Summer count provides insights on homelessness

The Richmond region’s level of homelessness has remained high since the COVID pandemic, as need has continued to outpace capacity of local human services assistance programs and affordable housing resources.

Data from the July 2023 Point in Time (PIT) count recorded 486 people experiencing homelessness, which is 8.7 percent higher than the figures recorded in the July 2022 PIT count.

The number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness – defined as people staying outdoors, in cars, and other places not meant for habitation – remains much higher than the region’s historic average before the COVID pandemic. The July PIT count recorded 181 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

In response to the data collected during the July PIT count, the GRCoC – the region’s network of homeless service providers – has launched a housing surge initiative. The goal is to move 50 people off the streets and into permanent housing by December.

Older adults represented a significant percentage of the July count, accounting for 41.9 percent of those counted. More than 12 percent of adults experiencing homelessness were 65 or older. These populations present unique challenges for housing because they are far more likely to have a disability and limited income.

Individuals and families surveyed for the July PIT count were asked about the reason for their homelessness. The most common response, from 25.4 percent of those surveyed, was a breakdown in families or other relationships. Additional reasons were eviction at 16 percent, unemployment or job loss at 15.9 percent, and the cost of housing at 10.5 percent. Economic strain and hardship collectively accounted for more than 40 percent of the reason for homelessness in the region.

For details of the July 2023 PIT count, visit homewardva.org/point-in-time-count.