Surge in Massachusetts homeless population seen in yearly count

Data from the yearly count of the state’s unhoused conducted in communities across Massachusetts at the end of January is still being processed and analyzed. However, it appears the numbers of individuals and families that are in unstable housing situations has increased in fits and starts over the last 11 years.

“The general trend reflects an increase,” according to Gordie Calkins, of the state’s office of Housing and Livable Communities. “Shelters in Massachusetts are bursting at the seams.”

He was speaking at a meeting organized through the Interagency Council in Housing and Homelessness on Tuesday, attended by officials from the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHealth and the state Department of Mental Health, among others.

The count, at 6,950 individuals and 22,485 homeless individuals in family units, only reflects a point in time, Calkins said, warning that many factors influence the final numbers, from the weather on the night of the count to the volunteers helping with the process.

Overall, the state count reflects that 29,435 homeless individuals are living in Massachusetts, up 54% from the 19,107 counted in 2023.

Chronic homelessness, defined as those unsheltered over the course of a year or unsheltered on four occasions over the course of three years, has increased from 1,577 in 2013 to 2,021. Families that are chronically homeless have increased over that time from 538 to 864, according to the state’s numbers.

Having young adults help with the search for homeless youth results in more accurate numbers, said Alice Colegrove of Homeless Youth Services. She noted that peers can better recognize each other and are less likely to be missed when trying to blend in with the general population of young adults.

“If the weather is terrible, there are more people in the shelters,” Calkins said. However, those who sleep outside are harder to locate in foul weather as they may hunker down earlier in the evening and find less traditional places to sleep. He noted that since the influx of migrants into Massachusetts and the myriad agencies referring people to shelters, it is more challenging to get an accurate picture of who is housed where.

The fluctuations in numbers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect eviction protections put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the American Rescue Plan Act funding and benefits paid to families. Recent increases also take into account the new arrivals to Massachusetts.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Surge in Massachusetts homeless population seen in yearly count