Homeless Needs (91.205 (b) and 91.215 (c))

Homeless Needs (91.205 (b) and 91.215 (c))

*Please also refer to the Homeless Needs Table in the Needs.xls workbook

Homeless Needs— The jurisdiction must provide a concise summary of the nature and extent of homelessness in the jurisdiction, (including rural homelessness and chronic homelessness where applicable), addressing separately the need for facilities and services for homeless persons and homeless families with children, both

sheltered and unsheltered, and homeless subpopulations, in accordance with Table 1A. The summary must include the characteristics and needs of low-income

individuals and children, (especially extremely low-income) who are currently housed but are at imminent risk of either residing in shelters or becoming unsheltered. In addition, to the extent information is available, the plan must include a description of the nature and extent of homelessness by racial and ethnic group. A quantitative analysis is not required. If a jurisdiction provides estimates of the at-risk

population(s), it should also include a description of the operational definition of the at-risk group and the methodology used to generate the estimates.

DeKalb County Response:

Estimates of the Homeless Population in DeKalb County

To satisfy the needs of its homeless population, DeKalb County works with the Tri- Jurisdictional Collaborative on Homelessness (Tri-J). This collaborative constitutes a Continuum of Care that includes DeKalb County, Fulton County and the City of Atlanta.

In 2007, the Pathways Community Network, Inc. completed a census of homeless persons in the Tri-Jurisdictional area. This survey updated a similar homeless census completed for the Tri-J area in 2003 and 2005. The Pathways study relied on the 1987 Stewart B. McKinney definition of a person as homeless if:

He or she lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and has a primary nighttime residence that is either a public or private shelter, an institution that provides temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a public or private location that is not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

The 2005 and 2007 Homeless Census consisted of point-in-time estimates of the number of homeless persons who were either unsheltered or sheltered. Unsheltered homeless persons were those living on the street, in vehicles, or in makeshift shelters; sheltered homeless persons were those occupying emergency/transitional shelters or short-stay institutions such as hospitals or jails.

Analyses of the 2007 census and survey are not complete at this time. Therefore, information is presented on the both sets of census information. However, because 2007 survey information is not available currently, 2005 information is used for analysis discussion.

Pathways employed a two-part methodology for counting the number of sheltered or unsheltered persons on January 25, _{2007. Street counts were conducted to estimate}

the number of unsheltered persons at that point in time, while the number of sheltered homeless persons was estimated by contacting emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, non-homeless recovery programs and short stay institutions. A similar methodology was used in the 2005 homeless census. Thus, the 2007 counts can be compared to those in 2005(after minor adjustments to 2005 counts).

Table 36 below provides the point-in-time estimates of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons in DeKalb County minus the City of Atlanta for 2005 and 2007. As shown, 631 homeless persons were counted in DeKalb County on February 9, 2007. The majority of these were in temporary shelters (14%) or transitional housing (61%), while 155 (or 25%) were unsheltered.

Table 36

Homeless Persons in DeKalb County, February 9, 2005

Location Number Percent

In Shelters 116 14.6%

In Transition 401 50.6%

Total Sheltered 517 65.2%

Total Unsheltered 276 34.8%

Total 793 100.0%

Source: Pathways Community Network, Inc., 2005 Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaboration Homeless Census and Survey Homeless Persons in DeKalb County, January 25, 2007

Location Number Percent

In Emergency Shelters 85 14% In Transition 386 61.% Total Unsheltered 160 25% DEKALB TOTALS7 631 100% 7

Includes 5 Adult Males from DeKalb Hospitals *Excluding the City of Atlanta

Source: Pathways Community Network, Inc., 2005 Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaboration Homeless Census and Survey

Since the 2005 homeless census, the number of homeless persons in DeKalb minus Atlanta decreased by 20.4%, from 793 in 2005 to 631 in 2007. This decrease is greater than that of the entire Tri-Jurisdictional area, which grew by .01%, from 6832 in 2005 to 6,840 in 2007.

Exhibit 1A provides further data regarding homeless need in DeKalb compared to the facilities currently available to meet these needs. Further discussion of homeless facilities/services and unmet needs are found in the next section, Inventory of Homeless Facilities and Services.

In addition to a point-in-time count of homeless persons, the 2005 Homeless Census collected data regarding household type, gender and age. Table 37 displays the results of these counts for DeKalb minus Atlanta. These findings indicate that 61.5% of homeless persons lived alone and 38.5% lived in families. Over two-thirds (73.3%) were adults and just over one quarter (26.7%) were youths/children. All but four of the 212 children were with their families.

Of homeless families, the majority were headed by single females (87.4%). While the percentage of sheltered homeless persons living as individuals was almost equal to the percentage living in families, unsheltered homeless persons were much more likely to be individuals. However, the 2005 census estimated 15 unsheltered families, with 33 unsheltered children at the single point in time.

Table 37

Characteristics of Homeless Persons in DeKalb County, 2007

2007 DeKalb County Adult Male Adult Female Youth Male Youth Female Total Indiv. Male Headed Family Female Headed Family 2 Parent Family Children in Family Total Family Members # of Families In Emergency Shelters 0 3 0 0 3 0 21 2 58 82 22 In Transition 161 46 0 0 207 0 41 14 123 179 48 Total Unsheltered 118 29 0 0 147 0 2 0 6 8 2 DEKALB TOTALS8 284 78 0 0 362 0 64 16 187 269

72

19.0

Includes 5 Adult Males from DeKalb Hospitals *Excluding the City of Atlanta

Characteristics of Homeless Persons in DeKalb County, 2005

In Shelters In Transition Total

Sheltered Unsheltered Total Total Family Type # % # % # % # % # % Individuals 62 53.4% 199 49.6% 261 50.5% 227 82.2% 488 61.5% Adult Male 42 36.2% 145 36.2% 187 36.2% 188 68.1% 375 47.3% Adult Female 20 17.2% 53 13.2% 73 14.1% 36 13.0% 109 13.7% Youth Male 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 1.1% 3 0.4% Youth Female 0 0.0% 1 0.2% 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 1 0.1% In Families 54 46.6% 202 50.4% 256 49.5% 49 17.8% 305 38.5% Male Head 0 0.0% 1 0.2% 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 1 0.1% Female Head 13 11.2% 49 12.2% 62 12.0% 14 5.1% 76 9.6% Two Parent 6 5.2% 12 3.0% 18 3.5% 2 0.7% 20 2.5% Children 35 30.2% 140 34.9% 175 33.8% 33 12.0% 208 26.2% Families 16 56 72 15 87 Total 116 100.0% 401 100.0% 517 100.0% 276 100.0% 793 100.0%

Source: Pathways Community Network, Inc., 2005 Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaboration Homeless Census and Survey

To estimate the number of persons likely to be homeless annually, the Pathways Census developed a turnover rate based on the length of time those currently homeless had been so. Results showed that families were likely to be homeless for much shorter periods of time than single persons. Applying these turnover rates to the homeless census counts for DeKalb minus Atlanta indicated that 1,564 persons in families and 1,329 single persons were likely to be homeless at some point during 2005. Thus, estimates show that a total of 2,893 persons experienced homelessness in DeKalb sometime in 2005. Children constituted 37.3% of the homeless population, with about 1,078 children/youths experiencing homelessness at some point that year.

Homeless Subpopulations

In addition to counting the homeless population, the 2005 Pathways census included random interviews with sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons. (Random interviews for 2007 are not complete at this time.) Based on this information, the number of homeless persons in seven subpopulations was identified for the Tri- Jurisdictional area. Based on the percentage of total homeless persons that fall in each subpopulation in the Tri-Jurisdictional area, the sizes of these subpopulations in DeKalb County (minus Atlanta) were estimated and are displayed in Table 38 below. Note that these numbers are point-in-time estimates and the actual number of persons in these subpopulations experiencing homelessness over the course of a year is considerably higher.

Table 38

Homeless Subpopulations in DeKalb County, 2005

Sheltered Unsheltered Total Homeless

Subpopulation Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Chronically Homeless 96 18.7% 80 29.1% 177 22.2% Severely Mentally Ill 55 10.6% 31 11.1% 85 10.7% Chronic Substance Abuse 271 52.4% 90 32.5% 361 45.5% Veterans 177 34.2% 6 2.2% 183 23.1% Persons with HIV/AIDS 40 7.6% 26 9.6% 66 8.3% Domestic Violence Victims 61 11.8% 15 5.6% 77 9.7% Unaccompanied Youths 2 0.5% 1 0.4% 4 0.4% Total Homeless Population 517 100.0% 276 100.0% 793 100.0%

As shown, the largest subpopulation of homeless persons was comprised of those experiencing chronic substance abuse. About half of the total homeless population experienced substance abuse problems. Veterans and the chronically homeless comprised the second and third largest subpopulations of homeless persons in shelters, respectively. In the unsheltered homeless population, slightly less than a third were chronically homeless (29.1%). The percentages of homeless persons with HIV/AIDS, who were victims of domestic violence or who suffered from a severe mental illness ranged from 8.3% and 10.7% of the total homeless population. While characteristics of homeless subpopulations serve to identify necessary housing needs and supportive services, it is important to note that there is no implication of causation between these factors and homelessness. Rather, the major contributing factor to homelessness is a lack of affordable housing for low- to moderate-income households.

In addition to the homeless population, there were approximately 1,053 extremely low-income renter households and 4,612 extremely low-income owner households at imminent risk of homelessness. If a slowing economy dislodged only five percent of those at imminent risk, there would be an additional 783 homeless households

Low-Income Households at Imminent Risk of Homelessness

In addition to households experiencing homelessness, those who currently have housing but are at imminent risk of homelessness must also be considered in addressing homeless needs. Two of the best measures of households that have the potential to become homeless are income and housing costs. Renter households with extremely low incomes (less than 30% MFI) and high housing costs (50% or more of income) are at an imminent risk of homelessness.

According to HUD CHAS data, there were 10,628 renter households and 4,290 owner households earning less than 30% MFI and paying more than 50% of their income towards housing costs in DeKalb County minus the City of Atlanta in 2000. Based on

estimated household growth rates for owner and renter households in DeKalb over the past six years, an estimated 11,053 (11.2%) renter households and 4,612 (3.1%) owner households in DeKalb minus Atlanta were at an imminent risk of homelessness as of 2006. Because household growth rates for all owner and renter households are less than the 2005 DeKalb American Community Survey estimated growth rates for low-income households, we can assume that these are conservative estimates of the number of households in DeKalb minus Atlanta at imminent risk of homelessness.

Further subpopulations vulnerable to homelessness include people leaving institutions, victims of domestic violence, non-elderly, low-income, single-person households and members of families living in overcrowded, unstable conditions. However, insufficient data is available to estimate the number of such subpopulations living in DeKalb County.

Homelessness Prevention

Elderly Housing: Although the housing needs of low- and moderate-income elderly persons are not significantly different from those of other low- and moderate-income households, there are supportive service needs unique to this older population. Further, there is a limited supply of affordable assisted living units. As residents age and are forced to leave housing they can currently afford to live in assisted housing, they may have difficulty finding suitable alternative housing.