On the stormy January night before Ohio University's first snow day since 2003, 71 households in Athens County considered themselves homeless.
Every two years, the Athens County Housing Coalition conducts a survey to collect data about homelessness in order to identify the area's needs and apply for funding sources, said Terri Gillespie, chair of the coalition, adding that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development chooses one day for housing organizations nationwide to distribute surveys and collect results.
Out of 221 returned surveys, 71 households self-identified themselves as homeless, while 25 households met the official definition of homelessness set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to the 2009 survey.
In 2007, 53 respondents identified themselves as homeless and 37 met HUD's definition out of 164 returned surveys. HUD defines a chronically homeless person as someone who is disabled and has been homeless for more than one year, according to the HUD Web site.
This year, the coalition added a foreclosure question to try to evaluate its impact on homelessness in Athens. Eight households reported that their current housing status was threatened by foreclosure while two households lost their homes.
We haven't seen in this area the impact of what they've seen in other areas
said Keith Andrews, executive director of the Athens Metropolitan Housing Authority and a member of the coalition.
Although the coalition has conducted three surveys since 2005, the results are hard to compare and it's difficult to identify trends based on the data, Gillespie said. Many times people may not meet the HUD definition of homelessness, but may be at risk for homelessness or living in substandard housing.
The face of homelessness seems to be more apparent in urban areas dense areas where homeless people are a little more visible she said. In rural areas people tend to be not nearly as visible.
The Point-in-Time surveys are conducted all around the country on the same winter day chosen by HUD, but the methodology is left to the discretion of individual county organizations, Gillespie said.
In Athens, the coalition distributes surveys to agencies that provide public services, such as Athens County Job and Family Services and the domestic abuse shelter My Sister's Place, for distribution to the people they serve, she said.
Some urban areas gather data by doing street counts of the homeless or visiting settlements where people without permanent housing tend to congregate, said Nicole Pierson, an OU graduate student studying social work who wrote the 2009 Point-in-Time report.
In Athens, however, where there are two homeless shelters and one domestic abuse shelter, many people without homes tend to double up with friends or family or find other places for shelter, which makes it more difficult to gather accurate data about homelessness, Pierson said.
Pierson said she has seen eight or nine people living in a one-bedroom apartment, for example, as well as families living in campers meant for the summer months.
The HUD definition doesn't address the rural issues
she said. They're not addressing substandard housing
being behind in housing payments or doubling up.
3
Culture
Meghan McNamara
28684a.jpg
