Homeless Populations

Homeless PopulationsOfc. B.P.Corrado, CSPDSchool Resource OfficerPalmer High School

11-15-2012

Your perceptions?

Homelessness is…•Defined in the Stewart B. McKinney

Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence or their primary residence is one of the following:▫A temporary place for people about to be

institutionalized▫Any place not meant for regular sleeping

accommodation by humans▫A supervised temporary shelter

How Many?•National Alliance to End Homelessness study

▫2011 (using data from 2008-2009)▫656,129 homeless people in the United States

•15,268 of those reside in Colorado• 4% increase from 2008 to 2009•30 homeless per 10,000 residents

Source: www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/state-of-homelessness-in-america-2011

Local Population

•360,890 permanent residents in Colorado Springs

•More than 300 homeless in the City

Local Impact•Since June 2008, more than 500 “camps”

on public land adjacent to recreational trails and creek beds.

•According to Homeward Pikes Peak, the average cost to support a single homeless person for police, fire, and medical services is $54,000 each year.

Why is there a Homeless

Population?

Social situations

▫Home

▫Relationship

Economic situations

▫Employment

▫Finances

▫Insurance

Psychological situations

▫Un(der) diagnosed

▫Unmedicated

Choice?

▫Resources

▫Counseling

What works?•Studies have shown that it takes an

average of 75 contacts per chronic homeless person before they may consider making a change in their life.

▫Employment

▫Services and Referrals

What happens when services fail?

Enforcement•Camping on public property

prohibited:▫9.6.110. For public land areas (Enforced by

HOT per policy)

•Camping restrictions: ▫9.9.404 (Used for city parks )

•Alcoholic beverages (in Parks): ▫9.9.410

Enforcement (Cont’d)•Littering prohibited:

▫9.6.202

•Possession of unsealed alcoholic beverages: ▫2.5.712

•Solicitation Prohibited (Aggressive):▫9.2.111

Enforcement (Cont’d)•Solicitation on or near street or

highway:▫10.18.112

•Trespass on private property: ▫9.6.102

•New City Ordinance▫What did we vote for?

What can you do?•Read your handout

•Do your own research

•Have a plan

•National Alliance to End Homelessness▫www.endhomelessness.org