Number of homeless families in region increases by 80 percent

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The number of homeless people in the Fort Wayne area has increased by 19 percent from last year.  Community leaders are anticipating what the population will be when the homeless population is counted again in January of next year.

Last year, there were 558 homeless people in Region 3, which consists of Allen, Steuben, LaGrange, Adams, DeKalb, Wells, Huntington, Noble, and Whitley counties.

"[The count] is really aimed at measuring the homelessness on one night in January," Tiffany Bailey, the chair of the Fort Wayne Area Planning Council On Homelessness, said.  "It looks at homeless individuals and it also looks at families with dependent children as well."

The number of homeless families grew from 55 families to 99 in 2012, an 80 percent increase.  The good news is nearly all of those families have been able to find shelter.

"I would anticipate there is still issues of unemployment and job loss," Bailey said when asked what the reason was behind the dramatic increase.  "Just the domino effect of how unemployment impacts how they're able to be able to finance their own housing, and be able to pay for rent and mortgage."

Bailey said the number of homeless people could increase for 2013 also.

"I would anticipate an increase, but it's so difficult to accurately find the individuals and get them to come out to the point in time count sites to be counted," Bailey said.

Bailey said the two largest populations of homeless people are single females and families with children. It is hard to determine why the number of homeless men and women with children is on the rise.

Shelters in the area have also seen an increase.

"Our waiting list right now is 46 families.  And from what I know from the other shelters, they all have waiting lists as well," Denise Andorfer, Executive Director of Vincent Village , said.

The village is a unique shelter, because it takes homeless men, women, and children.

Bailey said if you know anyone looking for shelter, call 211, the United Way's free call center for health and human service information and referrals.  211 can provide shelter information that a homeless individual is eligible to go to.

People can make care package donations to the homeless at the YWCA on Spy Run Avenue.    

The homeless count for the 2012 year will be on January 30.