While the number of American homeless is holding steady through the nation’s economic struggles, a sharp increase in homelessness among families in suburban and rural areas concerns national and local advocates.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released its 2008 report on the state of homelessness in America on Thursday. Findings included a 9 percent increase in the number of family members reported as homeless, including a 56 percent increase in suburban or rural areas like those in Manatee County.
“What this study tells us is that the definition of a typical homeless person has changed to focus less on people who are chronically homeless to someone who is part of a family,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said during a conference call with reporters. “It tells us the economic crisis is forcing more families who had previously been well-housed into the streets.”
Locally, a 2009 report from the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness indicates a 4 percent increase among homeless people in Manatee and Sarasota counties who identify themselves as married and a 12 percent increase among those who say they have children who lived with them.
“We see a lot more people coming in for assistance with kids,” said Adell Erozer, executive director of Bradenton’s Community Coalition on Homelessness. “A lot of them are people who are in houses and being foreclosed upon without any notice.”
According to the Suncoast Partnership’s report, which was part of the national numbers, there are 1,375 homeless people in Manatee and Sarasota counties, up from 1,043 in 2007. In Manatee County, there are 572 homeless people, up from 555 in 2007.
The numbers of Manatee and Sarasota homeless come from a one-day homeless census taken from noon Jan. 29 to noon Jan. 30. More than two-thirds of those interviewed said employment or financial reasons were the cause of homelessness, up from 54 percent in 2007.
“This is all attributable to the economic downturn and the housing bust,” Suncoast Executive Director Richard Martin said. “The rural areas are unable to offer jobs, and the suburban areas have been hurt by the housing crisis.”
A person was defined as homeless if he or she lacked a regular nighttime residence or if a primary residence was a public or private shelter or transitional housing, a place not meant for human habitation or a temporary residence for persons intended to be in an institution.
Also on Thursday, Donovan announced the release of $1.2 billion in homeless prevention and rehousing funding under President Barack Obama’s Recovery Act. About $653,000 is earmarked for Manatee through neighborhood services.
The Obama administration plans to focus its efforts on preventing homelessness by providing at-risk families or individuals with temporary assistance to help them move into or stay in their homes.
Erozer said the increase in family needs is obvious at the Our Daily Bread soup kitchen at Bradenton’s One Stop Center. “There are kids everywhere,” she said. “All the numbers are up here. This last month was the first month since September we didn’t have at least 100 new clients.”
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