OCR Text |
Show UTAH'S HOMELESS Estimates of the number of homeless persons are difficult to obtain. They vary and probably underestimate the number of homeless persons for several reasons: 1) no reliable nationwide count of homeless persons, 2) a high turnover rate in the homeless population, 3) difficulties in locating and counting homeless persons, and 4) several ways of defining who is "homeless." The Community Development Division, Utah Department of Community and Economic Development, reports annual statistics for homeless persons by a "simple point prevalence count" (See Glossary) repeated one night every January and July.1 Although these data leave many questions unanswered and fail to adequately track homeless persons and the length of homelessness, they give general information for understanding the change in the number of homeless in Utah. Utah's Sheltered/Unsheltered Homeless Table 19 Sheltered Est. Total Year Homeless Homeless 1986 355 628 1987 427 756 1988 513 908 1989 687 1,215 1990 860 1,522 1991 1,036 1,834 1992 1.380 2,354 1993 1,368 2,425 An estimated 2,425 homeless persons are on Utah's streets on any given night. The number of sheltered homeless in 1993 constituted 56.5% of the estimated total homeless population (Table 19). The fastest growing segment of the homeless population may be families, including single parent Community Development Division, Department of Community and Economic Development. Utah 1993 Homeless Count, p. 1.(1994, Jan. 18). Figure 15 families. Since 1990, the number of sheltered homeless families has increased 143% (Table 20, Figure 14). The percentage of sheltered homeless children has increased 181% since 1990. In the July 1991 count, female single-parent families accounted for nearly 62% of the total families sheltered. Utah's Homeless Children and Families Table 20 Year Children Families 1990 108 53 1991 167 82 1992 233 118 1993 304 129 By race, the majority of homeless persons are Caucasian (57%), followed by Hispanics (14%), African-Americans (10%), Native Americans (7%), and a new category "multi-racial" (3%) in the 1993 count. Homeless persons are considered by many to have increased health risks, both mental and physical. Figure 14 Utah's Homeless Children and Families 400-r $ •g 300 H Z 200 H 3 100-- 1990 1991 1992 1993 Children Families Utah's Sheltered/Unsheltered Homeless 2500 j 2000--1500--1000--500-- •Sheltered Homeless Est. Total Homeless 0 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 16 DEMOGRAPHICS |