ORLANDO, Fla. — In its annual population count program, the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida (HSN), has begun counting the number of people experiencing homelessness throughout Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.
What You Need To Know
- The Homeless Services Network of Central Florida is holding its annual population count for Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties for three days
- Officials say data from last year's census showed that the increase of people experiencing homelessness was related to the rising cost of living
- HSN CEO Martha Are shared that when rent prices rise about $100, the homeless population also tends to grow by about 9% as well
- Are said the information gathered from the census helps with future planning and mitigation efforts
Data from last year showed more than 2,200 people were counted as homeless among the three counties, a 5% increase from 2022. In downtown Orlando alone however, the homeless population had grown more than 30% in 2023 compared to 2022.
CEO of HSN Martha Are said this census offers crucial information to the organization that can then be relayed to the government for support. The numbers also offer insight to trends and affected demographics; which later helps with yearly planning and mitigation efforts.
Are says there are a number of factors contributing to the growth of the homeless population; with the rising cost of living being a leading factor of the years.
“The General Accounting office tells us that anytime our rent goes up $100 we’ll see a 9% increase of people experiencing homelessness,” said Are. “That’s significant, and we know how much our rent has gone up in recent years, and so our community has mirrored that.”
Are said that kind of information allows HSN to look at how they can help people specifically dealing with the inability to keep up with rent specifically. She said other trends that the census has recently picked up on is a sub-population of seniors, and specifically growth in senior women, 55 and older, experiencing homelessness for the first time.
As important as these details are to helping, Are shared that it really wouldn’t be possible with the HSN staff, and that community volunteers are a major reason why they’re able to gather such detailed information.
One returning volunteer, Richard Vaughn, said he’s learned a lot himself about the people experiencing homelessness.
“Once you get out on the streets and you start talking to these folks, you kind of get a feeling for, they’re just regular people and some things happened. Some of them are homeless veterans you know some of them have other issues going on and there’s a reason why they’re there. But they are people,” said Vaughn.
The census count will continue through Thursday, Jan. 25.