MD: Homelessness rising faster in (Prince George's) county
than elsewhere
Continuing lack of affordable
housing in Prince George’s is named as a factor
Thursday, June 15, 2006
by Judson Berger
Staff Writer
The Gazette
The number of homeless residents in Prince George’s County rose 16.2
percent between 2004 and 2006, a rate that is more than twice the regional
average, according to a report by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
The Council reported the data as part of its point-in-time survey that counted the number of homeless people in nine regional jurisdictions on Jan. 25. The survey counted 12,085 people, including 1,291 in Prince George’s County. In the 2004, the county number was 1,111.
‘‘We still saw a continued increase in the number of individuals who are homeless. That’s region-wide,” said Michael Ferrell, director of the District’s Coalition for the Homeless, who helped compile the report that was released Wednesday. He said that while the number of homeless individuals rose, the number of homeless families fell slightly.
‘‘The real plus to that is, it translates into less children being directly affected by the incidence of homelessness,” Ferrell said.
The study found that between 2004 and 2006, the number of homeless region-wide rose an average of 6.9 percent. One factor is too few affordable housing units.
Montgomery, Arlington and Loudon counties also saw significant increases, while Prince William County and Alexandria saw decreases.
The increase in Prince George’s came after a reported dip in the numbers last year. But the number of chronic homeless — those who remain homeless year to year — nearly tripled in 2005, from 71 to 194.
Community Ministry of Prince George’s County director Terence Collins said earlier the problem with chronic homelessness can be traced to a lack of supportive housing services.
The county maintains the Homeless Continuum of Care, a network that provides 900 beds in emergency and transitional shelters. The Community Ministry also partners with the county government for the Warm Nights program, which provides shelter for the homeless during the coldest months at various locations around the county.
Prince George’s recorded one to two homeless residents for every 1,000 residents, compared to nearly 11 homeless for every 1,000 residents in the District of Columbia. The concentration in Prince George’s is about average for the region.
The report noted that the addition of over 1,000 permanent beds region-wide has helped.
But James Brassard, pastor of Bowie’s Christian Community Presbyterian Church, which participates in the Warm Nights program, said the region still has no plan for addressing homelessness in a market where housing costs can be daunting for low-income families.
‘‘The cost of housing is the biggest culprit,” Brassard said. He called for the government to require construction of low-income units in new developments. ‘‘Without that kind of a policy, we’re not going to take care of the homeless problem.”
E-mail Judson Berger atjberger@gazette.net.