HUD: R.I. homeless population declining

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s homeless population has declined 14 percent since last year and 7.2 percent since 2010, according to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Rhode Island’s homeless numbered 1,190 this year, compared with 1,384 in 2013 and 1,282 in 2010, HUD said on Thursday.
The downward trend in Rhode Island is following a national pattern, HUD said, noting a continued overall decline in people living on the street and homeless veterans.
HUD’s 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found that there were 578,424 persons experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2014 in the U.S.
During that same one-night period, local homeless planning agencies reported that there were 1,190 persons experiencing homelessness throughout Rhode Island.
Based on data reported by state and local planning agencies across the country, last January’s one-night estimate reveals a 33 percent drop in homelessness among veterans since 2010 and a 10.5 percent decline since last year. State and local communities throughout the U.S. also reported a 15 percent decline in the number of families with children experiencing homelessness since 2010, as well as a 53 percent reduction among these families who were found be to unsheltered.
“As a nation, we are successfully reducing homelessness in this country, especially for those who have been living on our streets as a way of life,” U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro said in a statement. “There is still a tremendous amount of work ahead of us but it’s clear our strategy is working and we’re going to push forward till we end homelessness as we’ve come to know it.”
Kristine Foye, HUD New England Deputy Regional Administrator added, “We appreciate the efforts of local housing and service providers in Rhode Island who are on the front lines of helping us battle homelessness. Together we will continue this fight.”

The decline in veteran homelessness nationwide is largely attributed to the close collaboration between HUD and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on a joint program. Since 2008, more than 59,000 rental vouchers have been awarded and approximately 45,000 formerly homeless veterans are in homes of their own because of the program.

Long-term or chronic homelessness among individuals has been declining since 2010. This decline is partially attributable to an effort to develop more permanent supportive housing opportunities for those who continually cycle from shelters to the streets.

Rhode Island ranked first for having the fewest homeless people on that January night that were unsheltered with 20, representing 1.7 percent. Next was Maine, with 93 unsheltered or 3.4 percent, followed by Massachusetts with 759, 3.6 percent.
California, in comparison, had the highest number of unsheltered homeless at 71,437, or 62.7 percent.

- Advertisement -

Rhode Island also had among the lowest rates of unsheltered unaccompanied homeless children and youth at 4.8 percent. Out of 62 reported homeless that night, three were not in a shelter.

No posts to display