DENTON (WBAP/KLIF News ) – United Way Denton County is sounding the alarm about an exponential rise in homelessness.
The push is based on data collected from the county’s data and the 2022 Point In Time count, an annual national census of the homeless.
The organization’s Olivia Mata Williams points to one specific factor that lead to the spike.
“COVID in general…it exposed and expanded existing gaps across the board…work force, child care and homelessness,” said Mata Williams.
She also cited inflation is another major contributor. Leia Atkinson, also with United Way Denton County, broke down the recent numbers.
“One thing with the Point In Time Count, due to the high risk COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 we were barred from conducting a full point in time count…so we only counted people who were in shelter in 2021. In 2021, we only found 176 people experiencing homelessness which makes out 2022 number of 448 over twice as much. Typically to get more accurate data we look at 2020, where we found 258,” said Leia Atkinson with United Way Denton County.
Mata Williams said there’s a sector of the homeless that are working. She said the current economic landscape has pushed people who are living in the ongoing fluidity between stability and instability into homelessness.
“What we realized is that the households that are working the under employment tends to be the most vulnerable population in the continuum of stability and instability. Those are the factors that go into poverty,” said Mata Williams.
It’s an issue that is showing no signs of slowing down. Mata said the organization is always in need of monetary donations and volunteers to help meet current needs.
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