Homelessness Drops 33 Percent In Montgomery County: Officials

NORRISTOWN, PA — The rate of homelessness in Montgomery County is down 33 percent since 2013, according to a recent study. The information comes from a new study recently published by the Your Way Home Montgomery County summit.

The same group compared homelessness from 2013 to 2017 to homelessness from 2011 to 2013 within the county. The rate had peaked at 464 homeless individuals in January of 2013, according to the group.

But by January of 2017, that number had plummeted to 310 individuals.

“The county is working hard to reduce homelessness and when it does occur, making it rare, brief, and non-recurring,” said Valerie A. Arkoosh, the Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, in a statement. “These new findings are moving in the right direction, but we must continue our efforts to support Your Way Home as they work to improve housing stability and economic security for those at risk of losing their homes and re-house those who have lost their homes.”

Your Way Home is a partnership with government, nonprofits, and other community partners working together to address homelessness in the region. County officials call it the county's "housing crisis response system."

The new report also showed some other positive numbers:

• 86 percent of Montgomery County households at risk of homelessness were diverted from entering an emergency shelter, up from 72 percent for the previous year.
• The median length of stay in a shelter in 2016 was 56 days, compared to 49 days in 2015.
• 86 percent of people who exited Rapid Re-Housing to permanent housing have not returned to homelessness within two years.

Your Way Home also recently presented four "Champions for Change" awards to individuals who have contributed to the decrease in homelessness in the county. The individuals honored include:

• Virginia Frantz, President & CEO, The Montgomery County Foundation, Inc.
• William P. Brown , Jr., President & CEO, Advanced Living Communities
• Kimberly A. Krauter, Chief Operating Officer, Advanced Living Communities
• Felicia Flora, Captain, Salvation Army of Norristown

Image via Montgomery County