Whatcom County homelessness at an all-time high, surpasses 1,000 people for the first time
Homelessness in Bellingham and Whatcom County increased substantially this year, reaching an all-time high and topping 1,000 people for the first time, according to an annual survey of people without a place to live.
The 2023 Point-in-Time Census of Homeless Residents report, which was released Monday, showed a sharp increase among “unsheltered” residents. Those are people living outside — such as in a car, tent or recreational vehicle.
Overall, homelessness increased by 27% from last year to 1,059 in Whatcom County, according to the report, which was conducted in cities and states nationwide on Jan. 26.
“People are becoming homeless faster than we can get them back into housing,” said Chris D’Onofrio, housing program supervisor at the Whatcom County Health and Community Services Department.
“We’re working hard to prevent and resolve homelessness for many households, but these growing numbers show the gap between what we’re able to do and where we need to be in terms of services and affordable units,” D’Onofrio said in a statement issued Monday afternoon.
Homelessness in Whatcom County was previously at its highest level in more than a decade in 2021, when 859 people were homeless — the most since the nationwide count began in 2008, according to previous reporting by The Bellingham Herald.
Homelessness in Bellingham and Whatcom County dropped slightly last year to 832 people. That was likely due to expanded support programs during the pandemic, the Health Department said. Homelessness still remained at record levels.
Key findings in Whatcom County
▪ 61% of all surveyed homeless people were staying in transitional housing or emergency shelters such as Base Camp or other specialized shelters. That’s down from 72% last year. The number of people using emergency shelters or transitional housing increased by about 9%, from 650 to 711.
▪ 39% of all surveyed people were unsheltered. That’s up from 28% in 2022. Of those people, about 74% of them slept outside in a tent, doorway or vehicle.
▪ Since 2019, the number of seniors age 60 and older experiencing homelessness has increased by 141% from 68 individuals in 2019 to 164 in 2023. Seniors accounted for 15% of all people counted. The oldest person counted was 89 years old.
▪ The rates of homeless families with children also continue to rise. From 2021 to 2023, the number of homeless families counted has averaged 88 households. From 2018 to 2020, the average was 68. Juveniles accounted for 15% of all unhoused individuals identified in 2023. The youngest person counted was an infant less than a year old.
▪ Two-thirds of the people surveyed reported dealing with one or more of the following: mental illness, chronic substance use, chronic illness, or a physical or developmental disability.
▪ 60 veteran households were counted this year, while 57 of those households were made up of only one person.
This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 1:23 PM.
