“The fact that the unsheltered count has remained relatively unchanged the past three years points to that fact that our programs work, and, as a system, we have been able to fully maximize the housing resources available to maintain a steady state, which, in 2019, meant we secured permanent housing for more than 2,000 people,” said Michael C. Nichols, president/CEO of theCoalition for the Homeless. “However, 1,600 people sleeping on the street is not acceptable, and we won’t be able to make further progress as a homeless response system without a considerable influx of resources.”
The 2020 Count results show the effectiveness of The Way Home programs and that the key to solving homelessness is permanent housing combined with supportive services. More than 5,800 individuals, veterans and families have been placed in permanent housing in since Harvey. However, progress has plateaued as the number of unsheltered individuals has remained relatively steady during the same period: 1,614 (2018), 1,614 (2019) and 1,656 (2020). To address the potential inflow from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ultimately return to the progress that was being achieved prior to Harvey, the local homeless response system will require additional financial resources.
“Our permanent housing programs are more important now than ever for several reasons,” said Ana Rausch, vice president of program operations at the Coalition for the Homeless. “First, getting people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing protects them from COVID-19 and limits community spread. For them, housing is healthcare. Second, we won’t know the extent of
COVID-19’s impact on our region until next year’s Count, but we are expecting an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness as the economic effects of the pandemic are felt over the coming months, and we want to be prepared to meet their needs. Finally, as we brace for an active hurricane season in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, if we can reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness, our community will be more resilient when the next disaster hits.”
Additional key findings from the 2020 Homeless Count include:
- 30% of the adult population experiencing homelessness on the night of the Count met the definition of chronic homelessness, meaning they have experienced homelessness for more than a year
and have a mental and/or physical disability
- 32% of the adult population experiencing homelessness self-reported suffering from a serious mental illness
- 26% of the adult population self-reported substance use disorder
- 267 Veterans experiencing homelessness were counted in the 2020 Count, compared to 376 Veterans counted in 2019
- People identifying as Black or African American are disproportionately represented, making up 56.2% of the total population experiencing homelessness, but only 19.9% of the Harris County population
- Nearly 56,000 individuals touched HMIS in 2019. Of those, approximately 23,000 accessed a program specifically for those experiencing literal homelessness.
Additional Resources:
As in past years, the 2020 Count & Survey data was analyzed by the Coalition for the Homeless in consultation with Dr. Cathy Troisi, associate professor, University of Texas School of Public Health.
Media Contacts:
Julia Davis, The CKP Group
julia [at] theckpgroup [dot] com
Catherine B. Villarreal, Coalition for the Homeless
cvillarreal [at] homelesshouston [dot] org
