How’s the fight against homelessness going in Columbus? Here’s one measure.
Slow but steady.
That’s how Pat Frey, executive director of Home for Good, characterized preliminary data collected during the annual survey of homeless people called the 2020 Point in Time Count.
“Those who are housed are staying housed,” Frey said. Home for Good is a United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley program established to develop effective homelessness prevention programs and help those in need.
Home for Good conducted its twelfth annual survey of the homeless population in Columbus and Russell County earlier this week. Forty five volunteers spread over three different shifts worked Tuesday and Wednesday, finding and speaking with sheltered and unsheltered individuals. Volunteers did one-on-one interviews, asking each person about their current housing situation, family, and health.
This year, volunteers surveyed:
▪ 259 individuals, down 7% from 2019
▪ 183 individuals in shelters, down 5% from 2019
▪ 34 individuals in transitional housing, up 3% from 2019
▪ 42 unsheltered individuals, down 19% from 2019.
Frey said this year’s numbers are in line with recent trend.
“We have seen a slow downturn and that’s good,” Frey said, “We like slow but steady.” Frey said that helps them determine if people they housed three or four years ago are still housed. She said they’re not seeing people returning to the streets, and that’s what they want.
One of the Tuesday evening stops was Valley Rescue Mission in Columbus. Rhonda Mobley, Valley Rescue’s president and CEO, said they are not a United Way agency, but do provide shelter to homeless men, women and children. She said they’re happy to help with the survey.
“The Point in Time Count is very important to our community,” said Rhonda Mobley, president and CEO of the Valley Rescue Mission, “it gives us an opportunity to find out what the needs are in the community, who we need to serve, and how to tailor programs.”
Frey said they began Thursday contacting those surveyed to do full assessments, starting with those deemed to be the most vulnerable and having the greatest need.
“We know homelessness is going to be with us, people are going to become homeless,” Frey said, “but do we get those individuals and those families housed and help them maintain that housing long term so they don’t return.”
Anyone can help by texting HOME to 40403 to give to United Way’s Home For Good program to help end homelessness.
