Many people that we know and see every day are at risk of homelessness.
Ultimately, many factors can contribute to homelessness – unemployment, housing cost burden, medical expenses, in addition to other health and addiction issues. Many in our community are less than 30 days away from homelessness.
It is impossible for us to turn away from those in need.
Atlanta Point in Time Reports
The Point-in-Time Count (PIT Count) is federally mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for all communities receiving federal funds through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants Program. The PIT Count takes an annual unduplicated census of people experiencing homelessness, sheltered or unsheltered, on a given night in January.
The impact of homelessness can be an individual or a family experience.
Adults and children in family groups comprise approximately 35% of the homeless population. Homeless families are usually headed by a single woman with limited education, are typically young, and have young children. Their homelessness may be caused by job loss, a financial setback, or violence in the home.
Ending homelessness will require a ‘restart’ for individuals.
Affordable housing would end homelessness for the vast majority of the homeless population. A community-wide coordinated approach to helping individuals and families exit homelessness quickly is needed, including access to emergency shelter and crisis response services with low barriers (minimal requirements to access).
But, truly ending homelessness also requires the connections to employment and income, access to health care, and recovery support. And, last but not least, ending homelessness requires a personal commitment to a belief in oneself and in a higher power to truly succeed.
