Count finds 40 percent increase in Marin homeless population
By Richard Halstead, Marin Independent Journal
POSTED: 08/15/15, 2:01 PM PDT | UPDATED: ON 08/15/201510 COMMENTS
A one-day count of Marin County’s homeless population in January found 1,309 homeless people — a 40 percent increase from the 933 homeless reported in 2013.
The federal government requires all jurisdictions receiving funding to aid the homeless to conduct a count every two years.
“I think it’s very telling,” said Cia Byrnes, director of Ritter Center in San Rafael, which provides services to the homeless and working poor. “Our affordable housing is shrinking and for a whole variety of reasons people are unable to afford housing. It’s a really tough situation out there.”
Heather Ravani, Marin County’s assistant director of Health and Human Services, said, “The lack of available housing and the astronomically rising rents in this county are not allowing even people with Section 8 vouchers to get housing. Rents are being increased, and people who are on fixed income are being pushed out.”
See story in the Marin IJ HERE
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