The Peterborough United Way’s biannual snapshot of those unhoused in the city has revealed a dramatic increase in chronic homelessness.
The Point in Time Count, a survey conducted over 24 hours last November, saw 80 per cent of respondents reveal they had been unhoused six months or more. That’s up from 60 percent back in 2016 when the first federally-mandated report was compiled.
In addition, the survey revealed that not enough income was the top reason for homelessness provided by the 343 people surveyed, followed by conflict with a spouse or partner, and conflict with a landlord.
United Way CEO Jim Russell said telling the stories of those unhoused was, and remains, a key focus of the data gathering.
Russell says Peterborough, as a whole, will be in a much better place if and when chronic homelessness is much less a reality.
Russell says high housing rental costs, coupled with a very low vacancy rate, creates a huge challenge that has to be addressed.
The full 32-page report can be viewed at https://www.uwpeterborough.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024-Point-In-Time-Report-United-Way-Peterborough.pdf.
(Written by: Paul Rellinger)
