(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indianapolis saw a 9% drop in homelessness this year after a pandemic spike last year.
The federal government requires a one-day snapshot of homelessness every January. Indy’s count of 1,761 is the second-highest in four years, but down nearly 200 people after jumping by more than 300 last year.
System strategy director Danielle Wireman with the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention says the report is a road map for where to focus efforts over the next year. She notes there’s improvement in some subcategories. The number of homeless veterans dropped by a third this year, and the number who aren’t even in a shelter dropped sharply too. The number of chronically homeless dropped sharply three years ago and has stayed roughly flat since then.
But 310 children are homeless this year — that’s up 16% from last year, and represents more than one-sixth of the total.
Statewide numbers should be announced next month.
