The NC Coalition to End Homelessness recently released the 2011 Point-In-Time Homeless Individuals Count Data, showing the number of homeless individuals in the United Way region has risen  by 135 individuals, or 4.2 percent, from last year’s point-in-time counts. These counts have increased in Anson, Cabarrus and Mecklenburg, with only Iredell and Union seeing declines.  Most noticeably, Anson County saw its count of homeless individuals more than double, increasing from 43 homeless individuals to 108.

In addition to the increase in the total homeless population, there was a slight increase in the child homeless population.  From 2010 to 2011, the percent of homeless individuals that were under age 18 in the UWCC region went from 16.2 percent to 21.6 percent.  The child homeless count increased in every county except Iredell, and this jump was most noticeable in Anson County, which saw its homeless population go from 11.6 percent children to 40.7 percent children.

About the data: These point-in-time counts provide data on the total number of homeless individuals and families by county as well as breakdowns relating to gender, child homelessness, sheltered/unsheltered status, chronic homelessness and co-occurrence of mental illness.