How many people in Asheville are homeless, unsheltered? 2024 numbers have been released
ASHEVILLE - The city’s latest homelessness count numbers are in. But this year, the point in time data was revealed in two sets: the first showed a modest increase in the total from the year before, with more people in shelter and transitional housing, and unsheltered numbers dropping.
The second, on first glance, was staggering.
By casting a wider net, with more volunteers and coverage, the number of unsheltered people counted grew from 171 in 2023 to 219.
If the same counting process was used as in previous years, the unsheltered count was projected to have been 117, back to 2021 levels, the city said.
Emily Ball, manager of the city's Homeless Strategy Division, presented both data sets April 25. The first looked at projected numbers using last year's methods, and the second with the expanded count process.
“I don’t think it is an accurate characterization to say last year we had 171 unsheltered people, and this year we have 219," Ball said.
“It’s really important to understand that it doesn’t necessarily represent an increase in the number of people who are unsheltered, but it represents a more accurate picture of the number of people who are unsheltered.”
It's a guiding principle of the city and Buncombe County's newly restructured Continuum of Care, a planning body that oversees homelessness response: "Maintain fidelity to data and evidence."
“The plans and decisions that we make can only be as good as the information that we use to make those plans and decisions," Ball said. "So it is critical for the new CoC to have the best possible information to make the best possible plans.”
The point in time count results were reported at a meeting of the city and Buncombe County’s new Continuum of Care membership — its board elected only minutes before data was presented in the banquet hall of the downtown Harrah's Cherokee Center.
How was this year's count different?
The point in time count is an annual census tallying the number of people experiencing homelessness in Asheville. It is typically a single night count, but this year the process took place more extensively over two days. The traditional street count — volunteers fanning across the city to survey unhoused people — was held both the evening of Jan. 30 and the next morning.
Meanwhile, outreach professionals polled people at encampments and daytime counts took place at an expanded number of area shelters and other service locations. The count encompasses all shelter and transitional housing beds, as well as people who are unsheltered.
Ball predicted at the count in January that the new methodology and larger footprint, plus 139 volunteers — a record-breaking number — could lead to an increase in unsheltered numbers.
Unsheltered homelessness refers to people sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation, such as outdoors in a tent, car or abandoned building.
The count is the source of the city's most comprehensive dataset of its unhoused population, which has increased since the onset of the pandemic, mirroring nationwide trends. It is mandated by U.S. Housing and Urban Development for all Continuums of Care and is necessary to receive federal HUD funding.
What were the results?
Results reflect a return to pre-pandemic shelter and transitional housing capacity, which took a significant blow during COVID. In 2019 there were 502 people in shelter and transitional housing. In this year's count, by both methodologies, 520 people were in shelter, up from 401 in 2023, a 29.7% increase.
By the numbers:
2020*: Sheltered: 482 Unsheltered: 65 Total: 547 *Pre-pandemic baseline
2021: Sheltered: 411 Unsheltered: 116 Total: 527
2022: Sheltered: 405 Unsheltered: 232 Total: 637
2023: Sheltered: 402 Unsheltered: 171 Total: 573
2024**: Sheltered: 520 Unsheltered: 117 Total: 637 **projected count if the same methodology was used
2024***: Sheltered: 520 Unsheltered: 219 Total: 739 ***actual count
Before COVID, local sheltered and unsheltered counts held steady for nearly a decade, fluctuating between 500 and 600 people, before a spike in 2022.
The homeless population swelled to 637 people, up 21% from 527 in 2021. Much of the growth was due to the unsheltered count, which doubled, up to 232 people from 116 the year before, as the pandemic exacerbated homelessness and unsheltered populations became more visible.
Results from Asheville's 2023 count, held in January of that year, found a decline in the number of people experiencing homelessness — 402 sheltered, 171 unsheltered, for a total of 573 — but still higher than pre-pandemic counts.
Even without the expanded methodology, this year's total count was higher, with more people in shelter beds, and a 31% decrease in the unsheltered count. But with a "collaborative planning approach and doubled coverage for the unsheltered count," 102 additional unsheltered people were identified who may otherwise have gone uncounted, they city said.
Participation in the count is voluntary, and people can also opt out of specific questions.
“It’s clear we have a lot of work to do moving forward,” said Lance Crawford, a member of the CoC who closed out the night's meeting.
“If the number 739 really hit you in the gut, let that be a motivation to stay engaged and encourage your fellow members to stay engaged and be part of this work.”
Demographics
Makeup of the 739 unhoused people counted in January:
Male: 68.8%
Female: 30%
Transgender: .2%
Nonbinary: .5%
Multiple gender: .4%
Culturally specific identity: .1%
89% single adults
10.7% families
.3% child only
230 chronically homeless (12 months, plus disability)
191 Veterans
American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous: 1.62%
Asian or Asian American: 1%
Black, African American, or African (only): 18.4%
Black, African American, or African and Hispanic/Latina/e/o: .27%
Hispanic/Latina/e/o (only): 1.08%
White (only): 73.3%
White and Hispanic/Latina/e/o: 1.89%
Multi-racial and Hispanic/Latina/e/o: .27%
Multi-racial (all other): 2.17%
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email [email protected] or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: How many people in Asheville are homeless: 2024 PIT numbers released
