High level data from the 2022 Point In Time homeless count has been released.

One of the most common misconceptions about the homeless is that they choose to be on the streets. The sad reality is that many have simply been priced out their homes, even those who are working. Others lost their jobs as a result of addiction or mental health issues. We know that by building more affordable housing for the extremely low income and increasing case management, we can give people not just a hand out, but a hand up.

People who grew up here and who have worked in this community for years simply cannot afford to live here anymore. Our artists and teachers have been pushed out by higher and higher rents and many others have found themselves living on the streets.

As inequality rises throughout our region and state, our community struggles to remain a diverse, thriving, safe and welcoming city for all.

Men are disproportionately represented in the homeless population. While successful efforts have been made to reduce the number of children and transitional age youth from homelessness, the number of seniors who are homeless has been on the rise. Many of these people are on a fixed income and can no longer afford rising rents and medical costs.

The unsheltered population includes people living in tents, cars, vans, RVs, or outside with no protection. While the number of people living in tents has increased from 251 to 426, the number of people living outside with no protection has plummeted from 231 to 109. The number of people living in a car or van increased slightly, from 157 to 198, but the number of people living in RVs dropped by 57% from 161 to 69.