Homeless numbers increase

INCREASE DUE TO IMPROVED REPORTING SYSTEM

More people are living on Lethbridge streets, reflecting Alberta’s opioid crisis.

A total of 223 men, women and youth were counted as homeless on a day in April, when officials from Alberta’s seven largest cities used an improved, standardized reporting system. Province-wide, that number has grown to 5,735 — not counting people struggling to survive in smaller communities.

Nearly half of the homeless people in Lethbridge were described as “working age,” from 25 to 44 years old, and 65 per cent had been “sleeping rough” or relying on shelters for more than half a year.

“The new enhanced methodology in this year’s count has provided us with a much more clear and accurate picture of homelessness than we’ve ever had before,” says Martin Thomsen, the community social development manager in Lethbridge.

In mid-April, a team of 64 Lethbridge volunteers took part in the provincially co-ordinated “point in time” count, which included people in homeless shelters, emergency shelters and transitional housing along with a “street count.”

It found middle-aged adults (45 to 64) were the second-largest group at 27 per cent, followed by young adults (18-24) at 14 per cent.

Nine per cent of the city’s homeless people are children, their report shows, while five per cent were seniors.

Thomsen reports drug and alcohol addictions were the most common reasons for loss of housing (41 per cent), ahead of job loss (15 per cent) or being unable to pay the rent or mortgage (11 per cent.)

Conflict with a spouse or partner was cited by a further 13 per cent.

The numbers were far higher than in recent reports — 89 in 2016 — due to the change in methodology, he points out.

“It demonstrates that Lethbridge needs continued investments in housing to further support these individuals’ housing needs,” he says.

Details of the study will be considered by Lethbridge City Council, now in the process of developing a municipal housing strategy. A comprehensive report is expected by fall.

Thomsen notes the local Social Housing in Action initiative was successful in providing support for more than 900 people who faced “housing instability” last year, and found housing for more than 210 people.

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