HOMELESS SINGLE MALE ADULTS OVER THE AGE OF 40 MADE UP MOST OF THE SAN DIEGANS HELPED AT THE 8TH PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT – DOWNTOWN
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SAN DIEGO, CA – January 23, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — As volunteers prepare to conduct the annual San Diego Point-in-Time Count of homeless individuals tomorrow at dawn, the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) released a report today that showed that the majority of the San Diegans who received help at last month’s The 8th Project Homeless Connect – Downtown San Diego (PHC) were single, and 61.1 percent were men.
This gender data is consistent with nationwide trends in the 2012 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress – Volume II, which is based on data collected in Point-in-Time Counts across the country. But according to the PHC report, homeless participants who received services were older.
“As we release our Project Homeless Connect Report today, we’re reminded of the hundreds of people still living on the streets in the City of San Diego,” said SDHC President & CEO Richard Gentry. “The information contained in this report provides us with a profile of Project Homeless Connect participants and the kinds of help they sought or may need to begin the process of ending their homelessness and rebuilding their lives.”
The data contained in SDHC’s PHC report also showed that 40.9 percent of PHC participants were “unsheltered,” living on the streets or in vehicles, and 58.5 percent were between the ages of 41-60.
More than 85 percent of PHC participants were unemployed.
The report is based on information PHC participants provided about themselves. For the second time, registration for PHC was paperless, using computers at the entrance to gather information from participants about their current life circumstances.
In addition, according to SDHC’s PHC report:
• 81.3 percent were single;
• 58.3 percent were white;
• 53.5 percent had a medical condition or disability;
• 49.3 percent had mental health issues;
• 46.0 percent received non-cash benefits, such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh or County Medical Services;
• 36.3 percent were women;
• 36.3 percent had average monthly cash income of $999 or less;
• 15.3 percent were military veterans; and
• 11.6 percent were families with children.
At PHC, 692 volunteers and 86 service providers came together to offer free clothing, food, and a variety of services, which included:
• 355 haircuts
• 125 flu shots
• 85 identification cards issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles
• 32 dental cleanings
• 14 Social Security card applications processed
PHC was held on December 4, 2013, in Golden Hall at the San Diego Concourse. Watch video.
SDHC’s Housing Innovations Department compiled the data for this report. SDHC’s Information Technology Department coordinated the registration with the generosity of Cox Communications, Skyriver Communications and Meeting Tomorrow.
For the fourth consecutive time, SDHC was the lead organizer for PHC, providing financial support and, through SDHC’s website, volunteer recruitment. Major partners were the City of San Diego, the Interfaith Shelter Network, Family Health Centers of San Diego and St. Vincent de Paul Village.
For more information, visit www.sdhc.org.
Media Contact: Maria Velasquez, Vice President
Community Relations & Communications
619-578-7560 mariav (at) sdhc (dot) org
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