Augusta’s homeless population numbered more than 800 adults during a census taken early this year, but those who did the counting say the actual number is higher.
During the annual tally conducted in January, volunteers collected 808 surveys from people living without permanent homes, ranking Augusta the third-largest homeless population in Georgia, behind Atlanta and Savannah.
Some homeless people declined to participate in the count by completing a survey, and others were simply missed, said Kimberly Blanchard, the coordinator of the census organized by the local Continuum of Care.
Surveys were not completed for homeless children, but 132 of the 808 adults surveyed indicated that they had at least one child who would classify as homeless.
“It’s still very hard to get an accurate count on the homeless population,” Blanchard said.
The census numbers are used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to track homelessness and distribute funding for aid.
Based on the results, Blanchard said, Augusta needs more shelters and more permanent supportive housing where homeless get help to transition to independent living.
via Augusta’s homeless population third-largest in Georgia | The Augusta Chronicle.
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