MARICOPA COUNTY HAS MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE STREETS THAN IN SHELTERS FOR FIRST TIME, REPORT SHOW
For the first time in the county's history, there were more people living on the streets of Maricopa County than there were in shelters, even before the start of COVID-19, a new report shows.
As of Jan. 27, the unsheltered homeless population saw an 18% increase compared to 2019, with 3,767 people on the street compared to the 3,652 in shelters, according to the annual Point in Time homeless count.
“There is a steady increase in homelessness in Maricopa County, and with eviction rates being one of the highest in the nation, as well as shelter beds decreasing, our county is not keeping up with the impending crisis that is homelessness,” Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care Board co-Chair Tamara Wright said.
More than 7,000 people experienced homelessness in the county before the COVID-19 pandemic cost thousands of more jobs, according to the report. That is an increase of 11% in the county's homeless population.
https://www.12news.com/amp/article/news/local/valley/maricopa-county-has-more-homeless-people-on-the-streets-than-in-shelters-for-first-time-report-shows/75-25378308-8452-42e6-af8e-91b5642609bb
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