WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – An annual report shows that the pace of homelessness in Whatcom County isn’t slowing down.
The latest Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) data draws from the county’s Point In Time Count, which is conducted every January. This year’s report shows a slight increase in the number of homeless individuals.
Raw data states that more people were classified as “unsheltered,” which includes people sleeping in tents, cars or elsewhere outside.
But WCHCS notes that people living within one tiny home village did not qualify under the state’s rigid definition of “sheltered” for technical reasons.
The number of homeless children in Whatcom County recorded a new high of over 1,400, which is twice as many as there were five years ago.
And four in 10 individuals contacted during the Point In Time count said that they were experiencing mental health issues.
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Health and Community Services adds that some relief is on the horizon as more affordable housing projects are being finished and rent prices are stabilizing. WCHCS still estimates the current supply of affordable and supportive housing in the area is only enough to serve 20% of the affected population.
