LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 7, 2015) – The Coalition for the Homeless, together with their member agencies, is announcing the results of the 2014 Louisville Homeless Census. The reports indicate that the overall number of homeless people in our city has dropped and that shelter bed usage has increased.
The 2014 Census shows that Jefferson County’s homeless service providers served 7,380 unduplicated homeless people, as compared to 8,608 in 2013, which is a 14% decrease. One of the reasons for this decrease is the successful implementation of the recent Common Assessment system which ensures that every homeless individual and family receives the same evidenced-based assessment to determine who has the greatest need and who has been homeless for the longest time. Helping these chronically homeless persons to access permanent housing first, has the greatest impact on the numbers of persons homeless in the community.
In addition to the Common Assessment, the Louisville homeless service system has also added the Bed One-Stop program, which offers a centralized way for homeless people to secure a bed at any of Louisville’s emergency shelters. It allows for homeless individuals and families to reserve beds seven days a week. The 2013 and 2014 Census show that shelter bed usage is up.
Natalie Harris, Executive Director of The Coalition for the Homeless says, “We know that the only way to decrease homelessness is a community-wide focus on permanent housing and services for those who have been homeless for the longest time.”
Last year the Coalition and its member agencies focused on helping the city’s most vulnerable, and getting chronically homeless individuals off the street. These efforts were successful in reducing the number of chronically homeless individuals on the street by 50%. The Coalition’s members have housed another 93 chronically homeless persons in 2014 and hope these efforts will continue to lower homelessness in Louisville in the future.
About the Coalition for the Homeless
The Coalition for the Homeless, located at 1300 S. 4th Street, Suite 250, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent and eliminate homelessness in Louisville through advocacy, education, and coordination of 29 local member agencies who provide services for the homeless. Due to collaboration, Louisville receives twice the anticipated community allocation from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For more information, visit louhomeless.org, call (502) 636-9550.
Add Comment