According to a recent Point-in-Time count conducted by Montgomery County, the homeless population in the County is down 33% since 2013.

Between 2011 and 2013, homelessness was actually trending upward in the County, with a peak number of 464 individuals in January 2013. Four years later, in January 2014, the number of individuals is now 310.

“The county is working hard to reduce homelessness and when it does occur, making it rare, brief, and non-recurring,” said Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH, Chair, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “These new findings are moving in the right direction, but we must continue our efforts to support Your Way Home as they work to improve housing stability and economic security for those at risk of losing their homes and re-house those who have lost their homes.”

Although the total amount of homeless has shrunk, other parts of the report indicate problems still exist. 86 percent of Montgomery County households at risk of homelessness were diverted from entering an emergency shelter is up from 72 percent for the previous year and the median length of stay in a shelter in 2016 was 56 days, compared to 49 days in 2015.

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