Count Reveals 166 Homeless In Harford County
The one-day count took place on Jan. 24, 2013, according to Harford County government.
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A one-day count revealed 166 homeless people in Harford County, officials said Wednesday.
Of those 166 without homes, 98 are adults and 68 are children, according to a news release from Harford County. The count includes a three percent margin of error, the release stated, "due to the transient nature of homelessness."
By holding the count, the county is now eligible for federal and state funding.
The initiative, led by Harford County government, law enforcement & community volunteers, was held on Jan. 24. The count culminated with the distribution of clothing, food, care items and bus vouchers.
Harford County has 13 shelters with a total of 304 beds, according to the statement.
In fiscal year 2012, Harford County provided beds for 997 people for a total of 63,261 nights—an average stay of 37 nights per person, the release said.
The release said Harford County Department of Community Services provided more than $1 million in funding in 2012 to local organizations that provide assistance to homeless. Those organizations include "Alliance, Inc., Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United, Inc. (FCCAU), Associated Catholic Charities Inc./Anna’s House, the Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center (SARC), Homecoming Project, Inc., and Harford Family House, Inc.," the release stated.
More information about homeless services in Harford County is available here.
Eleanor
4:35 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
And this is why the USA needs to provide for its own citizens before sending millions to foreign countries.
DeDe
11:17 am on Thursday, February 7, 2013
You are absolutely right, Eleanor.
steve Ruth
5:29 pm on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
wrong, come too riverside church Tuedays and see how many are ther each week
DeDe
11:18 am on Thursday, February 7, 2013
Are you saying the homeless head count is too high or too low?
Erin Stotler
11:02 am on Thursday, February 7, 2013
I agree with Eleanor, we need to take care of our own first!
Justin
11:30 am on Thursday, February 7, 2013
That is kind of a broad statement "take care of our own" we have welfare and unemployement in place. A lot of homeless people are homeless because they are drug addicts or have squandered oportunities. Saying lets take care of all the homeless isn't necessarily going to work. Not to mention the money we give to other countries could be feeding starving children...but since they aren't ameican childer they are less? Not saying you are wrong but just a thought
DeDe
11:59 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
Justin - you really find it acceptable to feed children in other countries, before we take care of the 17 million children in America that are going hungry?
dianne raitzyk
11:40 am on Thursday, February 7, 2013
I agree with Erin. This country has so many homeless, and the count in increasing weekly.
Tresa
12:43 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
I wonder why we can't utilize these empty building to house the people. Does not make sense to let buildings to detoriate and people could be using them, especially those with children! Come on Harford County, at least try!
Karl Schuub
1:30 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
It sounds so very simple but we already have programs just like that - it's called section 8 housing. You can't just take empty buildings, fix them up and let people live in there free of charge without also taking on very expensive maintenance charges for the buildings. People that would tend to be homeless, people that would tend to live in government housing usually turn the places they live into cesspools and quickly. Given there are multiple layers of programs to get folks off the streets you have to assume they either want to sleep outside or suffer mental illness - either way you can't force people to live in shelters if they don't want to.
Shelley Sampson DeFries
4:00 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
Section 8 housing has over a two year waiting list. The FCCAU has only 31 beds, 25 for men, 6 for women. The Salvation Army motel program states that an individual can get 1 motel night stay per year. The programs that exist rarely do more than put a bandaid on the problem-- there needs to be long term help.
Karl Schuub
8:22 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
So Shelly; you have a house? Invite them to stay with you.
Shelley Sampson DeFries
1:48 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
the homeless count is low. If the count was taken in the middle of June/July they would find more people that are without shelter. Since the count is taken during the coldest time of the year many of the homeless find places to sleep during the night-doubled up on someone's couch, living in someone's car or backyard shed. It's sad to know some of our veterans are living in tents, in the back of a tractor/trailers or in shelters that puts them out during the day. The comment above : "A lot of homeless people are homeless because they are drug addicts" Really? And you know this because? Addicts are our brothers, cousins, neighbors, friends and I guess you think because they have an addiction/ illness they deserve to suffer and freeze in the cold at night. Sad.
Kaitlyn Hope Anderson
7:03 pm on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
I can't help but put my 2 cents in I am a mother on the computer trying to find my daughter a program to go into when she gets out of jail she is in jail because she did stupid stuff to support her drug habit she had a drug habit because she is bi polar and was sexually molested several times as a child all prior to the age of 12. She can't stay with me because my land lord has a paper filed with the local police that if she is found anywhere near my home even to visit I am evicted(she did a lot of stupid stuff while living with me. She turned herself in on Feb 5th and is determined to stay straight but I know in my heart homelessness my be enough stress to cause her to fall. So anyone that wants to judge the homeless remember some are addicts some aren't some are very wounded lost people who just need someone to believe in them.
RW Willy
9:36 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
"...Harford County currently has thirteen emergency, transitional and permanent supportive shelters, offering a total of 304 beds for homeless adults, children and families. In fiscal year 2012, Harford County provided 997 people with 63,261 emergency shelter or transitional housing bed nights, for an average stay of 37nights per person. In 2012, the Harford County Department of Community Services provided more than a $1 million in homeless program funding"
there is 24 month housing available also. It may not be enough assistance for your liking. But it is more then enough for mine.
DeDe
12:33 am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
To Kaitlyn Anderson,
I'm sorry for what you and your daughter are going through. Have you checked with the jail to see what programs they have available? I don't know for sure, but I would like to think that if a person is getting released and have nowhere to go, they would be referred to a halfway house or something similar. Or you could contact the Harford County Department of Community Services for advice. I wish the best to you and your daughter.