Pierce County Homeless Count: Job Loss, Mental Health Main Drivers

UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA - The county's 2017 "point-in-time" count of homeless people measured a drop in the total population since last year, but the problems at the root of homelessness are much the same.

The count was taken on Jan. 27 and found 1,321 homeless people living in Pierce County. That's a drop of more than 400 from the 1,762 counted in 2016. The count includes people living un-sheltered in tents and cars, and those living in shelters or transitional housing.

County officials cautioned that a drop in the count can happen for any number of reasons, including bad weather on the night of the count, fewer volunteers, and the time of day.

Even though the total population dropped, the same problems underlying homelessness in Pierce County are similar to 2016 and other years. In 2017, the top reasons for homelessness were 1) loss of a job or lack of job skills, 2) eviction, and 3) a family crisis.

The top disability among the homeless is mental illness, with 31 percent of the population reporting a mental health problem. The next two disabilities are physical (22 percent) and chronic medical problems (19 percent).

Some other startling facts from the count include that 20 percent of homeless people in Pierce County are under age 18; 10 percent are veterans; 14 percent are victims of domestic violence; and 80 people - or 18 percent -are employed either part of full-time.

Here are the number of homeless people the volunteers counted in Pierce County cities:

• Bonney Lake - 8
• Buckley - 1
• Carbonado - 1
• Dupont - 1
• Eatonville - 2
• Fife - 5
• Gig Harbor - 2
• Graham - 6
• Joint Base Lewis McChord - 2
• Lakewood - 69
• Milton - 1
• Orting - 2
• Parkland - 58
• Puyallup - 24
• Roy - 2
• South Hill - 17
• Spanaway - 19
• Sumner - 6
• Tacoma - 313
• University Place - 20
• Vaughn - 1
• Wauna - 1

Image via Patch.com