Homelessness Spikes 13% in Tri Cities
PASCO -- It's hard to forget couples like the Christesens. Action News found Dan and Karen Christesen living in a Kennewick storage shed back in December, struggling to survive without a home. It turns out, they're part of a much larger trend. Action News uncovered this year's homeless count and found 433 people are homeless in the Tri-Cities. That amounts to a 13% spike in our community, the first increase in four years.
"I think 13% doesn't really describe it here in the Tri-Cities. I think it's much worse than that," Andrew Porter explained, Assistant Executive Director of the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission.
In January, volunteers from the Community Action Committee (CAC) combed food banks, soup kitchens, libraries, buses and city streets to accurately count those without permanent places to call home. For a person to be counted, individuals must answer a 10 question survey and sign it. The resulting numbers create what's called a Point in Time Count, or snapshot of the Tri-Cities' homeless population. The survey is a yearly requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Like the Christesens, losing a job ranked as the number one reason for the rise according to the survey. In fact, 42% said they were homeless for the very first time. And another 448 are at risk of becoming homeless.
"Our shelters are full, they are full. So we have no place else to put people," Cricket Cordova said, Point in Time Coordinator for the Community Action Committee.
Emergency shelters, like the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission in Pasco, are packed. They filled to capacity last summer and never slowed down. For instance, there are 54 beds available for men to sleep at the shelter. But almost daily, staff have to lay out an extra 30 mats on the floor in the upstairs chapel to accommodate dozens of extra men who need somewhere to sleep. That's double their capacity.
"It's dire for some of these people," Porter said.
Part of the problem may be that it's increasingly harder to find a home. Occupancy rates for apartments hover at nearly 99%.
"What we need to do in the bi-county area is come up with more housing," Cordova said. "How do you do that?" Action News asked her. "You either build it or come up with agreements."
Cordova said a team of people, the Housing Continuum of Care, work on this issue every other month. But it's the money that does the talking. Cordova said they've got $2,500,000 in the bank to be used for homeless and affordable housing. Indeed, the count numbers can be used to apply for more grants to help serve the homeless population.
"What I feel like is, at least we're in a situation where there is money," she said. "It's just a matter of getting it released."
But we know homes won't be built overnight. So where will the homeless go in the meantime?
"It means it's time to get creative," Cordova continued.
The Christesens ended up moving into a motor home. Many others are moving to transitional housing programs like apartments that the Mission just purchased for up to 14 to live in this summer.
If things get really bad, the Community Action Committee can provide motel vouchers for emergency overnight stays. But they stress that's only when money is available.
Despite these numbers, homelessness in our community has actually been cut in half in the last six years. In 2004, 1000 people were reported homeless.
The original story did not post online because of technical difficulties.
"I think 13% doesn't really describe it here in the Tri-Cities. I think it's much worse than that," Andrew Porter explained, Assistant Executive Director of the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission.
In January, volunteers from the Community Action Committee (CAC) combed food banks, soup kitchens, libraries, buses and city streets to accurately count those without permanent places to call home. For a person to be counted, individuals must answer a 10 question survey and sign it. The resulting numbers create what's called a Point in Time Count, or snapshot of the Tri-Cities' homeless population. The survey is a yearly requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Like the Christesens, losing a job ranked as the number one reason for the rise according to the survey. In fact, 42% said they were homeless for the very first time. And another 448 are at risk of becoming homeless.
"Our shelters are full, they are full. So we have no place else to put people," Cricket Cordova said, Point in Time Coordinator for the Community Action Committee.
Emergency shelters, like the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission in Pasco, are packed. They filled to capacity last summer and never slowed down. For instance, there are 54 beds available for men to sleep at the shelter. But almost daily, staff have to lay out an extra 30 mats on the floor in the upstairs chapel to accommodate dozens of extra men who need somewhere to sleep. That's double their capacity.
"It's dire for some of these people," Porter said.
Part of the problem may be that it's increasingly harder to find a home. Occupancy rates for apartments hover at nearly 99%.
"What we need to do in the bi-county area is come up with more housing," Cordova said. "How do you do that?" Action News asked her. "You either build it or come up with agreements."
Cordova said a team of people, the Housing Continuum of Care, work on this issue every other month. But it's the money that does the talking. Cordova said they've got $2,500,000 in the bank to be used for homeless and affordable housing. Indeed, the count numbers can be used to apply for more grants to help serve the homeless population.
"What I feel like is, at least we're in a situation where there is money," she said. "It's just a matter of getting it released."
But we know homes won't be built overnight. So where will the homeless go in the meantime?
"It means it's time to get creative," Cordova continued.
The Christesens ended up moving into a motor home. Many others are moving to transitional housing programs like apartments that the Mission just purchased for up to 14 to live in this summer.
If things get really bad, the Community Action Committee can provide motel vouchers for emergency overnight stays. But they stress that's only when money is available.
Despite these numbers, homelessness in our community has actually been cut in half in the last six years. In 2004, 1000 people were reported homeless.
The original story did not post online because of technical difficulties.
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