By Staff
A count of homeless or precariously-housed people in Cass County revealed 174 men, women and children. Of the 174, 56 were homeless, according to the strict HUD definition and 118 were precariously housed, meaning they were doubled up with another family.
That compares to previous counts of 120 in 2000, 126 in 2001, 217 in 2002, 174 in 2003 and 174 in 2005.
There was no homeless count in 2004 because of a Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) requirement to hold the count in January.
In prior years the count was conducted in October.
The Housing and Urban Development definition of homeless includes people living somewhere not meant for human habitation, such as a car, people in a homeless shelter or someone in an institution such as jail with less than a week before being discharged and with nowhere to go.
Of the 56 meeting the HUD definition of homeless, 26 were adults and 30 wee children.
The 56 broke down into 26 situations of homelessness, 18 were individuals and nine were families.
Only one family was considered chronically homeless, which is defined as more than 12 consecutive months of being homeless, four times within the last three years.
Of those meeting the HUD definition, 96 percent were unemployed, 21 percent were substance abusers, 20 percent were victims of domestic violence, 11 percent were unaccompanied youth (under the age of 18 managing for themselves), 11 percent had a mental illness and 4 percent had a developmental disability.
Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network, the Family Independence Agency (FIA), the Domestic Assault Shelter Coalition, Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, the Cass County Sheriff, Guardians and Alternatives, Marcellus Schools, Dowagiac Pathfinders, Cassopolis Schools and Lewis Cass Intermediate School District reported a total of 84 situations of homeless or precariously housed people, including 43 adult men, 59 adult women, 38 boys and 34 girls.
These statistics, collected the week of Jan. 23-29, have been incorporated into Cass County's emergency shelter grant submission to MSHDA. Anyone with immediate housing needs should contact Cass County Housing Specialist Teresa Mahone Jordan at the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, 445-3831.