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Report: Northeast Florida homelessness numbers down, affordable housing still limited

Jacksonville-based Changing Homelessness cited collaboration among area social service agencies, national nonprofits and government support as key factors in the improvement.
Credit: Bob Self / Florida Times-Union
Now under construction, the Village at Hyde Park multifamily housing development will bring 80 affordable homes to Jacksonville's Westside. The complex is being built at 6480 Watergate Lane.

The overall number of homeless people in Clay, Duval and Nassau counties has dropped 32 percent over the last 10 years, with dramatic decreases in veteran and chronic homelessness, according to a recent report from the lead homelessness-prevention agency for the three counties.

Jacksonville-based Changing Homelessness cited collaboration among area social service agencies, national nonprofits and government support as key factors in the improvement. Because of those ongoing efforts, the veteran homeless population likely will reach “functional zero” — with capacity in place to house every homeless veteran who comes along within 30 days — by the end of 2019.

Advocates are “persistent and optimistic,” said Dawn Gilman, the nonprofit’s CEO.

“We are making some good progress overall and great progress with veterans and chronic homelessness,” she said. “We definitely have people sleeping on the streets every night, but not in large numbers. This problem can be solved if we focus on it.”

Cindy Funkhouser, president and CEO of Sulzbacher, a nonprofit that provides comprehensive services for the homeless, cited what she called unprecedented recent support from City Hall as a key factor in the “encouraging” numbers.

“That’s how big, complicated issues get solved,” she said. “When everybody is at the table, we can make some really big things happen.”

Shannon Nazworth, president and CEO of Ability Housing, which creates affordable rental housing in Northeast and Central Florida, agreed.

“Seeing a reduction in the number of people living on our streets is a very good thing. It shows the impact true collaborations can have,” she said. “It is the result of ... working together on a common goal.”

REDUCING HOMELESSNESS BENEFITS ALL

Every January, Changing Homelessness stages the one-day Point-in-Time Count when nonprofit staff and volunteers visit areas in Clay, Duval and Nassau where homeless people congregate. This year a total of 1,654 people were counted — 74 in Clay, 1,494 in Duval and 86 in Nassau — compared to 1,794 people in 2018, 1,869 in 2017 and 2,442 in 2009.

The latest numbers are combined with 10-year trends and information from about 40 regional social service agencies that offer overnight emergency beds, transitional housing and supportive services.

“The best use of Point-in-Time data is [to show] how you’re doing over time. You’ve got to look at multiple years,” Gilman said.

The number of homeless veterans has dropped by 82 percent in the last decade, from 647 in 2009 and 118 in 2019. Twenty-five percent of the Northeast Florida population is active or veteran military and the region region ranked 39th for the number of homeless veterans in 2017, according to the report.

“We are home to thousands of veterans and when they struggle, our community takes steps to make sure they stabilize,” the report said. “Northeast Florida reduced homelessness among veterans because appropriate resources and tools were engaged during the last 10 years.”

One resource was a partnership with Community Solutions, a New York-based nonprofit that in 2016 launched a national effort to help communities bring their veteran populations all the way to zero, Gilman said.

Gilman said she is optimistic.

“It’s one of the last few bipartisan issues at the local, state and federal levels,” she said. As the public hears more lawmaker conversations about affordable housing and ending homelessness, they will “pay more attention to it” as well, she said.


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