Palm Desert's Homeless Population Down 26%+ from 2011, But Up From 2007, 2009

Riverside County's homeless population has decreased by more than 30 percent in the last two years and county officials say it's due in part to local jurisdictions' focus to "rapidly re-house." 

Overall, the county number of homeless decreased by a total of 1,343 from 2011's count of 4,321, officials with the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services announced on Monday in the Riverside County 2013 Homeless Count and Subpopulation Survey.

The total number of 2,978 comes with the results of the 2013 "point in time" homeless count which was conducted in every city and unincorporated area within Riverside County between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. on January 23.  County officials have conducted the bi-annual survey since 2005, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to obtain federal housing dollars.

For the last three years, the county has received more than $20 million in funding, awarded to more than a dozen local agencies who serve the homeless, based on the results the survey finds, according to the report.

"The report said a strengthened network of providers and increased funding that has focused on preventing homelessness and helping individuals and families who are homeless become 'rapidly re‑housed' through temporary, one‑time assistance are factors that have attributed to the decrease," said Jill Kowalski, homeless programs unit manager for the county.  "This network, called the County of Riverside Continuum of Care, is a collaborative of local cities, the county, nonprofit organizations, faith-based and other community-based organizations that work together to help eliminate homelessness."

Kowalski also attributed the decrease in homeless population to a 79 percent increase in beds of "permanent supportive housing"-- totaling an additional 324 beds since 2010-- created with HUD funding.

Locally, counts done in Palm Desert indicated the area has a total of 50 homeless people.  Nearby Rancho Mirage has one, while La Quinta has five.

The local decline is fairly consistent with the county average, with about a 26 percent change from 2011's report, when 68 people were found to be homeless in the area.  

Before that, though, only 12 people were counted in 2007, according to data provided to Patch.  That number jumped to 38 in 2009.

Some of the highest populations of homeless in Riverside County were found in Riverside, with 906, Indio, with 566, and Corona, with 99.  Indio's homeless population is slightly inflated, though, as Martha's Village & Kitchen houses many of those counted.

As for some of the lower counts within Riverside County, the following communities had five or less homeless living in town: Calimesa (0), Canyon Lake (2), Easvale (0), Indian Wells (0), La Quinta (5), Murrieta (5), Rancho Mirage (1), Cabazon (0), East Hemet (0), Homeland (1), Romoland (0) and Thermal (4).

Countywide, of the 2,978 total homeless population, 1,888 were found "unsheltered," or living on the streets, in abandoned buildings, beneath freeway overpasses and in transient camps.  The remaining 1,090 were housed in some sort of shelter, according to the survey results. 

Here is the breakdown for Palm Desert, which had a total number of 11 unsheltered adults (the other 39 were housed in shelters):

Chronically Homeless Individuals

• 9% or 1 unsheltered adult was a Chronically Homeless Individuals.*

• There were no Chronically Homeless Families.**

• 10% or 1 unsheltered adult was African American/Black;
• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults were American Indian/Alaskan Native;
• 0% or 0 unsheltered adult was Asian/Pacific Islander;
• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults were Hispanic/Latino;
• 90% or 10 unsheltered adults were White.

• 73% or 8 unsheltered adults were men;
• 27% or 3 unsheltered adults were women.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had children;
• 100% or 11 unsheltered adults were single.

• 9% or 1 unsheltered adult had a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart trouble, high blood pressure, seizures, hepatitis, respiratory problems, epilepsy, tuberculosis, or arthritis.
  

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had a developmental disability.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had been diagnosed with AIDS or had tested positive for HIV.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had a mental health problem.

• 18% or 2 unsheltered adults had a physical disability.

• 9% or 1 unsheltered adult was released from a correctional institution such as a jail or prison after serving a court-ordered sentence during the past 12 months;
• 0% or 0 of the 1 unsheltered adult was provided with information such as housing, social services, transportation, etc. before their release.

• 18% or 2 unsheltered adults were age 62+.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had a problem with drugs or alcohol.

• 9% or 1 unsheltered adult served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist;
• 9% or 1 unsheltered man served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist;
• 0 or 0 unsheltered women served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist.

• 36% or 4 unsheltered adults had been a victim of domestic or intimate partner violence.

• 27% or 3 unsheltered adults were youth age 18 to 24;
• 0% or 0 persons were unaccompanied youth under age 18.