Tampa Bay: Highest Homeless Rate in US

Facts About Homelessness and our Homeless Neighbors 2011

Homelessness in Hillsborough County

The Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County's 2011 homeless count in Hillsborough County, conducted on January 27, 2011, found:

• 17,755* men, women and children are homeless in Hillsborough County on any given night

7,336 are living on the streets, shelters and/or other places not meant for human habitation

10,424 are living doubled up with family and friends because of loss of housing and/or economic hardship 

•  23 percent are children
•  65 percent are male; 35 percent are female
•  44 percent are Caucasian
•  55 percent are African-American
•  14 percent are Latino
•  5 percent are veterans**
•  65 percent have a source of income
•  Of the 65 percent with income, the top five income sources reported are:

SSI/SSDI (19%)

Employment (17%)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (11%)

Unemployment Compensation (8%)

Panhandling (7%)

•  35 percent have a disability
•  90 percent were residing in Florida at the time they became homeless
•  51 percent are experiencing homelessness for the first time
•  16.5 percent have been homeless at 4 or more times
• The Hillsborough County Public Schools reported there were 3,109 homeless students enrolled on the day of the 2011 homeless count.

* Florida definitions of homeless, s. 420.621, was changed in July 2009 and includes persons who lack a fixed regular nighttime residence including those living on the streets, in shelters, places not meant for human habitation, living doubled up with family/friends, in motels and campgrounds due to loss of housing and economic hardship.

** The percentage of homeless veterans is believed to be inaccurate as many of the reporting agencies did not provide data on veteran status as well as an unusally low answer rate by individuals surveyed.  This situation is dcoumented by the 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, which states, "there is anecdotal evidence that homeless veterans sometimes do not divulge their veteran status to homeless program staff."

 Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County

(CBS News)TAMPA BAY, Fla. - As Republicans gather for their national party convention in Tampa, they will be aware of the stormy weather but may not see another issue clouding the city.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness in a report issued earlier this year - 57 homeless for every 10,000 residents.

There are about 16,000 homeless people in the Tampa area, and one in five of them are children.