Report: Essex County Has The Most Homeless Residents In New Jersey

Essex County may have the most homeless residents in New Jersey.

There are about 1,723 homeless individuals living in the county – around 17 percent of the statewide total – according to the 2015 New Jersey Point-In-Time Count.

The total represents a 4.1 percent increase from last year.

Overall, the study counted 10,211 homeless individuals across New Jersey, a decrease of almost 14 percent from 2014.

The report is an annual effort to provide a snapshot that shows where people are finding shelter, what their needs are and what factors contribute to their homelessness, in addition to providing data about statewide trends.

Volunteers collected the data over a one-day period this winter, using information from the New Jersey Homeless Management Information System. In addition, surveyors visited places that local homeless populations are known to exist, such as parks, overpasses and train/bus stations.

The report - mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – was funded by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and administered by Monarch Housing Associates of Cranford.

Read the full report online here.

IN ESSEX COUNTY

The 2015 report found that:

• Over the past five years, the homeless population in Essex County has risen 14.5 percent
• About 17 percent of respondents in the survey said that their last permanent address was outside of Essex County
• About 22.5 percent were children under the age of 18
• More than 80 percent of the respondents identified themselves as black or African-American; 15.3 percent identified themselves as white, 12.4 percent identified as Hispanic, and 0.3 percent identified as Asian
• The most common reason for homelessness was being “asked to leave a shared residence” (21.1 percent), followed by “eviction” (17.7 percent) and “released from prison or jail” (11.6 percent)

Send news tips to eric.kiefer@patch.com

File Photo: Flickr Commons