Officials are reporting a 10% decrease in homelessness in our area from 2021, although they say homelessness is still a problem with the lack of affordable housing making it a challenge to house those in emergency shelters.Â
Catrina Peters, the Data & Policy Specialist for Washoe County, says "there are a lot of layers on this issue and we need to continue to focus on providing affordable housing options so we have a way to get folks housed."
She explains that with the expansion of the Nevada Cares Campus, they're working to continue to engage people on campus to transition them into houses. She adds, "We're happy to see an increase in the number of folks coming to emergency shelter so we can connect with them and provide that case management piece to get them housed."
They split the data into two categories and saw a decrease in those unsheltered including people who live in a tent or in their cars, although they saw an increase in people who are staying in emergency shelters or a temporary living program. The data also showed that 75% of the homeless populations are male, around 25% are female and even less are transgender.
Peters mentions, "We're happy to see a slight decrease in the total number of people who are homeless but we still have a lot of work to do and we're really grateful for the community support at the Nevada cares campus so we can continue to get folks housed."
