A statewide census of the homeless population in Mississippi will be taken this week, including in the Golden Triangle.
Mississippi United to End Homelessness, a group containing the majority of homeless service providers statewide, plans to conduct a point-in-time count of the state’s homeless population from Jan. 26 through Jan. 30. Locally, groups such as Safe Haven, Recovery House and the Community Resource Center will help gather numbers.
The count is part of a national effort coordinated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. States across the nation conduct a point-in-time during the final ten days of January. Mississippi has been participating in the census since 2007, according to state point-in-time coordinator Reginald Glenn.
Glenn said HUD’s definition of homelessness extends to those living in shelters and those living on the streets. HUD, unlike other groups, does not count people forced to stay with family members, crashing on couches or being put up in hotels as homeless.
This definition of homelessness may be narrow, but it is the one officials rely on — the count gathered from the census is the official number presented to Congress and the White House in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report, according to Glenn.
In 2014, the point-in-time count found there were approximately 2,200 people without shelter throughout Mississippi in January 2014. Nationwide, HUD’s count found an estimated 578,424 persons across 3,800 cities were without shelter in January 2014.
HUD estimates that 37 percent of those counted were families and 68 percent were individuals. Nine percent of the homeless counted were veterans.
Counting those without shelter is a difficult process, especially in rural communities. Glenn said MUTEH tries to focus on urban centers throughout the state.
“We tap in to local area advocacy groups,” Glenn said. “They get together and they count as best they can.”
Mississippi is divided into three areas by MUTEH: the Jackson metro area, the Gulf Coast and the remaining 71 counties.
Those wishing to volunteer to help with the census can visit muteh.wordpress.com.
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