Charlotte-MecklenburgHomelessness andHousing Report Series2015
Ashley Williams Clark, UNC Charlotte Urban Institute
Courtney Morton, Mecklenburg County Community Support Services
Housing Instability andHomelessness Report Series
Point-In-Time Count
Report
HousingInstabilityReport(s)
Spotlight Report
Cumulative Count Report
Housing Instability andHomelessness Report Series
Point-In-Time Count
Report
HousingInstabilityReport(s)
Spotlight Report
Cumulative Count Report
Number ofpeople
identified ashomeless 2,001
29% from 2010
1% from 2014
Number ofpeople who
wereunsheltered 180
76% since 2010
10% since 2014
125 volunteers
Householdtypes
Childonly
0.60%Adults and
children 38%
Adults only 61%
Increase inhouseholds
with adults andchildren in
emergencyand seasonalshelter since
2010
67%
25%Youth
Characteristics
82%Black
25%Youth
Characteristics
82%Black
25%Youth
Characteristics
MecklenburgCounty is31% Black
82%Black
25%Youth
3%Latino
Characteristics
MecklenburgCounty is 12%
Latino
82%Black
25%Youth
3%Latino
Characteristics
82%Black
25%Youth
3%Latino
43%Female
Characteristics
91% ofunsheltered
population wasmale
82%Black
25%Youth
3%Latino
43%Female
Characteristics
Housing Instability andHomelessness Report Series
Point-In-Time Count
Report
HousingInstabilityReport(s)
Spotlight Report
Cumulative Count Report
Housing Instability inCharlotte-Mecklenburg2015
46% of renterhouseholdswere costburdenedMecklenburg County, 2013
27% of owner-occupiedhouseholdswere costburdenedMecklenburg County, 2013
Change in rent vs. income2008-2013, adjusted for inflation
Rent 2%
Income-12%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Communities Survey 1-Year Estimates.
Cost burdened renter-occupiedhouseholds by race
Black Hispanic White-non hispanic
Asian
Mecklenburg County, 2008 - 2012
Severely Cost burdened Cost burdened
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) dataset, 2008-2012.
52% 47%
36%26%
Mecklenburg County, 2008 - 2012Severely Cost burdened Cost burdened
Cost burdened owner-occupiedhouseholds by race
Black Hispanic White-non hispanic Asian
22%
34%36%44%
Hours per weeka person makingminimum wage
must work toafford a two-
bedroom unit atFMR
88
Characteristics of CharlotteHousing Authority HousingChoice Voucher Waiting List2015
Households onwaiting listAs of January 2015
31,723
Demographic Profile
93%Black
86%Female
3%Latino
5%Elderly(62+)
Majority (71%) of applicantsare extremely low income
Extremely LowIncome
71%
Very LowIncome
22%
Other7%
Affordable Housing
Not enoughresources tomeet need 31,723
Applicantson HCV waiting list
Vouchersavailable tonew clientseach year
200-240
Housing Instability andHomelessness Report Series
Point-In-Time Count
Report
HousingInstabilityReport(s)
Spotlight Report
Cumulative Count Report
HMISAGENCIES
ONLY
1,510
VETERANS SERVICES
ONLY
71
BOTH
94
1,675 unique veterans utilized services
361
394
430
194
211
167
24 19
26 9
Implemented
30 13
11 10
20 12
118
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
HMIS only Both Veteran Services Only
SERVICE UTILIZATION OF VETERANS BY YEAR2007-2012
New HMISDataStandards
Note: For "HMIS Only" and "Both," the year represents the year in which the veteran received homelessservices. For Veterans Services only, it represents the year in which the veteran first came to VeteransServices.
Housing Instability andHomelessness Report Series
Point-In-Time Count
Report
HousingInstabilityReport(s)
Spotlight Report
Cumulative Count Report
HMISSheltered at some point during 2014
6,498
PITSheltered on one night in 2014
1,850
Sheltered homelessnessincreased 10%(602 people)
From 2013-2014…
Sheltered homelessnessincreased 10%(602 people)
Sheltered householdswith children increased 14%(232 people)
From 2013-2014…
Sheltered homelessnessincreased 10%(602 people)
Sheltered householdswith children increased 14%(232 people)
Sheltered veteransdecreased 3.5%
(17 people)
From 2013-2014…
Some Critical Story Points
• We have some successes in decreasing homelessness among chronic and veteran populations, but our family and sheltered homelessness populations are increasing.
Successes butstill work to bedone
• Housing instability affects a large group of individuals and households in our community.
Housing instability has a significant impact
• African Americans are overrepresented inour homeless population and those facinghousing instability.Race matters
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURGPOINT-IN-TIME COUNT2009-2016
Ashley Williams ClarkUNC Charlotte Urban Institute
PRESENTERSCourtney MortonMecklenburg County Community Support Services
Acknowledgements
FUNDING PROVIDED BY:Mecklenburg County Community Support Services
AcknowledgementsREVIEWED BY:Housing AdvisoryBoard of Charlotte-Mecklenburgcommittee members
PLANNED BY:Point-in-Time CountPlanning Committee
BACKGROUND
What it isAnnual unduplicated census of people experiencing homelessness—sheltered or unsheltered—on a given night in January
Sleepingin a placeunfit for
human habitation
Sleeping in emergencyand seasonal shelters or
transitional housing
Doubled up with family and friendsor sleeping in hotels or motels
UNSHELTERED
Who is counted?
PIT COUNT
DOUBLED UPHOTEL/MOTEL
SHELTEREDHUD’s Definition
Unsheltered
Uptown streets,homeless camps,greenways, soup
kitchens, thelibrary, and
hospital waitingrooms
150+volunteers
27teams
Sheltered
A census ofhouseholdssleeping in a
shelter designatedto provide
temporary living arrangements
Emergency /Seasonal shelter
Safe havens
Transitionalhousing
Impact
Understand dimensions of homelessness
Help policymakers and program leaders track progress on meeting goals
Target resources more effectively
Help us learn which interventions areworking
Inform policy and funding decisions
HUD modified thedefinition of “chronically homeless,” and nowrequires reporting onthe chronically homelessstatus of heads ofhouseholds that areunder 18.
New chronically homeless definition
New for 2016
New chronically homeless definition
Change to transgendercategories
Option to select transgender male tofemale or transgenderfemale to male wasremoved based onfeedback received by HUD.
New for 2016
For the first time,unsheltered count datawere checked against HMIS to ensure noindividuals were countedmore than once.Chronically homelessstatus was also checked against CoordinatedAssessment data in HMIS.
New chronically homeless definition
Change to transgendercategories
HMIS used for unshelteredcount
New for 2016
New chronically homeless definition
Change to transgendercategories
HMIS used for shelteredcount
Questions on residence and shelter utilization added
Questions added tothe survey for theunshelteredpopulation count tolearn more about theirprior location andreasons for which theydo not access ashelter.
New for 2016
• Methodology changes
• One-night estimate
• Changes in definitions and housing type classifications
• General trend
• PIT homeless definition different from others (ex.McKinney-Vento)
• Self-reported data have reliability issues
• Undercount of people experiencing homelessness
Limitations
CONTEXT
Initiatives• Housing First Charlotte-
Mecklenburg• A Way Home Housing
Endowment• Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Housing Our Heroes
Strategies• Community coordination and
collaboration
• Coordinated assessment• Engagement and advocacy• Low barrier rapid-rehousing
initiatives• Permanent Supportive Housing• Data, research, and best
practice informed decisionmaking
2015-2016 Initiatives andStrategies
FINDINGS
Overall, the number of people identified as homeless on one night is down compared to last year
Homeless P'ersons Identified Ona Night in January
T 36% T 9%
From 2010 to 2016 From 201 5 to 2016
Overall, the majority of people were in shelter
1,149
187 Unsheltered (10%)
482 Transitional housing (27%)
Emergency and seasonal shelter(63%)
Shelter type
Number of people who
were unsheltered 187
75% since 2010
4% since 2015
482 57% since 2010
24% since 2015
Number of people who
were in transitional
housing
Number of people who
were in emergency or
seasonal shelter1,149 19% since 2010
3% since 2015
Almost all households with children were sheltered
0.7%
0% 100%
Emergency & Seasonal
Transitional Housing
Unsheltered Homeless
Adults and Children Adults Only Child Only
Household & Shelter Type
2% 98%
41% 59%
39.0% 60.3%
Homelessness among all household types decreased since 2010and since 2015
Adults only 1,160households
46% since 2010
6% since 2015
Single adults andadult couplesunaccompanied by children.
Adults andchildren 650
people
3% since 2010
14% since 2015
People who arehomeless as part ofhouseholds thathave at least oneadult and one child.
Child onlyPeople who are notpart of a familyduring their episodeof homelessness andwho are under theage of 18.
8people
53% since 2010
33% since 2015
Unaccompanied Children &
YouthPeople who are notpart of a familyduring their episodeof homelessness andwho are under theage of 25.
78households
8% since 2015
Parenting youth 34Youth (under age 25) whoidentify as the parent orlegal guardian of one ormore children who arepresent with or sleepingin the same place as thatyouth parent.
Veteran and chronic homelessness are down
VeteransSomeone who hasserved on active dutyin the Armed Forcesof the United States.
149 11% since 2010
19% since 2015
Chronicallyhomeless
170 45% since 2010
39% since 2015
Individual or head of household with adisability who lives in a place not meant forhuman habitation, a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter; and who has eitherbeen continuously homeless for at least 12months or has experienced at least fourepisodes of homelessness in the last 3years where the combined occasions totalat least 12 months. Occasions areseparated by a break of at least sevennights and stays in institutions of fewerthan 90 days do not constitute a break.
CHARACTERISTICS
23%Children
Characteristics
Characteristics
78%Black
Characteristics
3%Latino
Characteristics
44%Female
Almost 75% of unsheltered people have lived in Charlotte for morethan 2 years
The majority (72%) that moved in the last two years came from a surrounding county or the Carolinas
Over half of the unsheltered people who came to Charlotte-Mecklenburg within the last two years did not have housing when they arrived.
35% of unsheltered people reported they did not stay in a shelter on the night of the count for reasons related to comfort or safety.
6%
8%
10%
13%
16%
19%
27%
Banned from a shelter
Not eligible (other than banned)
Too structured of an environment
Shelter is full (not enough space)
I do not feel safe
Too many people for me to feel comfortable
Other
Why are you not staying at a shelter?
WHAT’S NEXT
Really great progress is beingmade…
…but there is still important work to be done.
1)Look at family and youth homelessness to decrease at even faster rate to parallel progress in chronic and veteran homelessness
2)The majority—78%—of persons who homeless are Black, which continues to be disproportionately high—considering only 32% of the general population in Mecklenburg County is Black.
Areas to pay attention