% all others
• 6.2% -- the percentage of those who identified themselves as Hispanic
• 3.5% -- the percentage of homeless over the age of 65
• 38% -- the percentage of unsheltered persons who were homeless for the first time
• 47% -- the percentage of homeless residing in Pinellas County for 5 years or more; 64% for 1 year or more
• 67% -- the percentage of homeless who moved to Pinellas County and became homeless after coming here
• 35% -- the percentage of homeless persons who grew up in Pinellas County
• 18% -- the percentage of veterans among the homeless; the actual number of veterans was about the same as in 2007 
• 86.3% -- the percentage of homeless persons who cited lack of income, lost job or financial reasons as the primary reason for homelessness 
• 22.6% -- the percentage of homeless persons who listed alcohol or drugs as a primary reason for homelessness 
• 21.8% -- the percentage of homeless persons who indicated family breakup as a primary reason for homelessness
• 18.6% -- the percentage of homeless persons who pointed to eviction or foreclosure as a primary reason for homelessness 
• 42.8% -- the percentage of homeless adults with a disabling condition of long duration; of those, the following types of disability were cited (many homeless persons have more than one) 
  • 45.4% = Mental health/emotional
  • 45.3% = Physical/medical
  • 29.5% = Alcohol/drugs
  • 3.5% = Developmental
  • 5.0% = HIV/AIDS

Click here for a snapshot of the results of the 2009 PIT homeless count.

For additional statistical information, please click here.