Bucks County partners tackle homelessness, show results

When new federal figures showed an increase in the national homelessness rate, I figured the dreadful coronavirus pandemic had done similar damage in Bucks County because as the unemployment rate spiked, many of the jobless and penniless were evicted from their homes when unable to pay the rent.

My assumption, however, overlooked a robust, comprehensive county housing system that proved it was strong enough to stem such a tide — and do so in an impressive way.

While the national rate jumped 2.2 percent, Bucks numbers fell. Preliminary 2021 county results reported to the federal Housing and Urban Development Department indicate a 13.5 percent overall decrease in homelessness and a 23 percent decrease in unsheltered homelessness from the January 2020 count. Compared to the January 2019 count, it represents a 20 percent overall decrease and a 32 percent decrease of the unsheltered.

“Bucks County prioritizes the housing stability of all of our residents, especially the most vulnerable,” said Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, chair, county commissioners. “The decrease in homelessness even during a generational crisis, is a testament to the hard work of all our community partners.”

Staff and volunteers with Bucks County’s Housing Link Homeless Service on Jan. 27 performed the county’s annual, federally-mandated

“Point in Time” count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless on a single night in January. And what they found — or didn’t find — was a pleasant surprise.

In preparing for worsening, “more stressful” conditions due to the pandemic, the housing system “doubled down” and established elements like these:

• utilization of hotels for use as shelter beds for those experiencing homelessness and compliance with public health distancing;

• large-scale expansion of rapid rehousing programs to help those experiencing homelessness to quickly move into permanent housing. Used here was an additional investment of about $2 million;

• about $500,000 to partner organizations to obtain meals, hotel rooms, personal protective equipment and other supplies, and financial assistance to faith-based Code Blue organizations to help meet public health requirements, and

• expansion of eviction prevention efforts utilizing various federal sources.

A community-wide effort like this one is necessary to handle homelessness.

Said Jeffrey Fields, Bucks County Housing and Community Development director: “The pandemic has been so challenging for those in a housing crisis. I am incredibly grateful to the Housing Link partners for doubling down on their work.”

Preliminary 2021 county results reported to the federal Housing and Urban Development Department indicate a 13.5 percent overall decrease in homelessness and a 23 percent decrease in unsheltered homelessness from the January 2020 count. Compared to the January 2019 count, it represents a 20 percent overall decrease and a 32 percent decrease of the unsheltered.