HUD: Rural Americans increasingly turn to shelters

[Donnachaidh]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110614/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_homelessness_in_america

WASHINGTON – As the recession gripped America, thousands more people in rural and suburban areas turned to homeless shelters for help.

The number of people using shelters or transitional housing in suburban and rural areas increased 57 percent from 2007 to 2010, with more than 500,000 people from smaller communities seeking help in 2010, according to a report by the Housing and Urban Development Department. During the same time there was a decrease in the use of shelters in urban areas.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters that about 40 percent of those who served in the armed forces come from rural areas and homelessness among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans could be a contributing factor. He said the agency is stepping up efforts to combat homelessness near some military bases, and that legislation signed in 2009 by President Barack Obama contained a component that opens the door for more programs targeting homelessness in rural areas.

Families represent a much larger share of the total sheltered population than ever before, the report said. A majority of the homeless families consist of a single mother with young children.

More at the link --

[jwirr]

1. My small rural community has about 90 homeless and the reservation

near us had 100 more until they built three beautiful apartment houses. I do not know how many they have now.

Homeless in our areas are almost invisible because they stay in friends and family homes and move on when it is not working.

In my opinion I think they should be remodeling some of the bigger buildings that are setting empty into single occupancy rooms for some of these people. We have nothing like that kind of program in our community.

Having worked in Social Services I also know that often times when a homeless family is involved the police bring them to us and we help find housing, etc. for them. My daughter took a family in for a bit while they were being helped. I think we may respond this way because it gets cold enough here in the winter to die. They have to be helped. The reservation also helps its homeless by paying for hotel rooms - one family to the room. They have a contract with the motels.