Huron County's Homelessness Programs Supervisor Presented A Housing and Homelessness Data Report To County Council Recently

by Bob Montgomery

Huron County's Homelessness Programs Supervisor presented a Housing and Homelessness Data Report to County Council Recently.

Erin Schooley explains their data showed that at least 103 people were experiencing homelessness in Huron County in March. Of those, 91 people had been chronically homeless for six months or more in the last year. In March, there were 6 more people experiencing chronic homelessness than in February. Nine people entered homelessness in March. Some of them had been in their system before and some of them they were seeing for the first time. Two people got back in touch with them after having not been heard from in ninety days or more. And, one person who had been in their system before secured housing and then lost that housing. Three people moved into long term permanent housing and they lost touch with two people who they haven't heard from in ninety days or more.

Data specific to population shows that six young people between the ages of 16 to 25 are experiencing homelessness. Twelve families are experiencing homelessness and twenty-four people with Indigenous identity are experiencing homelessness.

Schooley says each month Huron's Housing and Homelessness Serving System will share details about the number of people in our community experiencing homelessness. By taking a look at the data each month we can start to:

• focus on what we know, rather than what we think

• adjust our services based on current events

• see what needs to be done to end homelessness

• improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness

Emergency Shelter Statistics for March:

• The average shelter system occupancy was 100%.

• Unique individuals sheltered this month was 18.

• The average number of people sheltered each night was 14.