Homelessness up across Virginia, down in Roanoke Valley
ROANOKE, Va. โ Homelessness is on the rise in Virginia. Newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found a 3% increase from 2019 to 2020 for those experiencing homelessness on a single night. Nationally, itโs up 2.2%; however, in the Roanoke Valley trends are plunging. โReally focus on who weโre targeting with those resources, I think has really had an impact,โ said Roanoke Cityโs Human Services Administrator Matt Crookshank. Crookshank said that nationally homelessness may spike, but in the Roanoke Valley, it might not be as bad as youโd expect.
Advocacy group aims to end involuntary homelessness by 2035
Ending involuntary homelessness by 2035 is the goal for one advocacy group. On Friday, researchers focused on the factors that go into homelessness, particularly for children. Itโs associated with increased secondary educational attainment. Itโs associated with prevention of early pregnancy and parenthood,โ said Dr. Amy Dworsky with the University of Chicago. According to the group, Times for Homes, a fifth of children live in poverty in America.
โBlessing Bagsโ help Miriamโs House give essentials to less fortunate, collect data on homelessness
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ Miriamโs House is distributing โblessing bagsโ to those who are less fortunate. Sarah Quarantotto, executive director of Miriamโs House, said the blessing bags will benefit those without shelter and the nonprofit organization. (Miriam's House)โThis count really informs the federal government on funding decisions [and] what the need is in each community,โ said Quarantotto. So, the anticipation of all of us in homeless response is that homelessness will rise over the next few months,โ Quarantotto said. Miriamโs House is counting on resources to meet the need.
Some California counties winding down hotels for homeless
But counties say that with some federal relief funding expiring soon or its status uncertain, it's time to transition residents from expensive hotel rooms to cheaper, more stable housing. California is one of several states, including Washington, that turned to hotels to shelter homeless people as the virus took hold. The department has said it plans to move homeless people out of all 29 hotels by June. Russ Heimerich, spokesman with the state's Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, says counties have resources to continue housing homeless people in hotels. They say hotel residents have flourished with regular checkups and meals.