Homelessness spiked in the U.S. and across Northeast Ohio last year after years of decline. This year, the numbers are expected to continue to climb.
Homeless outreach groups across the state conducted the annual Point-In-Time or PIT Count on Tuesday, where they tally up individuals staying in shelters or in tent encampments outside.
Though the data won鈥檛 be finalized for several months, those working on the ground in homeless outreach have seen a rise, said Mikaylla Simms of Community Support Services, an Akron nonprofit that provides services for individuals experiencing homelessness or persistent mental illness.
鈥淲e see the numbers go up. We already know that just from 鈥� seeing these people struggle, seeing more tents pop up, seeing our day room numbers skyrocket,鈥� Simms said. 鈥淪o [we're] trying to get that snapshot to get that on paper to show everyone else who might not be aware that the numbers are rising.鈥�
Homelessness rose 7% in Ohio and last year, according to PIT count data.
In Summit County, the total number of individuals experiencing homelessness jumped to 648 in Jan. 2023, up from 441 in Jan. 2022, according to the PIT count data. That includes people in emergency shelters and transitional housing, as well as those living in encampments outside.
The unsheltered population 鈥� people living outside 鈥� more than doubled, from 53 to 154, the data show.
Stark County鈥檚 PIT count showed 320 people experienced homelessness last year 鈥� the highest number the county has seen since 2016, according to officials at .
PIT count allows for future outreach and funding
CSS employees and volunteers spent Tuesday crunching through the snow and ice in Akron鈥檚 wooded areas to connect with individuals staying in tents. In addition to getting a head count, they also asked targeted questions to plan future outreach.
In a secluded area near train tracks just north of Downtown Akron, Simms and social worker Keith Snodgrass found Tommy Porter, who鈥檚 been experiencing homelessness for 18 years.
After giving him a bus pass and coupons to McDonald鈥檚, Snodgrass asked Porter some survey questions.
鈥淵ou [have] a physical disability?鈥� he asked Porter.
Porter replied that he does, but he鈥檚 been denied disability benefits several times. He can鈥檛 show proof because he hasn鈥檛 been to a doctor鈥檚 appointment in years.
鈥淟ost everything. Lost my job, kids are grown, became homeless in Wooster,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淪omeone brought me up here, and I鈥檝e been here ever since.鈥�
Porter likes keeping to himself, he said.
鈥淚t [isn鈥檛] too bad. All you have to do is deal with those two weeks of coldness,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned a few lessons from it.鈥�
After the survey, Porter went off to what he calls his 鈥渙ffice鈥� 鈥� an intersection Downtown where he regularly panhandles.
Snodgrass has tried to help Porter for years, but he鈥檚 hesitant to get off the streets, Snodgrass said.
But today鈥檚 PIT count survey allowed Snodgrass to learn more specific details about Porter鈥檚 needs.
鈥淚 see he鈥檚 trying to get his disability, so that鈥檒l give me something to come back because we have someone in our office that helps with that,鈥� Snodgrass said. 鈥淭hat might be a way to maybe get him in and start being able to work with him.鈥�
Snodgrass will report that information to CSS, and they鈥檒l try to help Porter get in with a doctor so they can start the process of potentially getting him on disability benefits.
鈥淭he door鈥檚 cracked now. That鈥檚 why coming out sometimes, even when you鈥檙e dealing with a person who may say they don鈥檛 want any help, it鈥檚 something,鈥� Snodgrass added. 鈥淓veryone needs help with something, so you just figure out that thing and then you can go at it from there and help them with a lot of other things.鈥�
Outreach groups will submit their PIT counts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which then uses the data to provide funding for homeless outreach.
Rising costs of rent, the lack of affordable housing and last year鈥檚 end to COVID-19 emergency support seem to be causing the spike, Simms added.
Simms and Snodgrass have also heard of situations where people can鈥檛 get housing because of previous evictions.
鈥淣ow you have an eviction on your record, which creates an extra barrier, even if you did increase your income to afford the higher rent. Now, the landlord鈥檚 going to look at that and see you have a recent eviction,鈥� Simms said.
鈥淭he landlords are being a lot more strict about what they accept and who they accept,鈥� Snodgrass added.
The PIT count is conducted the last week of January each year. Outreach groups in Cleveland conducted their PIT count on Tuesday as well, while Stark County groups will go out on Sunday, Jan. 29.
