Homeless Leadership Coalition’s 2023 ‘Point in Time Count’ finds number of homeless veterans nearly doubled in 2022
Most numbers on rise; veteran count down from 2021, but still concerning
(Update: Adding video, more findings, comments from Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Homeless Leadership Coalition released their 2023 Point in Time Count on Thursday. The count taken on Tuesday, Jan. 24 found what might not surprise many Central Oregonians: More people are living on the streets or in vehicles, the woods or vacant lots across the High Desert.
The Point in Time Count, conducted across the country, is an annual one-night count of those experiencing homelessness in Central Oregon, according to the HLC.
Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler reacted to the findings of the latest count: "There's a lot of work being done in the community connecting veterans to resources and specific projects like the Veterans Village to help them."
The number of veterans who reported experiencing homelessness nearly doubled, compared to the previous year. In 2022, 41 veterans were found to be homeless in the region, while this year's number jumped to 71, an increase of 73%.
Though that's not as high as 2021, when 89 homeless veterans were counted in the region, the sharp increase is still concerning.
"It makes some sense to see that ,when were in a time where pandemic era eviction prevention and rent assistance has gone away, and we still have very high housing prices in Bend, that veterans and other people are going to be pushed out of housing," Kebler added.
According to statistics referred to the mayor, 25 percent of people living in Bend live are experiencing a rent burden, meaning they pay 50 percent or more of their income to just housing.
Warm Springs had the largest increase in the region, with its homeless numbers spiking by more than 200%.
The total number of people experiencing homelessness in Bend is 1,012, up almost 25 percent compared to last year. In Redmond, the number is up over 105%.
"This is a pressing problem for our community, and it's something that we need leaders at every step of government to step up on. And that's what the city is going to continue to do," Mayor Kebler vowed.
According to the results, there were 28% more people overall without a residence living on the streets of Central Oregon this January, compared to 2022.
The 1,647 unhoused adults and children included 1,189 who were found to be living outside or in a vehicle, up from 1,063 a year earlier.
One positive sign: The number of houseless youth under 18 fell from 223 in 2022 to 196 this year. However, the number of older unhoused youth and young adults, ages 18-24, rose from 104 to 133.
