Data From January 2014 Point-in-Time Count to Inform Update of Calgary's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - April 22, 2014) - The Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) will use data from the Point-in-Time Count (Count) conducted on January 15, 2014 to update Calgary's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness (10 Year Plan). A detailed report was released today, showing changes in the number and demographics of people experiencing homelessness in Calgary.

Key findings in the report are as follows.

• The growth in the homeless population has stopped. There were 3,533 counted as homeless, compared with 3,190 people in January 2012, 3,576 people in August 2012 and 3,601 people in 2008.
• The number of people in emergency shelters, short-term supportive housing and within public systems remained consistent to prior Counts, while there was a rise in the number of people sleeping outside (215), compared with the previous winter Count (64).
• Aboriginal people continue to be over-represented among the homeless population, making up less than 3% of Calgary's population but 21% of the homeless population.
• Homelessness occurs across the lifespan, with 38% between 25 to 44 years of age and 38% between 45 and 64 years of age.
• Women continue to be under-represented, accounting for only 25% of the homeless population.
• The number of homeless families rose slightly (209), compared with the summer Count of 2012 (198).
• There were 326 unaccompanied youth (between 13 and 24 years of age) counted as homeless.

The Count was sponsored by Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP. Counts are one day snapshots of homelessness that capture numbers and basic demographics of people staying in emergency shelters, short-term supportive housing, jails, hospitals, addictions treatment facilities and on the streets.

The report can be found here and a backgrounder on the Count can be found here.

The CHF leads implementation of Calgary's 10 Year Plan with agencies, the private sector, government, the faith community, other foundations and all Calgarians to end homelessness in Calgary once and for all. For more information, visit calgaryhomeless.com.