New figures released for Cuyahoga County indicate 15% of the reported homeless in the 1st quarter of 2009, are people living in families.
Celeste Collins is one author of the new Mandel School of Applied Social Science study, which found that, like the nation, the big increase in homeless families is coming from the suburbs.
Collins says that shift; has re-focused attention on the homeless problem.
CELESTE COLLINS: "Homeless families are definitely a priority and they are on the radar. But in this economy all kinds of services are being cut. At the same time, recent federal stimulus funds are being directed toward the county, and the city of Cleveland in particular."
The other report is from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which delivered its 2008 numbers to Congress, while also releasing $1.2 Billion in funds to assist cities like Cleveland. HUD also focused on the more than one-half million family members who are now homeless, and the pressure on suburban agencies to meet increased demands.
Both studies also chronicled families who lost their homes, and are living 'doubled up', with friends or relatives. Celeste Collins says in Cuyahoga County, that's 78 -hundred adults, and nearly 12-thousand children.
But she still stopped short of sounding a tone of despair.
COLLINS: "There is reason to be optimistic. I wouldn't say we are ahead of other areas, we might be holding our own. We're working on what kinds of programs might be appropriate for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County."
Both reports indicate a key element to helping the new homeless... is by increasing the communication between local agencies.
Rick Jackson,
90.3.
