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Although figures show that homelessness is decreasing across the country, a newly approved federal funding package threatens the progress to end homelessness, advocates say.
Fewer housing vouchers are pushing very low-income individuals and families to the brink of homelessness, they note.
The advocates are planning to bring 300 people from New Jersey to an April 5 Congressional reception in Washington D.C. to push for increased federal funding for vouchers and homeless services.
Before then, networks of organizations, agencies and others that plan community efforts to end homelessness will be coordinate NJCounts 2016, the results of which "will continue to guide efforts to end homelessness across the state," advocates say.
Volunteers will seek out the homeless in shelters, woods, under bridges, in vacant buildings and other locations where they are forced to remain because of insufficient affordable or supportive housing.
Every other year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mandates the count. Althoug 2016 is an off year, the counties are conducting them, anyway.
NJCounts 2015 found 10,211 homeless men, women and children across the state -- a decrease of 1,645 (13.9%) from 2014.
Factors that will contribute to this year’s count:
· Shelters reporting an inability to house homeless families throughout 2015;
· A shortage of rental housing driving up demand and costs;
· Failure by Congress to increase funding for the federal Housing Choice Voucher program;
· Foreclosures;
· Jobs that don't pay a living wage.
Monarch Housing Associates is coordinating the count, funded by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Authority.
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