Ability Housing

From Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition’s 2008 Report of Duval, Clay, and Nassau Counties’ Homeless Population.

“I couldn’t keep up my payment for medications and was evicted.”
“I left to escape my abusive husband.”
“I relocated and my social security checks have not caught up with my move. I was told that it takes three months for a change of address.”

According to HUD, a person is homeless if he or she “(1) lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; and (2) has a primary residence that is (A) a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); (B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or (C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.” The definition excludes: “any individual imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an Act of the Congress or a State law.”

Since 2000, Duval County has experienced a 92% increase in homelessness.

According to the 2008 Homeless Census and Survey:

• 18,088 residents of Duval County were homeless in the past year.
• This represents a 7.7% increase from the previous year.
• On any given day, 2,821 Duval County residents are homeless.

Of the survey respondents:

• 18.3% had one or more children. Note: Families are the hardest to count as they actively avoid detection for fear of losing their children. It is greatly believed the rate of homeless families is far higher and the experience of local shelters is validating this assumption.
• 11% experienced the foster care system during their lifetime.
• Approximately 45% were homeless for the first time.
• 25.5% had been homeless 4 or more times.
• 42.7% were homeless for a year or more.
• Approximately 25% were homeless for more than three months, but less than one year.
• 71.8% resided in the community for a year or more.
• 26% served in the active military.

Health issues:

More than 66% reported having a disabling condition, of which:

• 53.9% have a physical disability.
• 36.3% have a mental health problem.
• 46.9% have a drug or alcohol related disability.
• 30.8% have a developmental disability.
• 7.8% have HIV/AIDS.

Causes:

• 32.7% – employment or financial reason
  • Such problems include not having enough income to meet basic needs, being unemployed, and lack of job training.
• 25.9% medical or disability
  • Such problems include inability to pay for medications, general physical or medical problems, as well as mental health or emotional problems, and drug or alcohol abuse.
• 18% – family related problems
  • Such problems include relationship break up, separation, divorce, escape from abuse and death of a family member.
• 11% – housing problems
  • Such problems include eviction, temporary housing arrangements ending, and significant house damage.