A local organization says the number of homeless people in San Diego County has risen 11 percent in the past two years. That updates the findings of a national report released today that shows the number was actually declining at one point. KPBS reporter Katie Orr has details.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness report says there was a decrease of 18 percent in the number of homeless people in San Diego between 2005 and 2007. But the Regional Task Force on the Homeless says that’s no longer the case. Walt Sandford is the group’s Executive Director.
Sandford: The report to NAEH is, is releasing may be accurate up through 2007. But we’re seeing a, uh, at least a doubling of the number of homeless in San Diego since that time.
Sandford says his organization performed a count in January 2008 that showed an 11 percent increase in the number of homeless in the county. The group will conduct another count on January 23 rd .
