AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- New data shows the number of people experiencing homelessness in Travis County increased 11% from 2019 to 2020.
The latest Point-In-Time Count from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) was done on January 25, using 886 volunteers to survey people living on on the streets, in shelters, or in transitional housing.
Volunteers counted 1,574 unsheltered individuals on that day - an increase of 45% over the 2019 count of 1,086. 932 people were counted in shelters and transitional housing, down approximately 20 percent from 2019's count of 1,169.
Despite the increase in the count, ECHO says the total count per capita in Travis County has held steady since 2011, roughly 0.2% of the county's population. The proportion of children under 18 years went down slightly, while youth aged 18-24 and veterans both saw slight increases between 2019 and 2020.
ECHO says there are three areas of need that the count identified - racial equity, youth homelessness, and veteran homelessness.
You can view a copy of the report and past years' data at ECHO's website.
